Guido has been most amused with the Parliament Spy twitter account that was gaining quite the cult following in the village for its erudite and irreverent exposing of MPs eating habits and choice of hot caffeinated beverages. It was catty and witty, and exactly what was needed to keep Westminster’s finest looking over their shoulder. Obviously MPs were getting hot under the collar about their baked potato habits and afternoon drinking sessions being revealed. Most intriguing was the reporting of who was dining with which journalist and where. The whole operation was clearly run by bored Parliamentary researchers.

An unnamed MP complained to James Kirkup of The Telegraph who promptly wrote a piece about it for this morning’s paper. Well inevitably Parliament Spy has been forced underground and silenced.  Kirkup has a track record in online based cockups, he was the one that revealed the entire Lobby’s group email address to the world, opening up the door to midnight abuse.  Back then he dismissed his blunder to Guido with a simple “the wonders of modern technology”.  Kirkup has just blogged about what an idiot he is…

Alastair Campbell blogs…

“I figure in homoerotic fantasies which fill Dacre with terrible shame and guilt.”

Guido got a tip last night that Alistair Darling was visiting RBS  HQ on the quiet today.   It isn’t in his constituency so  it is a mystery why he would visit today.  Guido called his Special Adviser’s office and they were unable to confirm or deny the truth.  Why the secrecy?

Perhaps he is quietly lining up a post-election job…

Mayor Boris has written to the Chancellor demanding a meeting to discuss his introduction of a 50% tax rate a temporary 50% levy on banking bonuses . In a move that was as vindictive as it was irrational the chancellor is raising the top rate of income tax to 50% in April, making London more expensive for residents earning £1 million a year than New York or Hong Kong, according to KPMG estimates. A London banker on that amount will pay £491,278 in income tax and social security payments from April, a third more than in Hong Kong and £58,500 more than in New York, the data below shows:

Now some might think great, we”ll squeeze ‘em till their pips squeak, we’ll bash bankers bonuses. Not for long comrades.   Just as Pol Pot’s extermination of the counter-revolutionary middle-classes (teachers and doctors) left Cambodians uneducated and unheallthy, driving bankers offshore will hurt those left behind more financially.  High-earners are mobile, foreign firms will re-locate, and foreign financial firms definitely won’t choose to locate here in the future.  The predicted one-time billion pound boost to revenue will see many more billions drain away long term. The burden will just fall heavier on those poor taxpayers left in debt ridden Britain…

See also We’ll Pay for Banker Bashing.

When Jonah visited Wales last week, it was only a matter of time before the curse struck. It was reported that the Prime Mentalist said “the key to turning around the economic downturn in Wales lies in creating and safeguarding jobs.” Mr Brown visited south Wales as part of his three-day regional tour of the UK and met workers in Cwmbran and Cardiff. He said maintaining employment levels across Wales was crucial in fighting the economic crisis.

The Cardiff workers fate was sealed.  This morning the BBC is reporting: ”Around 900 jobs will be lost after the motor parts manufacturer Bosch said it is to close its south Wales plant. Plans being considered at the site in Miskin, near Cardiff, had included the option of 300 job cuts or complete closure.” Just stay in the bunker Gordon.  Please.

If Guido told you this picture was taken covertly in the Victoria Street offices of the Lord Mandelson’s Dept. for Business, Innovation & Skills would you really be that surprised? Whitehall mandarins in the making need training.

Guido would call the press office for an explanation, but presumably if they have done the training course, they won’t give a straight answer.

If anyone wants to enlighten us, email…