I never thought I would utter the words but it is time for the UK to draw a line under the farce that has become the Eurovision Song Contest.

As a lover of everything kitsch and cheesy, the Euro song contest has always held a special place in my heart.

I have organised parties around the show, cancelled big nights out to make sure I was infront of the TV and even watched it in my apartment when on holiday in Spain.

The combination of annoyingly catchy songs, naff dance moves and the chance to be patriotic have always appealed to me.

But after this year's farce I don't see the point of us even trying to make out mark in the competition next year.

James Fox, our very good looking entry, was tipped to do well before the contestant began but those who suggested he might win had forgotten the competition has absolutely nothing to do with music anymore.

The link between the Eurovision and music has always been arguable with the likes of Boom Bang-a-Bang-Bang making a mark - but now politics has entered the competition like never before.

Terry Wogan (who has always been the best things about the BBC's coverage) was this year able to predict what points country would get before the voting began.

All he did was read the newspapers and swot up on the international political situation.

With the UK's invasion of Iraq causing so much hostility around the world we were never going to do well if the voting public forgot that they were watching a music show rather than a political broadcast.

So poor James scrapped in at 16th while a woman from the Ukraine wearing a loin cloth was crowned the winner.

I'm not saying James should have won (although he was one of the few entries to play his own instrument) but if he had been judged on performance alone he would have made the top five.

Last year the UK entry Jemini scored nil points for the first time ever. The Scouser couple failed to hit a right note between them and did not deserve success but I'm sure the fact the war in Iraq had just broken out didn't help their tuneless cause.

Our last winner was Katrina and the Waves with a very average song - but it was the year that Tony Blair moved in to Number Ten and there was a worldwide feeling that the UK was on the brink of a fresh start.

The European Broadcasting Union (who oversee the Eurovision) have refused to look into the organisation of the contest - claiming that now the voting is down to the public is could not be fairer.

But until politics is put on the backburner and the Eurovision embraces it's roots there is no point in a world power like the UK entering - our politicians make some bad mistakes but a naff singing competition is not the place for these differences to be aired.

With so much bad news about, the Eurovision should be great escapism with the emphasis on skirt-ripping, dodgy lyrics and big hair.

Until we can be sure that nothing but our scales and dance steps will be judged, the UK should hang up it's Eurovision hat and just be happy with the knowledge that in the real world, with the likes of George Michael, Elton John and The Gallaghers , we know we have the best song-writers in the world never mind Europe.