Nick Robinson will be reflecting on his career at the Frontline Club tonight. The invitation reads like some sort of pre-death obituary:

“Showing clips of his work and the work of those journalists who inspired him, Nick Robinson will be remembering the significant milestones in a career that includes stints on On the Record, Panorama and 14 years on the politics beat.”

Ever keen to help out, Guido thought he would dig out one such siginifcant career milestone:

No doubt his famed “David Miliband has won” clip will be played too, right?

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…

As Tripoli burns and the noose tightens around Gadaffi, there is one face that has been missing from our television screens during this monumental story. Rumour has it the BBC’s Middle Eastern Editor Jeremy Bowen is off skiing this week. How inconsiderate to hold a revolution during half-term.

Guido will try again later, but there was no one answering at his desk this morning…

There has been a notable absence in the Telegraph newsroom recently. Many a hack has pondered what happened to the editor’s secretary cum beauty columnist Jane Cullen. Not only has she disappeared but apparently her desk has gone too. Jane’s vanishing act coincided with the hunt for the source of the Cable-gate tape leak, including his infamous “war on Murdoch” rant, to Robert Peston.

While Rob Winnett was suspected after vocally challenging the paper not revealing the whole story, what a coincidence that Jane was also secretary to the previous editor, and Peston’s mate, thirsty Will Lewis. Guido has noted Lewis and Peston’s mutually beneficial friendship before…

UPDATE : Other Telegraph sources insist it was a regular reorganisation redundancy.

The news that more than half of the council chief execs are paid more than the PM has caused a fair flurry of chatter today. It made it out on to the wires and was picked up by almost all of the news outlets. Except the BBC. A quick look over at the website and it seems large publicly funded salaries are not something they wish to talk about.

Funny that.

He is the 41 year old controller of BBC Global News.  A TV guy, as Guido recommended a week ago…

UPDATE : Lucy Manning points out Oliver has worked for ITV, Channel 4, 5 and the BBC. Up yours Rupert.

UPDATE :

Dear Colleagues,

As you will have seen from Peter’s email, I have decided to take the role of Government Director of Communications. It involves working in Number 10, co-ordinating the message for the Coalition Government. I’m sad to be leaving the BBC after a fascinating few years. It’s been a privilege to edit some of its key output, from BBC News at Six and Ten, to last year’s General Election. More recently I have enjoyed working at Global News. The commitment, passion and expertise in the World Service, World News and bbc.com/news has been truly inspiring. I wish everyone the best, particularly the World Service after the difficult announcements last week. I was approached about the role over the weekend, the first time I had been considered for it, and came to the conclusion that it will be an exciting and challenging opportunity.

I hope we won’t be strangers, though I am closing this chapter in my career.

Best wishes,

Craig
(Former Controller, Global News (English))

After last night’s documentary Guido has been doing some digging around the Oxford days of our ruling elite. With a little help from a studious co-conspirator, some of the clippings from the 80s editions of the Cherwell make for a fascinating read. There is no doubt that the star of last night’s Posh and Posher had to be “man of the people” Jacob Rees Mogg. It seems he hasn’t changed much from his dreamy spires days:

(click to enlarge)

Guido will save the notorious tales of a certain “Eight minute Eddie” for another day.

Brillo’s “Posh and Posher: Why Public School Boys Run Britain“ documentary broadcast last night made a powerful case that the dominance of British politics by the privately educated and the products of Oxbridge results from the abolition of grammar schools.

The ability of those from modest backgrounds to progress on merit has been undermined by a failing state education system. The ending of the grammar school system means that bright children from modest backgrounds don’t have a well-trodden route to follow to the top, hence the dominance of politics once again by the privileged.

Old friend of the blog Gary Elsby made an appearance, blaming the selection of Tristram Hunt rather than him as the local Labour Party candidate on Peter Mandelson. Others may beg to differ…

The BBC’s Robert Peston is, as ever, pleased with himself. He will be pleased that his News International source gave him the inside story on Ian Edmonson going. He tweets about breaking the news :

Best #Davos moment today – breaking off chat with bank chair to break News Int sacking of Edmondson on BBC News via mob.—
Robert Peston (@Peston) January 26, 2011

Guido merely notes that Pesto is mates with his Muswell Hill neighbour Will Lewis. Will, the former Telegraph editor, who is the newly appointed group manager in Wapping. Watch Pesto’s line on developments from Wapping. Don’t be surprised if he undermines Rebekah Brooks and bolsters the prospects of Will Lewis. No one really thinks Will Lewis is content to remain general manager under Rebekah…

Peter Sissons has launched a huge broadside against the built-in left-wing bias at the BBC. Yesterday there was a comment that was actually funny and newsworthy for once:

Thursday.
BBC interviewer: Is Alan Johnson resigning today in an attempt to distract attention away from Tony Blair’s attendance at Iraq inquiry?
Labour Spin Doctor Lance Price: No of course he’s not.
BBC interviewer: Thank you.

Friday:
BBC interviewer: Is Andy Coulson making a statement today in an attempt to bury bad news on the day that Tony Blair’s attends thet Iraq inquiry?
Labour Spin Doctor Lance Price: Yes of course he is.
BBC interviewer: Thank you.

Guido thought he would highlight this rarity with a full post. Get in touch and there’ll be a T-shirt heading Desperate Dan’s way…