Workers Memorial Day: Saturday 28 April 2007

Source page HERE. UK Events Diary HERE. There is a memorial garden in the grounds of the former GMB College in Whalley Range. Should this now be moved? To Manley Park, Alex Park or perhaps to the Peace Gardens?

RADIO FIVE LIVE DRIVE: "You've Won an Instant Prize, Where Do You Live?"

TRIVIA: German police snared a miscreant who liked his beer by ringing with the good news that he'd won a crate of beer for immediate delivery. This reminded me of the flowers received by Buzzcocks leader Pete Shelley at a solo gig at the long lost International 1. Lovely they were. But the blooms included a blooming summons. Duly served and witnessed by "InterVATman". Say it with flowers.

Libdemolo-ageists: Youth, Not On Our Side

An extraordinary attack on a candidate purely because of youth from a party advocating voting, candidacy, porn acting, freeform yobbery and unfettered drinking for 16 year olds. Lib Dems: also claiming to be choosy about their candidates! Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

EXCLUSIVE: North West England, Lib Dem-BNP Pact on Council Seats?

More will follow when I get back from Burnage. In short there is written evidence of an electoral pact on a particular NW council whereby BNP and Lib Dem will each avoid hard campaigning in the others' target seats.

Action Stations: Manchester Tories Say Proudly that Pride Discriminates Against Straight People

Miles has the story at Action Without Theory.

Ladies Excuse Me: Hornsey and Wood Green

Parbury has slept off the effects of scoffing a whole Raspberry and Mascarpone Cheese Pie and announced another selection dance where the ladies choose. Entries must be in today.

EXCLUSIVE Another Tory Race Muppet? Nigel Evans Protests Too Much

Nigel Evans protests:

27 April 2007

Mr Evans finds the story printed today by the Daily Mirror distasteful, beneath contempt and will not be commenting other than to say the following:

"This was a Rotary charity function held in November 2006 which was a fancy dress party with a Caribbean theme. Rotarians and their guests came in all sorts of Caribbean themed costumes, taking the mick out of themselves, to help raise over £2000 for local and international charities.

"The funds were distributed to Water Aid in Africa which provides wells for local communities in order that people do not have to walk miles for clean water, an Aids Hospital in Uganda, a Mobility Project in Mauritius and a Local Hospice in Pendle."

Nigel looks forward to supporting the excellent work of those charities mentioned and others, as he has done over the past 15 years as an MP.

Presumably this isn't about his pleas for Moira Stewart?

No, it's this:

TORY MP AND BLACKED-UP FRIENDS
By Gary Anderson 27/04/2007
ANOTHER day, another Tory buffoon. This time it's Nigel Evans, happily posing for this tasteless snap with "blacked-up" friends in afro wigs and grass skirts.
The MP, wearing a grin even cheesier than his shirt, draped his arms over his friends at the Caribbean party in his constituency.
And amazingly, rather than regretting his poor judgment, the MP for Ribble Valley, Lancs, proudly showed it on his website.
Evans, 49, who served as Shadow Welsh Secretary, said: "They were dressed as Caribbean women.Have you seen the picture?"
In a later statement he said: "This was a Rotary charity function in 2006, a fancy dress party raising £2,000 for charities."
It is the second time in as many months Tories have been caught "blacking-up" after councillor Brian Gordon dressed as Nelson Mandela in a bone necklace.

Nigel has me wondering certainly. So I fill in his contact form:

Saw the item in The Mirror and checked your website. I have found your statement. But I cannot find the picture. So if you find the story distasteful and beneath contempt can you please explain why this innocent picture has now been suppressed?

I will be blogging about the story and am undecided which line to take but I will happily include your response to this question if and when it is provided.

We'll have to see whether that brings a response.

