It is a sad new tradition that at the start of PMQs tribute is paid to fallen soldiers. Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, of the First Military Working Dog Regiment, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, was killed by small arms fire on patrol with his dog in Helmand Province on Tuesday of last week.

His springer spaniel, Theo, suffered a seizure shortly afterwards and died. The British are very sentimental about dogs and combined with the death of young Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, who was flown back from Helmand with Theo, this story touched the hearts of many.  On Wednesday at PMQs he was given the customary and deserved tribute by the PM and the leader of the opposition.

The Speaker in this situation often gives priority to the constituency MP of the fallen hero to say a few words of comfort. No such comfort was offered on this occasion. Liam Tasker was born in Kirkcaldy.

As Dizzy is reporting, UK Uncut are proudly boasting that they hacked into Vodafone’s website for about twenty minutes. Well done them.

The Police Central E-Crime Unit is a highly skilled team dealing with computer and cyber crime committed under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, primarily the offences of hacking. The sort of offences they look at are illegally hacking websites and then press releasing how and why you did it. Incidentally you can give them a call on 0300 123 1212 to report a non-emergency crime.

The BBC has finally picked up on the investigation launched in Tory Whip Bill Wiggin and the curiously bung-like £5,000 payment made to his local Conservative Association from his expenses. It seems he is continuing his quest to become the Tory answer to Jim “admit your guilt on telly” Devine:

“Mr Wiggin told BBC News his local Conservative Association hired the room in Leominster and he had claimed for the expense on its behalf. He said he did not “pay any money or get any money” himself.”

A classic deflecting tactic – deny something of which you haven’t been accused. No one has suggested Wiggin personal benefited this time round, rather he put in a false invoice claiming to be for room hire at over six hundred pounds an hour, and when he was challenged backtracking and stating it was all for unverifiable and vague “work”. Sounds a lot like mystery shelving…

The Guardian underplay the review in benefits:

“Think of a 16th-century witchcraft trial, take away the transparency and public approval, and you have it about right.”

After a hounding from the Lobby and the print press in the last few days, there are already those who question whether Craig Oliver will last very long in his new role. Though he may have had a rough time since accidentally briefing against Andrew, as well as being stand-offish with the darlings of the Lobby, the former Beeboid has come out fighting…

Infuriated hacks seeking to cover John Hutton’s pension review for this morning’s editions of the papers were under a strict embargo of 8 a.m., meaning the coverage could be crafted on the airwaves by interviews this morning. A grumpy spinner said last night ”It’s meant to be for broadcast tomorrow and the papers the next day”, something the Mail and Express promptly ignored. Seems someone is getting the hang of this string pulling malarkey…

It seems subtle jibes at his brother, teaching a politics class, being a football director, starting a TV career and grooming an army of drone like “Community Organisers” isn’t enough for already part time MP David Miliband. Bloomberg reports:

“David Miliband will join Oxford Analytica as a senior global adviser. He will work with Nader Mousavizadeh, the firm’s chief executive officer, the Oxford, England based firm said in a statement. The advisory firm’s clients include Bank of America Corp., BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP), as well as the U.K., Saudi Arabian and French governments, according to its website.”

Ker-ching!

Ever since he walked in May, a David Laws imminent return story has been the mark of a slow news day, however this one is different – there is actually some detail.

The Mail and the Indy have been tipped off to Nick Clegg’s private talks with David Laws about the possibility of a return to a new “Mr Fix-It” position in the Cabinet Office, which would avoid the need for a reshuffle.

A fixer is much needed, but it’s almost as if the coalition big-wigs have decided he is innocent before the Standards and Privileges Committee has made a determination. What about due process? A cynic might think there is an establishment stitch-up going on to clear someone who paid his boyfriend £40,000 of taxpayers’ money, other MPs have gone to jail for less.  Laws has been under investigation for nearly ten months. If it was all so innocuous, why has the inquiry taken so long?

UPDATE: Latest betting on the return of Laws here.