For once an instance where my ignorance plays in my favour, although I still don't understand why there have to be so many systems and how things can possibly "come up smaller" in different establishments when they're using an identical arrangement...

Added to that, Jemima appears to have forgotten about Peppa Pig World at last, although for how long remains to be seen. The biographer and his book were replaced on The Daily Politics rather swiftly this afternoon and there have been so many charity and constituency matters to attend to recently that I've been kept far too busy to be bored.

Things could certainly be a lot worse.

It is utterly ridiculous; the council won't close off the road for a Royal Wedding street party! The local people want one, it would be a fantastic opportunity to bring the members of the community together and, above all, it would more than likely be an absolutely splendid time. They just don't seem to get it. Meldrew, damn it, I said Victor Meldrew; my accent isn't that difficult to understand!

In other news, it has emerged that Quentin Letts does not approve of the biography - hardly exciting or unexpected given the balanced view the book took overall. What is rather disconcerting, however, is the simple fact that he wishes to know what I wear at the weekends and is rather disappointed that such information isn't contained within the book's pages. Odd fellow, that Mr Letts.

And for crying out loud, those books do not promote magic, even if such a thing were possible! I'm sure Gove never had access to the works of JK Rowling as a small child, yet he still seems to think it is feasible that he one day will possess magic ability.

...No, Sally, I cannot 'get you a ticket to see Obama'; it is an official address to both Houses and try as hard as you might, you simply are not a Member of Parl-

What do you mean 'relegated to the sofa'?!

From today's Independent:


Good Lord, could it be any more obvious? I just hope the characters aren't called something as equally transparent, such as "Alistair Campble" or "Quenton Lotts"...

The usual pointless rubbish in The 'Mail and nothing to worry about in The Independent; with that and Sally campaigning in Glasgow for a few days, it appears that, at last, I can have a nice relaxing end to the week with the children. Magnificent!

I was perfectly aware that Sally was in the process of writing a book, but... but... that's what it's about?! It's little wonder she wouldn't let me read it. Westminster Spouses, well I mean really Sally. I know the phrase is "write about what you know" but honestly, couldn't you use just a small amount of creativity and write about anything other than Westminster?

Please, please let the fact that Crick got the identity of the cloth covering her modesty wrong be a sign that the rest of the article is just as false.

It's... been banned?

"I’ve never met Bercow, and everything I’ve ever read about him has made me suspect that if I did, I’d probably want to give him a kick. But at the same time, there’s something so bitter, petty and gross about the forces who range themselves against him that I inevitably find myself rooting for him all the same."

I'll take what support I can get. Seems that biography is doing more good than harm - or at least, not a great deal of harm bar a few embarrassing stories from my youth which I'm sure will fade into obscurity soon enough - and with any luck Sally will stick to her current line and refuse to publicly comment on the thing although pointing out that I've put on weight since we first met is completely unnecessary; the pictures speak for themselves, thank you dear. Who'd have guessed?

That... was far more positive than I feared. Undoubtedly Sally will be over the moon at the end comments of the last chapter (she absolutely does not need any more encouragement, thank you so very much indeed) and there were surprisingly fewer factual errors than first thought especially after I corrected the ones that were present.

The book has turned up. Time to go through the blasted thing and correct all that's wrong with it, I think.

At least the second extract isn't quite so bad.

If the extract is anything to go by, that bloody biography is going to be humiliating.

Who talked?