Last week Guido noted how question-dodging Margaret Hodge was at odds with Chuka Umunna over his use of a £20,000 analyst from PricewaterhouseCoopers. Despite Hodge having worked for the company herself in the past, she suggested that PwC should no longer be given government contracts due to their collusion in “aggressive tax avoidance”. Unfortunately for the chair of the Public Accounts Committee, her shadow cabinet bosses have failed to adopt such a noble position.

In the latest Register of Members’ Interests Ed Balls declares that he  has taken on a PwC analyst until March next year, with their £88,060 wage paid for by the company. The left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing…