Guido does not begrudge Peter Hain his boy-racer passion for fast cars. In his own younger days Guido was known to race about in a Lotus Elise and do the odd handbrake turn in a rally car. As these pictures show Hain enjoyed himself immensely dressing up and racing cars at a Rally Ireland event in Sligo.

Unlike Peter Hain, Guido paid for his boy-racer jollies out of his own pocket rather than charge it to the taxpayer. Guido’s flights and helicopters were at his own expense. Peter Hain charged to the taxpayer the £10,754 costs of his flights and expenses. There is no political justification for this, he is just enjoying himself at the taxpayers expense. No doubt he will claim some bogus “security” justification. Look at his smile in these pictures, he is laughing at you the taxpayer.

Since when has a playboy lifestyle been the chargeable expense of a minister of the crown? He should get his turbocharged snout out of the trough and pay back every penny.

See also Snouts in the Trough : Peter Hain

Labour’s approved candidates have received two emails in the last two days from HQ:

Dear NPP applicant,

CONSTITUENCY LABOUR PARTIES SEEKING CANDIDATES FOR THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION

You are receiving this letter/email because you applied to the National Parliamentary Panel by the end of March deadline set by the NEC for early selections. If you have not provided the NPP co-ordinator with an email address, please forward these details to legal_queries@new.labour.org.uk in order that the party can stay in regular contact with you, update you on training, interviews, selections and other relevant information.

Please note that these details are also available on the members-only area of the Labour Party website – www.labour.org.uk – as a potential candidate, you should check this page regularly.

Applications for seats must be in the format of a standard two page CV which is also available from the members’ only area of the website, or directly from Procedures Secretaries.

You are reminded that the candidates’ code of conduct must be adhered to at all times. Following the publication of a timetable for a constituency (and once aspiring candidates have formally expressed an interest in a seat) and on payment of £20, potential candidates are entitled to branch secretary and membership lists.

If you have not logged on to the members’ area of the party’s website before, you will need your membership number. The log-in box is on the left hand side of the web-page.

The following CLPs are currently seeking candidates for the forthcoming general election. Details of the CLP, the Procedures Secretary (to whom applications should be addressed) and the deadline by which all applications should be with the Procedures Secretary are also attached.

PS: Please note if you change any of your details you should inform Membership Services as well by calling 08705 900 200.

General queries on parliamentary selections and the National Parliamentary Panel should be made to the Compliance Unit on legal_queries@new.labour.org.uk

Yours sincerely,

Melanie Onn
Head of Compliance Unit

Current Parliamentary Selections : 26 July 2006

Seat: Shrewsbury & Altringham
Currently held by: Conservative
Majority: 1,808
2nd Place: Lab

Seat: Shrewsbury & Atchum
Currently held by: Con
Majority: 1,808
2nd Place: Lab

All women shortlist: No
Deadline for applications: 29 August
Shortlisting meeting: 21 October
Hustings meeting: 4 November

Guido believes Labour HQ will find it is actually called Shrewsbury & Atcham.