Shirl the Pearl: "Slowly Disintegrating Towards Us"

Was struck yesterday on Andrew Neill's Daily Politics to hear Baroness Williams' pearl of wisdom. Describing parts of the country abandoning the Tories she spoke of them "slowly disintegrating towards us". I would agree with her apparent point that lending votes to the apolitical Lib Dems is "disintegrating" though I'm not quite sure that's quite what she meant.
TRIVIA SPOT: Gang of Four colleague Bill Rodgers' daughter was a contemporary at University of Manchester and long time co-pilot of our union newspaper editor.
Sadly it all ended in tears after a one night stand on his part, in solidarity and experimentation with a dashing Kurdish revolutionary.

Channel 4: Human Footprint on Reading Habits

"There are now more households in Britain that own two cars than that own two novels." Human Footprint.

The 57% of us that read any books must average about 1000 per life time to make the stats work. Which is not really very many is it?

Bethnal Green and Bow Selector: And They're Off

While the candidates are in the Hustings room (i.e. right now) might be a good time to spill some of the beans without interruption don't you think?
UPDATE: Well that didn't happen. Perhaps later today.

Lib Dem Voice: Chucking Stones at Glass Houses

Lib Dem Voice is actually a rather good source of story leads, like the Lawrence Hill one earlier from Bristol. This one is from Pendle, which is not far from Burnley. But the location is not too important.

A Labour candidate who is also a bus driver appears to be demanding a 20 mph limit on part of a route he drives regularly where one has already existed for four years according to Lib Dem sources. But this small piece of traffic engineering is nothing.

Lib Dem councillor Kenny Dobson - this year’s candidate in the City Centre of Manchester, though he doesn’t get down there much - stood up in Council and demanded an improved crossing at a junction of two roads which NEVER join. Euclid unfortunately ruled that out. They are parallel.

Portland Street and Whitworth Street as I recall.

The Lib Dems did try to kick Kenny out this time as he was alleged to have made unfair allegations about another candidate - over him being involved in various very nefarious activities.

Kenny had in fact been put up to this by senior members of his own party who later turned on him. But he had the last laugh as he "packed" the two-ward meeting with FOUR supporters, enough to see off the leadership's THREE-line-whip.

The nefarious gentleman is surprisingly still a Lib Dem candidate this time. And there’s a fraud convict who's now onto his 5th party affiliation* (approx) standing for them in the adjacent ward.

* Labour, Ind Labour, UKIP, Ind Socialist Labour, Lib Dem

SOCK PUPPET: Make your own Kenny HERE.
UPDATE: Pendle of course, not Burnley. Vital. Thanks Darren. But the action is really in Manchester where a ward councillor is reinventing a gridiron that has been laid out for 150 years.

Lawrence Hill, Bristol: Lib Dems Spot Dodgy Photographic Developments

Must say this looks bang to rights. A Labour candidate in Bristol appears to have lost his demo photos and fudged one up rather badly for a leaflet. Not a good idea. For some reason though the Lib Dems have yet to clear this comment for publication:
Cheers to Guido for the animation.

Of course the Lib Dem with the three ears was none other than Cllr Marc Ramsbottom who left his last job just ahead of their misconduct enquiry which saw his colleague who stuck it out dismissed over a tax fiddle.
UPDATE: Lib Dem Voice have sadly voted against free speech and stopped the comment above appearing.
UPDATE 2: They are now trying to smear the PPC and the rest of Bristol Labour with all having personally had a hand in the photoshopping of the fake photograph. And I thought it was only the Manchester ones that were completely full of it.
UPDATE 3: LDV has relented and let in the Bird Watcher comment. Tim has posted a link in comments to the Tories doing this same thing.

EXCLUSIVE SPECULATION: Dale's Diary Plus Plus

After a recent series of wobbly stories - rubbish on Blair's planning, rubbish on Gypsies, rubbish on Euro Selections and rubbish on rubbish to name but four - Iain Dale looks nearer the money as he predicts that Rt Hon Dr John Reid MP may be on a collision course with the Guardian.

