Guido has been keeping an eye on the Rally Against Debt Facebook group since it had just a handful of people in it yesterday. Overnight that has gone up to nearly 900 promising to turn out on the 14th of May for;

“A well mannered, polite rally for civilised people who don’t wish to see their hard earned money being spent on pointless government initiatives and instead would like government spending to actually fall and our national debt to be cut. We don’t think that it’s fair for us to continue borrowing money to live a lifestyle that we simply can’t afford – burdening our children with unnecessary debt that they will have to pay back.”

Quite.

There is more information here. Could be a nice stroll.

Ed Miliband tells Sky this weekend’s marchers were…

‘pretty heroic actually’

Guido was beginning to worry about Chris Huhne. Since the formation of the coalition, that he pushed for over any supply and confidence deal with the Tories, he has been almost invisible. Other than a weekend of bad press when he left his wife, Huhne has managed to stay below the radar and is almost an invisible Minister. Funny how he manages to be out of the country a lot when things get tricky.

There has been plenty of talk that he might be “on maneuvers but it seems the tactic is to do a little as possible above the parapet. Huhne has surfaced in the last twenty-four hours to call Baroness Warsi a nazi for her AV campaigning. This will no doubt please his mistress Carina Trimingham who is working for the Yes to AV campaign. The struggling LibDem membership, with their hearts wearily behind the “miserable little compromise”, will lap it up.

Alex Smith will no longer be carrying Ed Miliband’s bags or fighting his fight on Twitter. The successor to Derek Draper as LabourList editor was an early backer of Ed Miliband during the leadership campaign. He has confirmed the rumour that he is off to pastures new. Word is that a combination of his ambition to be more than just a junior bag carrier cum social media spinner plus Alex’s refreshingly direct tendency to say what he really thinks, even without being asked, meant that his card was marked.

At 28 it is probably about time he got a proper job anyway…

The long interview with Ed Balls in the Staggers tickled Guido. The humanisation project is rolling on:

So what does he think his biggest weakness is? There is a long pause. “I think three or four years ago, people would have said my biggest weakness was that sometimes I was awkward on television, with my stammer, but I think they’d say that much less now.”

Yeah that must be why everyone hates you Ed.

I try again. What would he say his biggest weakness is now? Another long pause. “I’m a very loyal person and I allowed myself to be defined as somebody who was doing Gordon’s bidding. I should have fought back harder to define myself at an earlier stage.”

Nothing that a good unleashing of the “forces of hell” couldn’t have fixed. Balls topped Guido’s poll yesterday for the most annoying MP, with 39.4% (2600 of the 6,600 people polled) in agreement with the PM that he was the one. A smaller poll for The Times had 66% of those responding opting for Balls as the prime irritant.

But only because he’s a bit awkward and too loyal!

The judge called him a liar…

UPDATE: Before anyone shows any sympathy for Devine, don’t forget he tried to blame Marion Kinley for stealing £5,000 – which was a complete lie – he made her life miserable and she had to take him to an industrial tribunal for compensation – which took years of her life. He hasn’t paid her a penny of the £35,000 she was awarded. He was a notorious sex pest into the bargain.

Back in 2009 eagle-eyed Scottish journalist Paul Hutcheon, who is the investigations man at The Herald, cornered Labour’s Jim Devine. His dodgy receipts, VAT numbers and mystery shelving reeked. As the expenses scandal progressed, The Sunlight Centre saw an opportunity to further the exposé and reported Devine to the Met. This morning he is facing a lengthy spell at Her Majesty’s pleasure.

Devine didn’t exactly help his cause before the trial:

It’s taken time, but justice looks set to be served at the Old Bailey – jail for stealing from the taxpayer. Law makers can not be law breakers and should be treated harshly in view of their position of power.