Snouts in The Trough

MPs often bemoan the fact that the public don't take them seriously anymore, don't trust them and are apathetic about voting.

However, before lecturing us about our shortcomings, they should look closer to home and address their own shortcomings.

The current scandal involving Derek Conway, who claimed £50K allowances for his son (the self proclaimed "Queen of Sloane") to do bugger all, is a fine example of why people have little time or respect for politicians.

MPs need to get their noses out of the trough, then people may show them a little more respect.

McCafferty's Cat II

It seems that Peter Hain must have read my advice of last week, he has now resigned.

Our Heroic Home Secretary

Congratulations to our heroic Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, who having got herself into a real pickle the other day by saying that she didn't feel safe to walk the streets of London at night tried "valiantly" to dig herself out of the quagmire.

One of her aides helpfully gushed to the press that Ms Smith only recently went out one evening, and bought a kebab in Peckham.

Great!

Except for two small facts:

1 Ms Smith has armed police protection 24/7

2 She went out at 5PM to buy this much reported kebab. Hardly "night" is it?

As said, in Jacqui Smith we have a true hero leading us in the fight against crime.

McCafferty's Cat

Gordon Brown lives up to his reputation of being McCafferty's cat today, by supporting the embattled Peter Hain yet also noting that Hain's fate lies outwith his hands.

Hain may as well give up now, his leader has deserted him.