Well I know in which district I would prefer to live as a council tax payer, but then, (stale) bread and (antidiluvian) circuses are always a favourite with socialists whose uninhibited splurging of OPM (Other People's Money) makes Madoff and Stanford look like beginners - see: Brown, G., passim.

Duffy shows himself to be as big a dunce as the idiot Phibbs. Wolverhampton cut back funding of St George's day... and they they are prudent. Sandwell support St George's Day event and we are denying every free born Englishman his birthright and being lavish with it.

Nutjob logic. Should I expect anything different.

For once Bob I am in agreement with you.

Well, as the subject in general is local councils and how they spend OPM, let us turn to Sandwell Counicl in particular. According to peter Jones in the Spectator today:

"Sandwell Council recently advertised for a 'Theatic Liaison Officer (Performance)" at £41,000 a year'".

Perhaps, Councillor, you could explain to the duped of Sandwell what on earth this individual does to justify £41k of their money, to say nothing of his expenses and, of course, his generous pension. After that you could try and explain why they should bother electing a waste of oxygen such as yourself (plus your pay and expenses) given that you are supposed to look after their best interests.

If you find this task difficult you could always seek guidance from your very own 'Thematic Liaison Manager (Performance)'. Eithe that, or you could ask your glove puppet, Pete!

Well, Duffer, old son, as we weren't talking about 'local councils in general' but examples of two specific councils, I will assume you have been heavily trampled into the dust on that one and are attempting to save whatever fig leaf is covering your remaining dignity by changing the subject.

Interestingly, though, on the 'Thematic Liaison' post I asked exactly the same question myself last week and got an entirely unsatisfactory answer.

However, as for asking the public whether or not they should elect me, strange as it may seem to your befuddled mind, I do exactly that, and in 5 elections they have seen fit to put their cross by my name. And guess what... I tell them exactly how much they can expect to pay me for doing it (although I don't mention the bit about expenses because I have never claimed a penny in expenses in 10 years on the Council as far as I can recall).

Of course, you could always try to legitimise your own crackpot right-wing views by standing for election yourself... now that result would give us all a laugh. But I suppose you'll hide behind some nonsense of not wanting to stand for election... which is a real shame because you'll spoil our fun.

Anyway, calm down and have one of your pills because when you get too excited your typing gets all wild and wonky.