Today marked the return of the much-loved Westminster Dog of the Year contest, organised by The Kennel Club and Dogs Trust. It didn’t disappoint. Nineteen pooches vied for the gongs, all accompanied by their determined Parliamentary owners. Some MPs take this contest very, very seriously…
The first award up for grabs was the Sir David Amess Pawblic Vote, with over 5,000 members of the public casting their ballots. Although his owner expressed surprise, there was only ever going to be one winner. Congratulations go to Rosie Duffield’s Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Paco.
With Paco winning the hearts and minds of the public, attention then turned to the main event. The bronze medal went to James Daly’s Black Labrador, Bertie, who is known for being “the goodest of boys” and his “unique character“. In second was Anna McMorrin’s Working Cocker Spaniel, Cadi. Cadi’s “gorgeous smile that warms hearts” obviously worked its charm. Taking home the top prize with fur-st place however, was Mims Davies’ 10-year old cockapoo TJ. Mims says TJ is “incredibly friendly, gentle, patient, cuddly, curious, loyal, well behaved, clever, devoted, little bundle of energy, playful and entertaining“. The judges were head over paws in love…
Congratulations to all the winners!
Mims Davies has performed a screeching U-Turn on her statement that she was resigning as an MP and not moving to another seat. Last Wednesday, Guido removed Davies from our ‘MP’s standing down list‘, reporting that she had left open the possibility of looking for a seat elsewhere. But Davies told Guido emphatically that she wasn’t carpetbagging, so she was reinstated…
Davies provided an assurance to Guido in writing that “It’s not true that I have left Eastleigh to move to another seat.” But now, just one week later she is seeking to do exactly that…
Davies is now one of three candidates shortlisted for Nick Soames’ safe West Sussex seat to be selected this Saturday. Either that’s one hell of a U-Turn, or she was being less than honest with Guido…
The seat seems to have attracted another less than honest candidate, in the form of Virginia Crosbie – the deputy chair of Kensington Tories. She is suddenly claiming on her website that “I have lived in West Sussex with my husband, our three children and our cocker spaniel Violet for over 10 years.”
Which surprised Guido, as in April this biography of her’s claimed she’s lived in Kensington for 20 years; “a great community, a place of exciting contrasts that draw people to live and work here.” Kensington’s certainly an exciting contrast from West Sussex…
The final shortlisted candidate is Gove SpAd, and perennial TV commentator, Henry Newman – a councillor in Camden (thirty-eight miles away). Isn’t it said the advantage of our political system is it ensures a local representative…
