Oh well, time to stop sitting by the phone waiting for the ring from GB´s office to be included in the ´government of all the talents´. I mean, if Shirley Poppins can be given a place as an advisor (what does Gordon want advice on... how to flush your chances of victory down the toilet, because it seems that´s Shirls strong point) and Paddy Pantsdown offered the Northern Ireland Office, it seems to me that Brown must seriously doubt the depth of talent on his own benches if he's got room for these losers at the table.

Last night I was talking in a bar to a couple on holiday from Belfast. They were a protestant couple who spoke warmly of Blair's persistence over the Northern Irish issue, but they thought offering a former British soldier the job of Northern Ireland Secretary would send entirely the wrong message to both communities.... and I think they were spot on.

Final word on Blair's last PMQs. Why did Cameron chicken it? What a set of patsy questions he served up for Blair to tap back across the net. My guess is that he knew these final moments would be flashed around the world and he didn't want to be smashed around the House of Commons in full world view. Tactically, probably very sensible... but what message does it send to his own backbenchers other than that he is a bottler?