A painfully awkward moment in the London Assembly today, as LibDem Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon quizzed Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley on the investigation into the “Shaun Bailey for London Holiday Party“… while Bailey himself, who remains a member of City Hall’s Police and Crime committee, was sitting just a few rows away from her.

Pidgeon was clearly in a mood to ruffle feathers, reminding Rowley about the new incriminating evidence of the “jingle and mingle save the date” invitations and a leaked video of the raucous event. Bailey said nothing, ashen faced as Caroline threw the cat among the pigeons… 

Yesterday became the first day individuals became allowed to campaign in elections, with new Government guidance stating “one-to-one campaigning outdoors” became legal on 8 March, “such as leafleting and canvassing”. Guido would have thought this to be excellent news for the LibDems, who have been merrily rule breaking for months. The rules now state that one to one campaigning is fine, and group campaigning will become permitted from March 29:

“From 29 March, the planned provision for six people or two households to meet outdoors will support further outside campaigning, such as activists campaigning in a group along a local street.”

Yet clearly keen to upholding the longstanding LibDem tradition of breaking the rules, London Assembly member and onetime Mayoral candidate Caroline Pidgeon was seen fluttering about last night – leafleting in a group of maskless activists. Tut tut, Caroline…