Earlier today I interviewed Lord Baker for the next issue of Total Politics who was speaking to me about his fantastic collection of political cartoons.

I’ve not always appreciated the importance of political cartoons but as Lord Baker pointed out they are a wonderful way of conveying history and a different way of telling the news.

Aside from establishing the national curriculum, Lord Baker was instrumental in establishing the Cartoon Museum on Great Russell Street, which is currently running an exhibition of Giles cartoons (until 15 February 2009).

As we talked in his offices this morning, surrounded by just some of his collection, including one of himself, he said of the Cartoon Museum: “The great thing about it is that it’s a museum of laughter, and in this depressing recession you need laughter.” Here-here Lord Baker.

See the next (January 2009) issue for the full interview.