Dale publishes an exchange of letters betwen Tory Toff Dominic Grieve and Dour Stalinist John Reid and the latter's response is very clear in its denial of any member of his political staff having briefed the papers.

The whole letter is here (click to enlarge).

So, this briefing if it came from anyone near John Reid could have come from :

1. A Civil Servant rather than a SpAd (unlikely);
2. A SpAD who fibbed to Reid (unlikely);
3. Someone else's political staff;
or
4. Rt Hon Dr John Reid MP himself.

Although this latter speculation is rather wild and falls outside this: "The Guardian has been told by a well-placed source that this information - which later proved to be inaccurate - came from one of Mr Reid's officials." It would mean every word in Reid's letter could be true.

SPOOKY BUT TRUE: Guido is pointing his finger at Steve Bates whose business card happens to be on my mantleshelf right now. Though I've never used it. Honest.

Mac Jobs: Chimps With That John?

Recess Monkey has picked up some rather strange empathy with low paid immigrant workers with MPs from the two main parties vying with each other with their inverted snobbery of the worst-job-you-ever-had sort.

Tory Greg Hands opened with West Berlin McDonalds followed by Cambridge and the City. Labour's Liam Byrne also fessed to some flipping in his pre-Andersons Consulting days.

But as they say all day in Manchester wards unfortunate enough to have Lib Dem representatives "Where are the Libs when there's hard work to get done?". That Hospital Hoaxer Cllr John Leech MP had looked absolutely shattered and dropping off as Mark Hunter asked his pointless PMQ. But then he probably went for a lie down.

Leech was a flipper himself after attending Brunel for some Politics and History lectures - did he actually get a degree? Anyway, the chump who also regularly fibs about police, post offices, cemetaries, rats in bins and so on, suppressed this info from his biog, leaving citizens who had seen him in action (his inaction?) to point this out.

Now Leechy can be loud and proud about it! Well done Recess Monkey! Obviously though he is still not going to be loud and proud about distributing cancer hoax leaflets to patients in chemo and radio-therapy waiting areas.

UPDATE: Cllr John Leech missed the "McDonalds debate" (4pm) in Westminster Hall by seconds having made an intensely boring and unhelpful speech in the previous debate, in tired tandem with his Hon Friend Mr Mark Hunter.

David Cameron: Calls for Independent Leak Inquiry

And well he might! When his blogosphere representative is wilfully pretending to leak documents which have been reviewed openingly in The Sunday Times fully four weeks before, there is a clearly a case to answer.

The above map of the property shows how very rare such alterations are in the area. All the properties with blue dots have garnered planning files since 1990. Red circle shows the epicentre of The Hand of History Library.

Regretably however neither the Full Consent Application nor the Listing Building Consent have any documents attached.

The other 16 "hits" reported in the precursor to the "It's All Gone Quiet on the Square" story were presumably part of the computer glitch. There is however a disclaimer (right) that must be signed about mis-use.

Good for David Cameron! An Independent Leak Inquiry is just the thing to see this cheeky rapscallion brought down a peg or two. County High School riff raff. Note to diary: Do not allow round cabinet table. The Guardian certainly won't be hurrying to follow any further Dale "Defectives".

UPDATE: Even Tuesday's Times "People" column got stung by Dale.

Guardian/ICM: Some Good News Buried for Gordon

Looking again at today's Guardian/ICM poll, previewed yesterday, we feel that this is the most interesting paragraph:

Mr Brown has a narrow one-point lead - 40% to 39% - over David Cameron as the man voters think would be most likely to take the right decisions when the going got tough. But the Tory leader has closed the gap since September when the question was last asked. Then, he trailed the chancellor by seven points, 32% to 25%.

Another way of reporting this would be:

Whatever the answers to more whimsical questions are Mr Brown has a lead - and growing ratings - on the when-the-going-gets-tough question. The going is always tough in government so this is a very powerful measure of confidence.

