Sven-Goran Eriksson: How I was conned at Notts County

Twenty-four hours after cutting his ties with the League Two club that has been his employer for the past seven months Eriksson opened his heart to the Guardian.

In a candid interview the former England manager has laid bare:
• How he was promised the players and facilities to guarantee Premier League football
• How he entered negotiations to help run North Korea's national team
• The circumstances behind the England defender Sol Campbell's abrupt departure from Meadow Lane
• When he had his first doubts about Munto Finance, the club's offshore-­registered parent company
• His anger at the vanishing act that left the club with vast debts and the threat of winding up

Sven-Goran Eriksson: How I was conned at Notts County - The Guardian

Labour attacks Tories over 'pro-hunt donation'

Nick Herbert, the shadow Environment Secretary, has received a £5,000 donation from a leading defender of foxhunting. The cash came from the Duke of Norfolk, who recently launched a legal attempt to ban hunt protesters from private estates. 

Labour attacks Tories over 'pro-hunt donation' - The Independent

Baroness Tonge removed as Lib Dem health spokeswoman in the Lords

The Liberal Democrat leader has sacked his health spokeswoman in the House of Lords after comments she made about alleged organ trafficking in Haiti. Jenny Tonge told the Jewish Chronicle there should be an inquiry into claims that Israeli troops sent there after the earthquake were trafficking organs.

'Jihad Jenny'

BBC News - Lib Dem health spokeswoman sacked

Homophobia not high on the FA's agenda

Professional Footballers Association chief Gordon Taylor has told the BBC that the issue of homophobia is not high on the sport's agenda.  Taylor has explained why no Premier League footballers were featured in the FA's new anti-homophobia video, which was pulled earlier this week.

Watch the Newsnight report

As gay rights come to the fore in the election campaign, with Labour launching anti-Tory advertisements on the issue this week, the only out gay member of the shadow cabinet has demanded greater action to tackle homophobia.

Guardian article

£6.6million

... facto

General Synod extends pension rights for gay partners

The Church of England may not allow its clergy to have their civil ­partnerships blessed in church but it voted tonight to allow the survivors of same-sex ­partnerships the same pension rights as other spouses.  The church's General Synod, meeting in London, voted in favour of what supporters of the move described as big-heartedness at odds with the church's public reputation for homophobia in its wrangles over gay clergy.

Church of England General Synod extends pension rights for gay partners - guardian.co.uk

Double take

Brown's beauties?

Labour is planning to install the leader of the National Union of Mineworkers, who was convicted of a public order offence after a football match, in a safe Labour seat.  Ian Lavery, the union’s president who was on the front line of the miners’ strike in 1984-85, is likely to be selected on Monday as the party’s candidate in Wansbeck, Northumberland, which has a solid majority of 10,500.

Anti-police NUM leader Ian Lavery offered safe Labour seat at Wansbeck - Times Online

Prisoners' Facebook pages removed after victim taunts

"I'm afraid we're dealing with crooks [said Miss Marple]. Devious, manipulative people who actually have no respect for their own bodies so they push these mobile telephones into their body orifices."

Good Lord!

BBC News - Prisoner Facebook pages removed after victim taunts

Tory MP Andrew Mackay to join Burson-Marsteller lobbying arm

MacKay, MP for Bracknell and a former parliamentary aide to David Cameron, will become an international consultant and strategic adviser in the global PR agency's UK public affairs team.  Earlier this week, Cameron used a major speech to lay into lobbyists. He said: "It's an issue that crosses party lines and has tainted our politics for too long...an issue that exposes the far-too-cosy relationship between politics, government, business and money. I'm talking about lobbying - and we all know how it works.  The lunches, the hospitality, the quiet word in your ear, the ex-ministers and ex-advisers for hire, helping big business find the right way to get its way.  In this party, we believe in competition, not cronyism. We believe in market economics, not crony capitalism. So we must be the party that sorts all this out."  Right.

Andrew 'one suit' Mackay

Tory MP Andrew Mackay to join Burson-Marsteller lobbying arm

Interesting to note Burson-Marsteller's mission statement:  our mission is to create superior value.

and their code of conduct which includes:  We will not accept for our personal benefit goods or services of more than nominal value from suppliers, potential suppliers or other third parties.  haha!

