Today’s unsophisticated storm whipped up by the left about political rhetoric came at a rather unfortunate time for the former NUS President and Labour councillor/MP wannabe Wes Streeting. In his headline piece on the Progress website he talks about turning Labour guns on the Tories:

He better hope that no Tory politico is ever violently attacked because obviously, following their logic, the left would instantly blame him. There goes that safe seat…

This morning’s Guardian leader lambasted the violent rhetoric they claim is to blame for the tragic shootings in Tuscon. However true to form they haven’t always practiced what they preach. Take for example this picture of a hanging effigy of Nick Clegg taken outside the Guardian’s King Cross HQ. Did any Guardianista step up and slam that? No.

Nor did they have any problem with one of their own using shooting rhetoric during the election. Say Cameron had been shot or attacked, would the lefty twitterati have riled against Toynbee for suggesting the LibDems and Labour needed to “turn their guns on the real enemy”? No of course not. While having a debate about what is an acceptable way to describe your political opponents is one thing, doing so on the back of an attempt to politicise the actions of a deranged lunatic is a new low.

Guido has kept one eye on the LibDemVoice hunt for the fourth annual “Liberal Voice of the Year”. He was most amused to see the poll, which had a seemingly fluid timescale, only closed after Aung San Suu Kyi overtook David Cameron in the lead. There was only 22 votes in it though:

• 22% (238): Aung San Suu Kyi
• 20% (216): David Cameron
• 12% (128): Ken Clarke
• 11% (120): Julian Assange

Was there a concerted effort to stop Dave “winning here”?

Ed Miliband said of his brother…

“David will be successful in anything that he does…”

New suits all round at Miliband’s press conference. While Tom Baldwin brooded at the back incessantly chewing gum, fellow new spinner Bob Roberts worked the room in a brand new blue whistle. Lots of smiling and winking at hacks . Though it wasn’t quite the fashion disaster his new boss is used to, someone might want to have a quiet word with Bob and suggest he cuts the white cotton sewing up the vents on the back of his jacket …

Though Guido has promised to be nice to James Macintyre this year, he did have to laugh when he heard that he had asked Team Ed for a job after he was kicked out of the New Statesman, it seems he will have to settle for writing the biography. At least he can still turn up to the press conferences. Guido noticed a couple of faces missing from the crowd though. No sign of  Sky’s Jon Craig and, despite the press conference being about bankers, why no Robert Peston?

Two days before the big TUC march against the cuts (March, 24), Labour is holding a “Celebration of Equality” fundraiser at London’s Café de Paris.

Tickets for a table cost £10,000 – if you want to sit with the Shadow Cabinet. For £150 you can sit at the back behind a pillar. Some are more equal than others…