Chorlton : Paul 'Bastards' Ankers', Yet More Fibs ...

EXCLUSIVE Background First Published 15:31 18th April

Although Paul Ankers fails to apologise for CALLING CHORLTON PEOPLE 'BASTARDS' he has certainly added to his reputation as untrustworthy with his latest offering.

Paul claims he lives in the ward and knows the local issues. Mmmm. Not sure. But this carpet-bagger didn't live where he stood in 2006 and 2004.
He says he will vote for more police. That'll be unlike ALL the Lib Dems on the Police Authority then!
He claims to have a strong record of working hard for local residents. The people he shouts down the 'phone are 'bastards'.
He says he keeps in touch all year round. But he's only been on the scene for a few months. So that's a complete fib.
And he says he's fighting for a greener Chorlton, though of course he's Ankers' come lately on that too.

There are TWO pictures of Blair and Bush on the leaflet though, last time I checked, neither of these were standing in our Manchester elections and there was certainly no backing here for their war.

REMEMBER: Whatever he may pretend this is Paul 'Bastards' Ankers.

Polling Day: Two Polls Today with Mixed Messages

Luke Akehurst follows both. Communicate Research HERE and ICM HERE. Former a small Tory majority, latter a very hung parliament.

One last set of bloody noses for Tony Blair and then, you know, a fresh start. Things really can only get better.

Parbury Politica: Burnage Election Anecdotes Soon

And that's a promise. No question.

Nell Lane Estate: Posters Don't Have Votes

Whereas there are normally more posters on show on the Nell Lane Estate in Chorlton Park ward than people who vote by this stage in the game ... this year literally none can be seen. There are a few on the Weller and lots in some enclaves of the Mersey Bank. It is not Shameless Norman Look-a-Likey or Shameless Absentee Cllr/MP John Leech up this time. They just don't seem to care about whatever the other one's name is.

Crafty Cockneys: Which Way to the Stadium?

Clearly Greater Manchester has quite a number of good and great sporting clubs and stadia. But when it's Champions' League Semi Final and a cockney overtakes on the inside, where there is no lane, winds down the window and asks which way to the stadium you have to be a bit tight not to immediately direct them to Old Trafford.

But given that one has to pass two other stadia to get there from mine it seemed worth making this likely lad work. The Stadium?

Two soft but supremely well taken goals conceded, three excellent goals scored. One happy cockney reaching that stadium in time for a couple of prawn sandwiches and a mocha before kick off.

UKIP: Really Addressing the Equality Agenda

If you want to see diversity in action look no further than the who's who page at UKIP. A range of age bands close to zero. A range of ethnicity of zero. A range of gender (among elected reps) of zero. Even worse than the Tories and Lib Dems. And mad Brad's gone for now.

On the Square: It's All Gone Quiet Over There

Sadly there is no triumphant follow up on Dale's leaky logic. The Sunday Times ran the story a month ago and although the clumsy "exclusive" is still on the Guardian Unlimited website no Pullitzer nominations are planned and a Mr Tempest is said to be whistling up a storm.

Chorlton Drama: Bullocks to 'Ankers

EXCLUSIVE First Published 15:31 18th April

Excellent work from Labour's Chorlton Park candidate John Hacking. On the scene, snapping and blogging at the very hour of need of the people of Chorlton. Along with our fine Police Officers.

But where were the Lib Dems? Hiding their faces in shame? Even this shameless crew realise that going round shouting into a mobile 'phone that local people are "BASTARDS!!" for not opening their doors to him ... well it's a bit off that's what.

But they're not nice people. And these bullocks made for the very spot where Ankers had fired off his message to Chorlton people to prove that Lib Dems're not nice people.

It is rumoured that this fine young Bullock-me-lad when interviewed by police said:

Let that Paul Ankers come here and call me a bastard to my face. I'll give him bastard. The lying goon. Wait till I get my hooves on him!

