Yesterday’s Lolz Cat contest for a bottle of Bruichladdich was won by Dave Woolf who was credited yesterday, and well done to Tuscan Tony who is the winner of last Friday’s caption contest:

“This is the seating plan for Gordon’s 60th.”

Get in touch for a very good prize.

Matthew Elliot isn’t happy with the Yes2AV message:

“From reading the Yes to AV literature, you would be forgiven for thinking that it was the Electoral Reform Society rather than the TaxPayers’ Alliance who campaigned against excessive MP’s expenses. And that the Independent broke the scandal, rather than the Telegraph.

Here’s a bit of free advice for the Yes campaign – the Great Pretenders of this referendum. Stop pretending to have any claim at all to the anti-politician message. It isn’t your message, it never has been: it isn’t what you mean or what you want or what your campaign is all about. If you are going to claim to be fearless fighters for open politics, you really need the battle scars to prove it.”

Politics Home has got hold of a letter sent to Labour MPs from Tom Baldwin with demands for clearing statements and control way beyond what even Gordon imposed. Any public breath from the invisible frontbench team must first be cleared with high command. The letter is co-signed by both Miliband and his Shadow Chancellor.

With Balls being able to hold the chains, it’s as if they are equals…

UPDATE: With Alan Johnson already outlining a “central clearing process” three months ago, you could argue this further reiteration of the point, this time with bruiser Ball’s stamp on it, merely illustrates Miliband’s weak authority.

Andrew Neil’s hint of a pending LibDem scandal has set tongues wagging. While Guido did hear an amusing tale from a cabby the other day about a certain LibDem cabinet minister and a large black dominatrix, he doesn’t think this is the story that Brillo is getting at. Given that he is the chairman of Press Holdings, owners of The Scotsman*, perhaps we should turn our eyes north…

This morning’s Scotsman ran a rather bizarre story about Michael Moore the invisible Secretary of State for Scotland. He missed the VAT vote, which was convenient for his re-election attempts but the reason he gave has unraveled. The original answer that he was in Scotland on ministerial business was “incorrect” (translation: a lie) and last night the government claimed releasing Moore’s location would “endanger the physical or mental health of an individual”. Why? What was it Michael Moore was doing on the 13th July?

UPDATE : Michael Moore has gone favourite to be the next resignation from the Cabinet.

UPDATE II: *Scratch that theory:

http://twitter.com/#!/afneil/status/37871712812933120

Guido’s money is still on Tim Farron.

Uh oh. Here comes the pain. The Misery Index taken from the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics shows inflation and unemployment as well as the deficit cutting is really starting to hurt.

The Misery Index was steadily increasing since the beginning of the year. People got happier as Danny Alexander and Osborne took their axes to the deficit.

The continuing rise in unemployment and a leap in public sector borrowing means misery all round!

N.B. Stats bods can check Guido’s adding up here.

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