Burson-Marsteller.com

Senior Tory clears up Lord Ashcroft tax mystery … or does he?

A senior source said Sir George Young had "mis-spoken" when he told the BBC that Ashcroft was a "non-dom" – ­allowing him to avoid paying British tax on ­overseas income and assets. The admission ­provoked immediate ­accusations that David Cameron, the Tory leader, was making a mockery of his claims to be a reformer and forced the party to say that the peer's tax affairs were a private ­matter – a day after Cameron had insisted this approach was out of date.

Crooks away!

Senior Tory clears up Lord Ashcroft tax mystery … or does he? - The Guardian

The Witless Tory Bitches of Westminster North

The astonishing saga, in which Tory Central Office lost control of a vital association for 24 hours, has raised worrying questions over Mr Cameron's modernisation drive - and triggered civil war in one of the party's most sought-after seats.  It was on Monday night that Miss Cash quit at a chaotic and packed meeting of her association after a feud with Amanda Sayers, the formidable chairman of the constituency party. Some activists, it seems, were furious when she announced she was expecting a desperately wanted first child in August.  But at the heart of this row is the equally glamorous but redoubtable Mrs Sayers, who is also a barrister. Married to a millionaire banker, she has worked tirelessly for the party for years.

I could go on ...

Tempers, Twitters and civil war over the Cameron Cutie Joanne Cash -  Mail Online

Iran's weapon of mass destruction

Peter Brookes, the Times

BBC reveals total pay given to radio and TV stars

"Artists, presenters, musicians and other contributors are central to the BBC's ability to deliver high quality and distinctive programming and we know that audiences expect to see and hear them on BBC programmes," said Caroline Thomson, the BBC's chief operating officer.  "The BBC engages some of the greatest performers in the world across television and radio, and also nurtures and develops people that will be at the heart of our programmes in the future. They add to the credibility, expertise and creativity of the BBC."

BBC News - BBC reveals total pay given to radio and TV stars

Speaker John Bercow warns MPs over comments on expenses cases now charges have been brought

"Speaker John Bercow has warned MPs not to risk "the fairness of a criminal trial or prevent such a trial taking place" for the three expenses case MPs.  In a brief statement Mr Bercow did not refer to the question of whether the MPs could claim that parliamentary privilege covered their expenses.  Instead he reminded MPs that sub-judice rules meant MPs could not raise the subject on the floor of the House."

I thought parliamentary privilege allowed MPs to discuss sub-judice cases!

BBC News - Speaker warns MPs over comments on expenses cases

Tories tell Labour town halls they will not be able to block new schools

“Labour town halls may not like this proposal but if local authorities are confident their schools are good then they should not fear this because there will be no demand for new ones locally.  Just like the council house sell-offs of the 1980s local authorities said there would not be the demand, but now no one would go back. This is actually localism in action.”

Hmmm ... and this week's catchphrase is  ... errrm ... LOCALISM yay!

Tories tell Labour town halls they will not be able to block new schools - Telegraph

Graham Davies, Tory PR guru, held over 'sex attack' on a cleaner

Mr Davies is accused of 'sexual assault touching', which means he allegedly touched the woman in a sexual way without her consent, and possession of cocaine.  A substance was taken away from his property for examination and the Crown Prosecution Service is deciding whether he should face criminal charges. Yesterday, after making contact by email with the Daily Mail, Mr Davies elected not to provide a statement on his arrest. 

Graham Davies, whose website is 'down for maintenance'.

Graham Davies, Tory PR guru, held over 'sex attack' on a cleaner Mail Online

Gerald Scarfe cartoon: 7 Febuary 2010

Lord Browne: I'm much happier now than I’ve ever been

Lord Browne is in love and talks to Ginny Dougary about BP, Battersea Park and dogging jogging.

Gawd bless 'er.

Lord Browne: 'I'm much happier now than I’ve ever been' - Times Online

Mad Nad pays £35,000 in expenses to friend's PR company

Between September 2008 and June 2009, Mrs Dorries claimed £34,059.75 for the services of the company Marketing Management (Midlands) Ltd.  Miss Dorries claimed under her office allowance, her staffing expenditure and her communications allowance to pay the public relations company.

From top to bottom:  Nadine Dorries, the old goat.

MPs’ expenses: Nadine Dorries paid £35,000 to close friend in PR - Telegraph