An unusual drinking companion...

TB has just got home from a rather enjoyable drinks with Francis Maude. Can't help but think that DC made a bit of a boo boo by replacing him with Caroline Spelman as Party Chairman on the basis of political correctness. Maude is even more articulate and precise in real live than he is in his excellent media performances. TB was lucky enough to have a rather extended chat with him about the media's blatant boredom with the idea of the Tory's being way out in the lead and conscious decision to liven things up a bit in the last few months.

He also agreed with TB during the question and answer session that it would be Ed Balls everyone would like to see suffer the Michael Portillo 1997 moment of the next election. Balls represents everything wrong and stale with this current government and TB is disgusted that as Children's Minister he had to be

forced

by the Speaker of the House today to be held accountable on the baby P outrage. What a horrible little man.

Oh well back to the dissertation...