Guido thought he would pop along with a Guy News camera to record a rare appearance by Chris Huhne in public. The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change was speaking to the FT’s Global Greeny Types Conference in the City. After seeing the cameraman and sitting in the car for a few minutes mulling it over, he finally made a run for it:

He marched off eventually to the hotel’s restaurant in the opposite direction to the conference – can’t think why. It has to be said that his estranged wife Vicky Pryce is much better at dealing with the questions. Not sure “I don’t know what you’re talking about” will cut the mustard with Essex Police…

Given that Ed Miliband was educated by Oxford and Harvard’s finest, before spending years as a SpAd and then a minister at the heart of government, you would have thought that this was a given:

Life is, however, like a box of chocolates…

Via Liar Politicians

This is better than Guido expected:

Looking forward to seeing Nicked next week. A musical about Nick Clegg. No, really…

Guido is chuffed that the crazy Taiwanese animators have given him a starring role…

According to the BBC 350 of us turned out to Rally Against the Debt, a petition passed round gathered 400 signatures so the actual number is likely nearer 500. The Fawkes girls were unimpressed with their first political demonstration and even their father’s speech until they saw a chihuahua dog which made their day. It was as promised, pretty civilised and good natured, there were no riots, arrests or any trouble – apart from 3 counter protestors. The after party at the Westminster Arms went on till late…

Neo-Guido took on Mark Pack of LibDemVoice last night on the BBC News Channel to discuss why Laws was dished out the humiliating and potentially career ending punishment:

One thing really stands out in the Parliamentary Commissioners report:

“In July 2007, Mr Laws and his landlord moved to a second London property. This was financed in part by a gift of £99,000 from Mr Laws. Mr Laws remortgaged his Somerset property to provide this sum.”

Laws “gifted” the £99,000 to his boyfriend. Effectively he put up part of the deposit. Of course if he had an ongoing interest in the property he would not have been able to claim for the “rent”. Laws deliberately and knowingly played the system to allow him to claim rent to pay for a property in which he would have had an interest if his £99,000 share hadn’t been technically written off as a “gift”. No amount of spin that he could have saved the taxpayer money if he had lived elsewhere can disguise the fact this stinks. A seven day suspension is a humiliation, but Laws, Grender and Pack etc should be glad it’s wasn’t seven months at Her Majesty’s Pleasure…

“If you don’t want to be on the front pages then don’t pay hookers to stick dildos up your bum.”

Surely a first for Sky News…

UPDATE: Full piece here.

Class ending…