Video credit : Neil Hepburn

The effectiveness of the curse of Jonah Brown is accelerating:

Last week :
Gordon Brown Backs Aluminium Plant- BBC

Today:
Aluminium Plant Cutting 250 Jobs – BBC

Two days ago:
Brown and Ministers Highlight Imperial Healthcare Innovation
Imperial College News

Hours later :
Axe Hovers Over Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine
Times Higher Education Supplement

If he plans to visit your office, throw a sickie or risk getting the sack days later…

Speaking in the chamber yesterday during a debate on the future of local papers and “Digital Britain”, Ed Vaizey, the Shadow Minister, Culture, Media & Sport, said

Blogs, such as ConservativeHome, Iain Dale’s Diary or Guido Fawkes’ blog, are effectively taking over some of the role of national newspapers and are capable of breaking important stories with very few resources. That shows that technology will help to fill the vacuum…. For example, a website such as ConservativeHome provides a community base for those of us interested in Conservative politics. Although it might break news, it also keeps us in touch with what that wider community is doing.

Strange that he didn’t mention the Tory Bear blog, since Guido knows he is a reader.  After it listed Vaizey as the Sexiest Male MP, he was so chuffed he ran down the corridor outside his office excitedly shouting “Have you seen?  Have you seen? I’m the sexiest MP in parliament.” His researchers had to put up with him regaling visitors and telephone callers with the news for days…

We are briefed that Blair is the official unofficial candidate of the FCO for permanent President of the Council of Europe.  Of course as an opponent of a European supra-state, Guido is an opponent of a permanent European President. But, well, wouldn’t it be fun to wind-up Gordon? William Hague is incredibly strident in his opposition to a permanent European President, yet even he recognises the fun value:

At least President Blair, unlike Prime Minister Brown, wouldn’t be a national embarrassment…

Ian Blair, who resigned under a cloud as Met Police Commissioner last year, has put out a press release claiming that the unpublished report by the Inspectorate of Constabulary into the awarding of more than £3m worth of Scotland Yard contracts to a friend, Andy Miller, clears him.  Not so fast copper…

James Cleverly, Tory member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, has blogged in response: “The Authority now wishes it to be made explicit that its decision, as recorded in the minutes of its exempt meeting, does not amount to an exoneration of Sir Ian Blair’s conduct.”  Watch this space…