The quality of Mursi

Calling an early finish to a training day so that 'people can go and be with their families' was a new experience. Everyone I've spoken to on this trip to Cairo knew that today was going to be historic. Before the session and at the breaks no one spoke of anything but politics and the room included supporters of both Shafiq (ex-Air Force general, strongly associated with old Mubarak regime) and Mursi (Muslim Brotherhood) and as the 3pm announcement got closer there was a growing shrillness of tone without actual disagreement.

At the appointed time I sat in the hotel lobby alongside those programme participants living outside Cairo. The experience was not dissimilar to being in a Madrid hotel a few months ago when Real lost the Champions League semifinal to Bayern Munich. Such is the life of a consultant: even if you're in the city where the amazing thing is happening, chances are you're watching it on CNN like everyone else.

Plenty of noise outside from Mursi supporters but I've been somewhat humourlessly assured that as this (Heliopolis) hotel is owned by the army there will be no incidents.