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| Hugh Muir's diary The process may seem tortuous but they know what they're doing. You'll be all right, JackEyes down for an early election, say the pundits. Could still be May, but prepare for the polls in March. And they are prepared in most places. But in Leyton and Wanstead, east London, where Harry Cohen is departing, chased by horror headlines about his expenses and new claims that he trousered almost £2,000 to have a new bath installed at his second home, the process is moving a little slowly. It is the only constituency in London without a Labour candidate. There was talk of an all-woman shortlist, which doesn't seem to have come to much. Four meetings have been scheduled, but each time the dead hand of the NEC seems to ensure that nothing happens. Why could this be? Nothing to do, surely, with the notion that high-ups see the seat as a nice berth for Harriet's other half, the union leader Jack Dromey. Nothing to do with the fact that the longer it all drags on, the easier it is for the NEC to engineer a shortlist. No, it's just that need in the present climate to find the right person. And these things move slowly.For it's a big responsibility, representing the people, engaging their interest in politics. Few are chosen to do it and, as we see in the Telegraph, so many who get through are barely suitable. Oh, for more like Alby Tebbutt, who was a councillor for 24 years, during which time he was suspended for swearing at a fellow Tory and insulting the man's wife. He was also hauled over the coals for racking up a £6,500 mobile phone bill while holidaying in Hawaii. In 2007, he received a conditional discharge for threatening behaviour after arguing with an election foe and assuring him: "I'll bury you." And now this "colourful character", as the Romford Recorder describes him – the chairman, no less, of Romford Conservatives in east London – has been ordered to pay almost £2,000 after a court found he spat in a man's face during a row over parking. Convicted of common assault, fined £500 with an additional £500 compensation bill, £930 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge, is he not the sort we need to forward the debate about broken Britain. How David Cameron must value him. Please consider the environment before printing this email.It's definitely a buyer's market on the jobs front right now, and that should mean few problems filling the post of chief inspector of prisons, with Anne Owers bowing out. A salary of £110,000 and entry to the ranks of the great and the good beckon. What's not to like? Some might be put off by the fact that the job description now includes inspecting some of the British-run prisons in Afghanistan. But if any applicants are deterred by that, we wouldn't want them.A bad 24 hours for Dr Stephen Venner, the bishop to the armed forces, who made himself a target with a Telegraph interview that suggested he admired the Taliban for their "conviction to their faith". Out with the bayonet came Bob Russell, MP for Colchester. "It is one thing for people to have respect for their enemy, but there is a world of difference here," he said. The bishop insists his remarks were taken out of context – as did Peter Davies, mayor of Doncaster when he too was quoted in August admiring the Taliban approach to family values – but the Tel is standing by its story. Readers aren't convinced. "Stop bashing the bishop," one posted yesterday. We agree.Finally, who will get the Christmas endorsement from the people who matter? Will it be Ed Balls, the bullish children's secretary? Or Barry Sheerman, chairman of the children, schools and families committee, who has accused him of being a "bit of a bully"? Both have scheduled their Xmas drinks for tonight. Only one can win. If it is a dance off, the winner must be Ed (pictured), we think, for last week the department had a Strictly Come Dancing competition for charity and the highlight was a breathless jive by Ed and his partner Yvette. Not subtle, hardly graceful, but performed with absolute certainty. On the dance floor, at the despatch box, Ed is much the same.Hugh Muirguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
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Haiti gov't says 150K bodies recovered in capital PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) -- The confirmed death toll from Haiti's devastating earthquake has topped 150,000 in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area alone, the communications minister said Sunday, with many more thousands dead around the country or still buried under the rubble.... hosted.ap.org |