Readers who have been following Guido’s stories about the rotten borough of Sutton will be aware of the stink around LibDem MP Tom Brake. Ecolocal, the prominent environmental charity of which Brake is a trustee, was oddly silent about plans to build a 300,000 tonne a year incinerator in the borough. Their silence is even more bizarre given Brake has spoken out in the past condemning “Toxic” incinerators. Something just doesn’t add up…

Brake insists he does not have a relationship with Viridor, the company which landed the £1 billion incinerator contract:

@KSomPick People vote for me because I have stood up for residents for years. I don't have a 'relationship' with Viridor.

— Tom Brake (@thomasbrake) May 24, 2015

So it must be pure coincidence that two of Brake’s most significant financial sponsors, John and Elaine Drage, have confirmed they are lifelong friends of the former Viridor CEO Colin Drummond. Cosy.

Not only that, Brake’s election agent and donor Elaine is godmother to one of the Viridor chief’s sons. Very cosy.

And who attended the £75-a-head fundraiser Brake held back in March? Only two senior Viridor officials.

Tom Brake says he doesn’t have a “relationship with Viridor”, he just takes money from their mates and invites them to his parties…