John Humphrys came to the FSB conference to take members questions. He was quizzed on a number of issues including Tony Blair, sleeze, banking crisis, professionalism and what the highlight of an interview is.

It is true that Tony Blair refused to be interviewed by John for a period of four years. In the 2001 election Tony Blair came to be interviewed by John who asked; "When you came to power in 1997 you promised your Government to be whiter than white, have you been?  There was complete scilence and Tony Blair spent the rest of the interview refusing to address the question. After this incident they then did not speak to each other again until 2004, after Alastair Campbell had left his job as the Downing Street Head of Communications.

The people John most enjoys to interview are those who are prepared to engage and to answer the questions. In an interview you want to reveal something that the audience does not already know. Some may call that sensationalism. John calls it news.

He feels that his job is to put politicians under pressure and hold them to account. It is his duty as a broadcaster in a democracy to hold politicians to account. The BBC reporters must however report accurately, or they should loose their jobs.

The one person John has not interviewed is HM The Queen. He was once invited to a private lunch at Buckingham Palace where he asked the Queen of the possibilities of an interview. She Said;"No, and if one were ever to consider taking up such a proposal - it would certainly not be with you!"

One question from the audience was seeking advice how to strike a balance with radio/tv news. The answer was "Switch the TV off!" TV broadcast has become too obsessed with celebrity and dummed down in John's opinion and that is a shame. It should be more serious and more infomative.

When quizzed on the banking crisis, John said it was a tremendous mistake to let Leaman Brothers go bust. The implication is far reaching and we have lost confidence in the whole banking sector. When Leaman Brothers went down everyone knew that no bank was safe anymore.

John said there are three types of politicians; the ones who never lie, the ones who tells white lies reluctantly to stay within Government lines and the ones who are outright crooks that couldn't care less if they lie or tell the truth. But there are very few of those about.

The truth is that John Humphrys has a lot of time for politicians. It is a rotten job - but someone's got to do it!