In a very sad ending to the tale the prime veal calf found himself escalloped Viennese style. But at least he got his 15 minutes. Which is more than Ankers is going to get.

Fibdemologists Trilogy: The Post "Labour is Making a Courageous Effort" Bill Newton Dunn, LibDem MEP

April 18th 2007, Meeting of the ALDE group (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe). Seeking to "unravel the myths" on the EU’s demand for postal liberalisation by 2009. Hosted by the Swedish MEP Ollie Schmidt. Co-host was Bill Newton Dunn MEP, Lib Dem East Midlands (90 minutes late).

Eventually BND roused himself to state that:

"The UK Post office was overmanned and loss making. Thatcher could not privatise it as it was such a disaster. New Labour is making a courageous effort to privatise it to prevent it dying from inefficiency".

So, let's summarise:
- British Lib Dem MEPs voted for all the privatisation directives, Labour MEPs voted on principle against;
- Ming Campbell's first decisive moment as leader was to push through policy of complete Post Office privatisation;
- Lib Dems don't back community Post Office campaigns. In fact one Councillor sneered at those who saved a Post Office by determined community action and said "I bet you a pint it's closed in two years". Well it's not. Mine's bitter.
- Lib Dems in Europe think: "Labour is making a courageous effort to save the Post Office."
- Shock Horror: Lib Dems are fibbing hypocrites on Post.

Don't forget to check the Focus confetti for all this tomorrow will you?

Fibdemologists Trilogy: Rats Sinking a Ship of Fools

Although a ridiculous fibbing Lib Dem story about rats thriving as a result of a supposed decision to change the bin collections was rebutted weeks ago ... TODAY in Burnage, they're still ratting away with their rubbish story. Whereas in Chorlton they're just pretending they're responsible for Labour's planned plastic and cardboard collections. They must think residents are stupid. As well as "bastards" and so on.

This is a particular paradox here because in adjacent Lib Dem Stockport they have far more rats per square metre as they make residents put out rubbish in plastic bags instead of robust and rat-proof wheely bins.

Clearly as residents recycle more and more and more, not to mention reducing and reusing, there will be less and less unsorted rubbish. It seems that Lib Dems don't have the imagination to see that one day - but not today, tomorrow or the day after - this will reduce demand for collections of unsorted rubbish.

BACK TOMORROW to add images. Got rats, get cats! Do readers want to see our killer Tilley dealing with a Lib Dem rat?

Fibdemologists Trilogy: Lib Dem Hull is Dull, end of

Dizzy has a TOP STORY about Lib Dem aspirations when they take control of a city. According to the Lib Dem leader of Hull City Council, Carl Minns: "the Council should be boring, it should be dull, that's the aim".

Controversially Manchester Labour think the peoples' Council should be exciting, making things happen, or at least lending a hand. Promoting city pride. Harnessing ambition. Never coasting or resting on laurels.

Well, if you don't like the excitement of an innovative and energetic city ... vote Lib Dem. Councils are players, managers and coaches. Residents are owners. Councils are not referees who have a good game when they're not noticed. The poor bastards in Hull even have to play and follow football in Fib Dem colours. Don't let it happen here.

Over Hill and Dale: Westminster "Leak" Scandal

Iain Dale is pleased as punch that he's the subject of "a leak investigation" and has triggered a Guardian Unlimited non-story about a scarcely controversial planning application.

In normal times one could find the current applications for 29 Connaught Square, Westminster HERE. But thanks to Mr Dale the plug has been pulled and the particulars are not accessible. LOL can tell you that the property registers 81 folders of bumph since 1990 with 18 of these involving the adaptations Mr Dale details submitted on 13 March and to be determined on 3 May.

What a triumph! Public information pulled thanks to buffoonery. Perhaps Westminster Council could calculate the cost of all this and any postponements of process for themselves, the occupants, and their agents ... and pass the invoice to Mr Dale.

