There has been much hilarity around the blogosphere this week at the news that a high court judge ruled on Monday that an £8 million pound donation to the Conservative Party was made because Branislav Kostic was 'not of sound mind' and must be handed back.
Indeed, he had described Margaret Thatcher as "the greatest leader of the free world in history"...
Branislav Kostic made the donation in his will but his son Zoran contested it as his father had been diagnosed with paranoia and was tormented by delusions. Following the judgement Zoran Kostic said he was relieved that the case was over but that he was "disappointed that the Conservative Party Association made it necessary for my family to come to court and to give evidence on private matters that we found deeply distressing".
Clare Montgomery QC, representing Mr Kostic's son, said the Conservatives "only benefited because the testator became mentally ill". And the judge agreed.
Mr Justice Henderson, said Mr Kostic would not have left the money to the Tories if he had been "of sound mind".
Now it is true that the story of the Conservative Party appealing to a man described as 'insane and delusional' invites many jokes but mental illness is certainly no laughing matter.
Lucky then that the Health Secretary Alan Johnson has just announced £170 million pounds a year by 2010 for improving access to psychological therapies providing for 900,000 more people to be helped to receive the treatment they need.
The new money has been broadly welcomed:
Marjorie Wallace, of the charity SANE, said: "CBT and other therapies can transform people's lives and enable those for whom they are effective to see their future as half full rather than half empty.
We would be concerned, however, if they were seen as a quick fix panacea for everyone.
It must not be forgotten that there are many people with depression and anxiety who will need far longer term and more intensive treatment and help."
Angela Greatley, of the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, said: "There are millions of people across the country whose quality of life could be improved vastly by timely access to good quality psychological therapy."
Now that is something to smile about.
Find your Neighbourhood Police team 
