Alastair Stewart: One of my biggest frustrations is back. It should make life easy, not more complicated

Home-Start has a relatively small national organisation, but its real strength comes from its network of independent local groups. They provide a wide range of support for families with very young children who are going through difficult times, from one-to-one help in the home to specialist early learning and perinatal support. Volunteers receive excellent training, but they are the ones who do the hard work every day. Their contribution is recognised and greatly valued by local authorities. We were especially delighted that the former Mayor and Lady Mayoress had chosen Home-Start as one of their charities during their year in office, providing invaluable support.

Our local MP, Danny Chambers, was also there. He has been a consistent supporter of Home-Start and has taken a genuine interest in my dementia, particularly because of his work on mental health issues in Parliament.

He kindly asked how I was getting on, and I repeated something I have said before. One of my biggest frustrations is the NHS App. It contains appointment details and often important letters, but for people like us it is simply not fit for purpose. Technology should make life easier, not more complicated.

Also attending the reception were the new Mayor and Mayoress. The setting was magical, thanks to the generosity, kindness and patronage of the Wakeham family, who allowed us to hold the celebration at Pinglestone Barn, a beautiful late 17th-century building.

The barn also holds a very special memory for us. Many years ago we attended one of the most memorable lunches of our lives there. It was hosted for the Wakehams' friend, Margaret Thatcher. Lady Alison had been her personal secretary, while John Wakeham served in all of her Cabinets. He was seriously injured in the Brighton hotel bombing, when the IRA came close to killing the Prime Minister and much of her Cabinet. Many of those who survived attended that lunch. It really was a "who's who" of the Conservative Party in the 1990s.

Politically, the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan was finally published.

Senior military figures, along with the recently resigned Defence Secretary, argued that it still did not go far enough. Critics noted that the initial funding had been supplemented from transport and energy budgets, while others questioned what financial challenges might face future governments.

During a lively Prime Minister's Questions, Kemi Badenoch pressed Keir Starmer on those issues but received little by way of an answer. She also reminded the House that the Chief of the Defence Staff had reportedly said the planned increase represented only around half of what was ultimately required.

What we do know is that Britain's Armed Forces are set to receive more drones and unmanned aircraft and naval vessels. I only hope that future procurement avoids the cost overruns that have become such an unfortunate tradition, and that major equipment programmes deliver what they promise.

The former Cabinet Secretary, Simon Case, also made headlines by suggesting that if Labour were to replace Sir Keir Starmer with Andy Burnham as leader, and therefore Prime Minister, there should be a General Election. That was certainly an eye-catching intervention from someone who once held the most senior position in the Civil Service. I have always enjoyed elections, so it certainly caught my attention.

Mr Burnham has spoken about devolving more power away from Westminster and creating what has been described as a "No10 of the North". It reminded me a little of the late John Prescott. I also found myself wondering, rather mischievously, whether Jaguars might replace Range Rovers as ministers' preferred official cars.

Mr Burnham was not taking questions, so, like many things in politics, we shall simply have to wait and see.

Prime Minister's Questions itself sometimes had the feel of Bill and Ben, the Flower Pot Men. There were moments that seemed more theatrical than illuminating.

Meanwhile, Ed Davey produced an amusing line ahead of England's match against the Democratic Republic of Congo, observing that the Prime Minister was not the only person looking for a better defence strategy.

It all reminded me of something Peter Mandelson reportedly told newly elected Labour MPs back in 1997. If they already supported a football club, they should talk about it loudly and often. If they did not support one, they should choose a club quickly and make sure everyone knew about it.