So the Londoners’ Diary got the scoop that was four years in the making – the Speccie’s secretly authored column, Tamzin Lightwater, the Bridget Jones of the Tory world, was penned by the Sunday Telegraph’s Melissa Kite. Entertaining readers and irritating CCHQers, her insight and titbits about life in Dave’s war-room were remarkably accurate given the amount of people, often on the inside, sending tips her way. Guido is kicking himself he didn’t make the connection before – all the clues were there – she ended up Associate Editor of the Speccie and, if her Facebook profile is anything to go by, she has more than a passing interest in horses and Tory-ness. The column is wrapping up now the Tories are “In Power” – so long Tamzin.

Well yesterday was a disaster. Surgical glue came unstuck under the studio lights and so did I. Ended up blinking at a fair old pace. Thought the Daily Politics was going to be fine when the Jo woman started out talking about education but Andrew Neil was in full swing. Completely forgot my lines and slipped back into blaming America. I can’t believe I even forgot to call Damian “Mr McBride”. What was he talking about no one liking me though?

What’s worse is they have asked me to go on the This Week sofa for a whole hour. I’m not so keen but Ellie is desperate for me to do it. If Brillo was that hard to me in the middle of the day what would he say after a couple of bottles of Blue Nun?

*As leaked to Guido

Remember those three MPs on trial? Everything seems to have gone a bit quiet about them until today. Elliot Morley, David Chaytor, Jim Devine and Lord Hanningfield’s attempt to use Parliamentary Privilege in their defence has been thrown out, although this is still subject to an appeal. The judge has ruled their attempt to use the legislation stopping the court from wading into the business of Parliament was not acceptable as criminal activity seems to have taken place. This issue is not going to go away – after the appeal process it is unlikely the trials we begin at this rate until next year.

The very real effects of no longer receiving Short money are beginning to hit the LibDems. Twenty staffers whose salaries were all covered by it have been fired from their press and research teams, as well as from Nick Clegg’s office. There was some speculation that the Tories were keeping their staff for an extra few months just in-case the coalition went wrong though Guido understands that redundancies have started taking place in CCHQ.  Clearly the Liberal Democrats and the Tories are not expecting an election anytime soon.

Given the Short money is essentially a kitty divided up based on number of seats, because there is only one large party now to take the cash, Labour will be getting almost as much as Tories and the LibDems combined got in the last Parliament. No wonder so many former Labour SpAds are still loitering around while in opposition.

The internet is rife with speculation that Sarah Palin has had a boob-job. Guido isn’t convinced but will let you be the judge:

What has received less attention though is the influence of Palin on the Republican primary results recently. Of the four candidates she backed, three won the nomination and one is through to a run-off. Politico reports:

“Palin served different roles for each candidate – sometimes spotlighting conservatives not well known to the national scene while at others validating conservative credentials to an unsure grassroots and even stepping in to deflect nasty attacks. Her decision to get – and stay – involved in the race here in South Carolina was a huge boon to our campaign, because it caused a lot of South Carolinians to take a second look at a rising in the polls but once-little known state legislator who was fighting to give them back their government.”

Though despised by the left, they would be stupid to underestimate the strategic gains Palin is making. There is momentum and weight behind the machine. With her career making appearances on the stump and financial support from her Political Action Committee, a lot of people are going to owe her a favour in the run up to the 2012 race…

Danny “Beaker” Alexander (pictured), the newly appointed Chief-Secretary to the Treasury, is the man charged with swinging the spending cuts axe, enforcing a public-sector pay freeze and sacking quangocrats.

It has to be done to bring down Labour’s deficit and tackle the government’s debt crisis – Britain’s deficit is second only to that of Greece.

The Coalition has been spinning that they are taking a 5% cut in ministerial salaries, which sounds very noble, setting an example and leading from the front, except when you realise that every single one of them will see their income rise.

Take the example of Danny Alexander, he was on an MPs’ basic pay of£65,737 before the election, a month later he is on £134,565, a whopping 104% pay rise.  Not exactly suffering personally under the new austerity regime he is supposed to enforce is he? Are we really “all in this together”?

He would argue that following his promotion he has additional responsibilities, but do they justify more than doubling his pay? Is he working twice as many hours? Who (besides a politician) would argue that a lucky promotion justifies doubling your pay?