Blogsclusive: Rickitt Risks All With Ribald Valley Member

"Is this the final nail in the coffin of former Tory A-lister Adam Rickitt's political ambitions?" asks a mournful Oliver Marre as Pendennis in The Observer. Over a little story I've been keeping warm for a while now. "Shortland Street Star in Shorthand Salutation"

Former Conservative Party A Lister Adam Rickitt - who now, very convincingly I should think, plays the mysterious ex-pimp's hardman, current womaniser, and exploding brain survivor Kieran Mitchell in the NZ soap Shortland Street aka 'Shorty' (see last post) - unknowingly repeated Blair's infamous hand gesture, and was recorded for posterity by Nigel Evans MP's art director, well before Blair's gesture was turned into front page news.

Many of these A Listers were granted special status by the Tories' mini-Blair David Cameron because they are women, from black and ethnic minorities, openly homosexual, with towering intellect, A List celebrity status, or some combination. All under-represented in Tory ranks. We still haven't worked out where Adam stands. His inclusion was a complete mystery in fact.

The picture, taken on the Terrace at the HoP, was apparently uploaded on 5 November 2006 and so has been available from Mr Evans' website for just a day short of a year. Eight months of this after Blair was convicted of the same offence.

Mr Rickitt (25 tvnz or 29 wiki) whose first break was playing Nicky Tilsey on Coronation Street was in the New Zealand news recently over a shop lifting and age reducing incident and also for successfully obtaining a NZ residency permit.

Mr Evans (50 BBC or 50 wiki) is no stranger to photographic controversy and back in April he chose to huff and puff about The Daily Mirror blowing an "innocent incident" out of all proportion. And then he removed the innocent photograph from the very same gallery. This (featured at the huff and puff link) pictured a group of revellers at a Rotary charity barbecue who had hilariously chosen to "black up" as fancy dress.

Mr Evans was not himself blacked up, as that would have been too dangerous even for him, though he was wearing a very loud shirt.

It does seem extraordinary that Mr Evans was not by now aware of the presence of this gesture on the photograph. Particularly given the coverage of Mr Blair's own youthful indiscretion. Is this the nearest the member for the Ribald Valley gets to living dangerously?

UPDATE 08:45: Some links and editing added.