This could be amusing for the occupants who are of course Tony Blair, Cherie Booth and menage.

UPDATE: The person who tipped Dale off about the public domain info has outed themselves and also states that the Westminster Council computer is poorly. I may have overestimated repercussions of silly ass's mischief.
THEN AGAIN: Never believe anything on a Tory blog. All the other applications are available to peruse.

Bethnal Green and Bow Selector: Still Bubbling

Ted Jeory's piece in the East London Advertiser predicts a three horse race with all to play for. Though he has reported that two of these front runners are fatally flawed and had been full of praise for the work rate and suitability of a fourth candidate, Dr Rupa Huq.

To be brutally frank Ted seems to be batting for John "Ronnie" Biggsy, the great train spotter, but I'd be surprised if that would be the candidate of choice for the local electorate even if he suits the chatterers who now boss the constituency.

More (and EXCLUSIVE, natch) before too long. Above picture shows good each-way bet Dr Huq with her shy and retiring little sister Konnie.

Labour Leader: Brown Conspirator Tom Watson MP Links to New "Stand Down Meacher" Community

Aaargh, that was my 666th post. This is my 667th. Tom Watson MP has blessed the Stand Down Meacher facebook community with a link. 91 members in less than 24 hours. Twice Baron von Meachausen's site.

The Meach is insisting he has 24 statements from MPs saying they are nominating him. If true this is a bit like trying to buy a house to let with Monopoly money rather than the real thing. One senses that real nominations may be harder to come by than "play" nominations and the Guardian's Tania Branigan repeats Brown's briefing that McDonnell is just five away as well as repeating Meacher's dismissal of the claim that he has only three nominations including himself.

As Adele states on the facebook site:

If you were from the right you wouldn't vote for Meacher because politically you would disagree with him.
If you were from the centre you wouldn't vote for him because of his mad conspiracy theories.
If you were from the left you wouldn't vote for him because he voted for the war.

So the question is, who would actually vote for Meacher?

Which seems like a fair question.

The Daily Telegraph: Who Says Leopards Can't Change Their Spots?

While everyone speculates about what The Sun will be saying come election day - presumably betting on the winner as usual - it turns out to be the Torygraph we need to be watching. They have clearly decided to back a Royale/McDonnell* "roses-grow-on-you" double act. Hurrah! *Or Brown.

Agoraphobics: You Arrange to Go to See Them ... And They're Not In

Peripatetic solicitor comment ... priceless.

French Election: Left Right Left Right, On Y Va

The French Electorate, with an almost 85% turn out, boosted a Sarkozy-Royale run off. My old friend Le Pen was once again trash-canned. Shame. But says his people's votes will not be bought by Sarkozy. As they say it's a two horse race, and all to play for, the fascists cannot win here. No bar charts, sorry, but here's a list.
FASH FACT: Despite the attention of a squad of black-shirted thick-headed thugs M Le Pen and Mr Griffin did unfortunately leave some components of their Panzerwagen on the forecourt at the Cresta Hotel, Altrincham, April 2004. Fly-tipping fascist scum.

Marathon Day Update: Andi Jones 10th

Salford Harrier Andi Jones placed 10th overall and second Brit in the London Marathon yesterday.

Pictured above (red vest) at the Cutty Sark with pace makers Alan Buckley left and Peter Riley right. Nice one Andi. Picture BBC London.

Cameron on the Politics Show: I Blame the Parents

Time to stop Cameron pontificating about young people's behaviour given his spliffing time at Eton and his restaurant smashing, fox bottling, and generally monstering with Boris in the Bullingdon Bully Bullshitters.

HERE. I blame the parents who, to paraphrase Gove, cared so little about their children that they let them get dragged up by strange men and bullies in a uni-sexual environment in the Slough area.

French Election: After Four Hours More Have Voted Than at any Election in the Last Twenty Years

Could it be the Centrist Bayrou mopping up the 30% don't knows?

