Guido’s Christmas drinks this year will be on Wednesday 19th December at 5pm, bringing together readers, co-conspirators, Westminster wonks, weirdos,  movers and shakers, and seasoned drunks.

If you fancy coming along then make sure you’ve subscribed to the Guidogram for details of the SW1 location nearer the time. Save the date…

He loves it really…

The answer, as Brian grudgingly accepted, is nothing…

Video via @liarpoliticians

This week’s winner will win a copy of ‘Mullahs Without Mercy’, Geoffrey Robertson’s ground-breaking study of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Make them witty…

UPDATE: A photoshop sadly, but the right idea…

UPDATE II: At least we weren’t the only ones:

What with it being Leveson week the twittersphere has played host to even more spectacular media and  commentariat bitch fights than normal.

MediaGuido gives you the best of the best, kicking off with Fraser Nelson versus Patrick Wintour:

@patrickwintour when I come out of prison, I'd still be able to buy a copy of The Spectator. Guardian would be long gone.—
Fraser Nelson (@frasernelson) November 29, 2012

Then ex-Hacked Off campaign co-ordinator Thais Portilho-Shrimpton gave Michael Wolff a schooling:

@MichaelWolffNYC @PeterBale @BrianCathcart Thanks Michael. I don't work for Hacked Off anymore and I'm not a leftie—
T Portilho-Shrimpton (@Selkie) November 26, 2012

Rounded off nicely with Alastair Campbell completely losing it with Toby Young:

@toadmeister as dickheads go, you are large—
Alastair Campbell (@campbellclaret) November 30, 2012

Brian really does bring out the worst in some people…

Neil O’Brien is leaving Policy Exchange to become George Osborne’s new SpAd tasked with developing the next generation of policies that will in all likelihood see their way into the Tory manifesto in 2015. Treasury sources say that the Chancellor likes his policy instincts and his style.

Policy Exchange is like a finishing school for Tory SpAds, in the way that the old Conservative Research Department used to be, alumni include Nic Boles. Other ministers like Gove and Maude were active in the organisation in opposition. Downing Street and ministries have often recruited people like James O’Shaughnessy and Sean Worth who were associated with the think-tank.

David Skelton will be taking the helm at the think-tank in the interim until a new director is appointed. It is a plum job and competition will be fierce…

The frontpage of the Guardian says that by opposing the Hacked Off campaign’s  demand for statutory regulation the Prime Minister is defying the victims of press intrusion. Odd, since the Guardian’s own leader on this very subject was

Our own position remains as we argued it before the inquiry this summer. We believe in independent regulation, both from politicians and the press itself. We do believe in a contract system – not the use of statute – to secure participation.

So the Guardian “defies press victims” as well…

Not quite the Croydon Spring Lee Jasper promised as Labour held all three seats in last night’s by-election, but the main talking point is UKIP coming second in both Middlesbrough and Rotherham. Joyce Thacker isn’t the only reason voters are flocking to Farage’s party. The LibDems were decimated, losing their deposit in Croydon North and Rotherham, in fact coming eighth there. When the Monster Raving Loony Party beat David Owen’s SDP he folded up the party…