The leftie blogosphere is normally first out of the blocks on supposed tax avoidance and general hypocrisy when it comes to personal finance. However it seems Ken  has stunned them into silence with his latest shenanigans. Top bloggers and avid Ken cheerleaders have chosen to remain tight-lipped about the tax-avoidance – despite his public statements condemning those who engage in similar practices – saving himself over £50,000 by paying corporation tax at a low 20 or 21 per cent rate.

The left-wing blogs from Dave Hill, Mayor Watch, Adam Bienkov, The Scoop, Boris Watch, The Staggers, Political Scrapbook, Liberal Conspiracy, Labour List, Labour Home and Labour Uncut are all covering this race closely. You won’t hear a peep out of them on this subject, despite plenty being written about Barclays today…

UPDATE: Mayor Watch get in touch to say that they consider themselves to be neither left-wing nor Ken fans. Guido is happy to set the record straight.

Ireland has just tossed a mighty spanner in the EU-works.  The Taoiseach has confirmed in the Dáil that the Attorney-General has advised a referendum is necessary on the EU’s fiscal union plan, “The Irish people will be asked for their authorisation in a referendum to ratify the European stability treaty”, Enda Kenny told the Irish parliament. Cameron was unable to veto the plan but the Irish people might just be able. The last time a €urozone prime minister promised a referendum on the EU, the EUrocat dictators replaced him with unelected technocrats. That won’t happen in Ireland.

Currently 20 cents of every euro of Irish taxes is going to pay the interest on the €uro-bank bail-out debts. The Irish bail-out plan is costing €54,800 per Irish household. Ireland’s future thus looks a lot more bleak than Iceland’s path of debt default and a devaluation of 60% two years ago which has seen the country rebounding: exports and manufacturing are growing by 20%, tourism is back near all-time highs, real wages are rising, unemployment is declining sharply, interest rates fell from 18% to 5.5% and the stock market has rebounded 50% from its lows. The bond rating agencies have already re-rated Iceland investment grade. In contrast the €uro-banker’s bail-out will only burden the next generation of Irish who don’t flee the crushing debts not of their making…

Ireland’s long love affair with Brussels has come to an end. It is not inconceivable that Ireland could vote no… making it stick is the problem…

The old ones are always the best. In a week where Ken Livingstone’s integrity and honesty has fallen somewhat short, Guido was reminded of one of the most blatant examples of dishonesty displayed by the former Mayor. When asked about his age and health by Total Politics, Ken claimed “I still don’t need glasses”. Really?

The Standard is reporting the slightly bizarre news that the Met loaned Rebekah Brooks a police horse to be housed at her country pad in Chipping Norton. It was clearly a very stable relationship…

The loan took place in 2008 while Lord Blair was in charge. This is around the time Cameron was courting Brooks and their close friendship struck up. Given that they used to go riding together, you have to wonder whether Dave ever rode this dirty steed? The PM has been saddled with another night mare…

Requests have been sent to nearly 2,000 Tory activists to descend on the Chris Huhne’s Eastleigh constituency this Sunday, just two days after his next court appearance. Eastleigh has long been a tense subject in Tory circles after Conor Burns nearly took Huhne out in 2005, though a by-election would be a nightmare for the government, with a straight yellow on blue fight on the cards.

It doesn’t look like the Tories will be pulling their punches though…

According to the Guardian’s Polly Toynbee ‘Workfare is transparently unfair to most people, substituting slave labour for big companies.’ Except when the Guardian do it. “The scheme is unpaid…”