Politics Show: Baiting Starving Tories in Brighouse in Calder Valley

There is a great fish and chips shop on Brighouse High Street, or there always used to be. But not much for Cameron's Tories to get their teeth into.

Libdemologists: Mr Brown Charged With Loads More and FibDems Face £7.2M Treble Whammy

Iain Dale gives the Lib Dems the benefit of the doubt and says he believes they acted in good faith. To be honest I think this beggars belief. They are an intrinsically dishonest party. Even their name is a real stretch as they are neither Liberal nor Democratic.

But at least if they went and knocked on Michael Brown's door and he wouldn't let them in they could justifiably call him a "bastard", a "drunk" etc. Below the Lib Dem criminal in his natural habitat, and bottom leading Lib Dems, er, offering him their passports as he was short of one.

Marathon Day: Tales of Bolton and The Mall

Tarus was due to run the Bolton 10k today. No advertised race limit. No 'phone number on the race fliers. But "race full" when we got there. And an organiser giving some people entries and others not. But denying it. He wasn't budging.

Won by Paul Freary - whose shoe shop Foot Locker was sponsoring. Someone Tarus has beaten the last two times out by around 10 seconds per mile. Waste of time and money, and an opportunity cost as we could have gone elsewhere and won prizes. Letter to Athletics Weekly I think.

In London Andi Jones was second Brit sub 2:18 and Pumlani Bangani, also a Salford Harrier, was around 2:26 or so. Last year the club won the team race with these two plus Tomas Abyu and Eddie Simpson. But Tomas certainly didn't run.

Veteran Liz McColgan just finished after 12 years off with 2:50 clocking.

Labour Leadership and Baron Meacherhausen Sophistry ... in The Sunday Telegraph ...

Well, well, well. Here we go again. Michael Meacher is coming over all Trotty again. In the Telegraph. For starters:

... society was more unequal now than at any time since the 1930s. A new class, the "mega rich", had been given unprecedented power and access to government by Mr Blair, who was himself obsessed by money, he claimed.

Which is pretty rich coming from a hugely wealthy man. Who has a dozen rented-out houses at his command, on top of a humungous Parliamentary Pension. This Michael is NOT the work of a prudent socialist. It is the work of someone who is himself "obsessed with money". There's more:

Mr Meacher said that he was close to securing the 44 names necessary to mount a challenge to the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, the overwhelming favourite to succeed Mr Blair. "I'm getting very close to it," Mr Meacher said. "I have 25, [John] McDonnell has 15 and the overwhelming majority of those will switch to me if John realises that he can't make it and drops out."

No-one but no-one believes these fantasy figures from Meach. But what about policy?

The Prime Minister, said Mr Meacher, had also ridden roughshod over Parliament. "It would be hard to say this is a genuine parliamentary democracy. The framework is there but the decisions are fixed at private meetings between the Prime Minister and the power brokers in society, the financial houses, industry and the media."

And of course more's the pity Michael Meacher voted with the Prime Minister on all of these occasions. Until he was sacked. Votes not through principle we must assume, but through being "obsessed with money" and power and wanting the six-figure rather than the five-figure wages and the resulting pension pot. There's yet more:

He (Meacher) said a "conscience of the nation" watchdog should be created to look at all decisions of national importance and prevent abuses of power.

Perhaps "Honest Mike" could be that conscience? Baron Meacher von Munchausen? Conscience of the Nation? Let's finish off by giving a line to the Tories, one or two of whom may read The Sunday Telegraph ...

He claimed Mr Brown blocked a decision he took as environment minister to force the top 1,000 companies to publish their greenhouse gas emissions. "So if you ask if he's green - anything but. His feel for this agenda is very weak."

It is getting harder and harder to hold onto being a critical friend of this maverick-of-the-moment.


Meanwhile back down to earth in The Observer as David Miliband settles for the compere's role.