Baroness Clark of Kilwinning is clearly not enjoying her new role in the House of Lords. A Labour (and socialist campaign group) MP between 2005 and 2015 – and Jeremy Corbyn’s political secretary for most of his time as Labour leader – Katy Clark ascended to the peerage just a few months ago in September 2020. Yet now she’s looking to ditch the title after being selected to stand as an MSP candidate in May for the constituency of Cunninghame North. Clark has said she “would intend to stand down from the Lords if I was elected as an MSP”. Nice safety net if not. Is she that bored already?

Last year Clark tried to become Labour’s MP for Vauxhall, battling against Lord Adonis. Becoming a peer of the realm is clearly just a comfy stopgap for her…