Lord Young fails to fend off Eagle's attacks

When eagles swoop on their prey they more often than not get their victim. Angela Eagle lives up to her name, if only in part. She's good on the attack but has failed to soar high with glory. Her favoured method is the monotone attack laced with half truths and innuendo. This morning she has been doing the rounds giving the impression of being a palsied victim in sackcloth and ashes. This lunchtime Lord Young has resigned as enterprise advisor to the government.

His "political crime" was stating the bleeding obvious. That was that despite the economic times "the vast majority are better off". That is true. Most are in employment. Most have very low mortgage rates. Most have more disposable income. However, lots of other people will bear the brunt of the cuts, will lose their jobs and will find it hard going.

The difficulty with modern politics is that political antennae have to pick up all kinds of signals. Unfortunately, Lord Young was not tuned into Ms Eagle's wavelength. Her AM band crackle was being heard loud and clear elsewhere. It got picked up by the media, never ones to enter the cerebral heights of political debate, and relayed ad nauseam.

David Cameron realised that Lord Young's remarks were politically unsustainable. However, the truth should find more favour with him. He should be pleased that so many have actually "never had it so good". If he would prefer to tell us that we have never had it so bad, let him say so.

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David Cameron in a pickle with the voters

Telephoning voters will be a "thing" many of us will get used to over the next few weeks. These two are real pros. David Cameron has a top-notch telephone manner and Eric Pickles gets straight to the point. I'd love to be a fly on the wall here. "You do the colonel chappie David and I'll do the butcher bloke!"

Just imagine you're settling down to an evening's brainless box-watching and the phone rings. You hear Eric Pickles and his dulcet Yorkshire tones tempting you to vote Conservative. Are you in a mood to hear the message? I don't know, but apparently many people are, as otherwise Pickles and Dave wouldn't be doing it. But I'm not one for this American style coaxing. I prefer to watch the TV and see Eric sound off to the ones who need to give the answers. Or better still, see the action in person.

Basically they just want to hear the word "YES". I tend to waffle on a bit, so I think I'm down as a Miss, if you know what I mean.

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Sam Cam on the Terrible Channel Flicker!

We are going to get more of these YouTube offerings. Can you imagine Dorothy Macmillan giving a frank interview about "Harry"? Sam is speaking about Dave. I may be wrong, but I suspect he took a while to get used to being called Dave. Even the electorate hasn't gone that far!

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All-women short lists? Surely not!

David Cameron has come out in favour of all-women shortlists for the Conservative Party, or rather the Modern Conservatives. He thinks it's a good wheeze. Will get his benches filled with Dave's Babes just like Blair did in 1997 for his side of the House, so it will. It's probably a sign of the times. It's not really democracy as we know it. More a kind of set menu instead of a la carte.

I wonder what those great Tory women MPs of the past would have made of it. Imagine Margaret Thatcher pitted against five other women. How did she get selected at Finchley? Was she favoured in some way? I rather doubt it.

Edwina Currie, Dame Jill Knight, Nancy Astor, Peggy Fenner, Lady Olga Maitland, Dame Irene Ward (plus large hat!), Ann Widdecombe, Angela Rumbold, Joan Hall and Lady Tweedsmuir are ten notable women who have served the Conservative Party with both distinction and independent minds. Get those ten in a room (if only it were possible!) and get Dave to tell them that they faced an all-women shortlist and he may very well get a load of all-women short shrift!

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Alan Duncan on half rations!

Alan Duncan has paid the price - half his rations taken away. David Cameron had his summer holidays to contend with before he decided what to do with the shadow leader of the House. The press think he has been demoted, Duncan thinks it is all very fine and large, we don't really know what David Cameron thinks and the public have more to get worked up about.

This expenses fall-out will carry on right up to the general election. Who is sleazier that who and who is more saintly than the next will be the issue that floats in and out to derail all the proper stuff about the economy and the rest of the government's record.

The voters have not given their memories a makeover yet it seems.

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Cash for Cash

Bill Cash is a decent bloke. He is well-versed in the crazed goings-on in the European Union and how they affect parliamentary sovereignty. It would be a sad day if he has to go. The whole culture of maximising allowances has affected the minds of MPs. Divorced from reality on occasions they have behaved more like boys in a public school being told the tuck shop is under new management and that far more will be on offer. It is certainly not like Gordon Brown's reference to a gentlemen's club, which would never allow such behaviour.

Bill Cash reportedly claimed £15,000 on expenses to rent a London flat from his daughter - despite owning one which was closer to Parliament. David Cameron says he has "very serious questions to answer" about his expenses. That is true. However, it appears all that is happening is some are getting different messages. Transparency and truth is required, but MPs also should have fairness in the way they are dealt with. It shouldn't be on a basis of "if your face fits".

If only they hadn't been so ostrich-like and had realised that such actions would inevitably come to light one day.

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Goodbye to the Wintertons

It was surprising that Sir Nicholas Winterton and his wife Ann, both Conservative MPs, have obliged the leader and decided to spend more time their family. They could not "maintain the ­hectic pace" of political life, so have stepped down. Many will not mourn their passing. However, I think that all political parties that consider they are fit for government need a few mavericks on the backbenches. If the Conservative party is just going to be modernisers and model yes men, then it will be a poorer party for it.

I've never had the opportunity to forget Sir Nicholas, as some years ago I met him on a by-election campaign. I do not remember who he was helping but he came up to the group I was with and proceeded to shake us by the hand. Shake is probably not the right word. It was more like putting your hand in a vice. My knuckles met my finger tips in some kind of early civil partnership. I was left smarting and reeling as he glad-handed my friends, who appeared to be made of sterner stuff.

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Can Cameron clean up cleanly?

I referred to motes and beams and it is very difficult to see how the leaders of the three main parties can lead their naughty boys into the good corner. David Cameron says it is an abuse of public money and he will deal with it, but in what manner? In November 2006 he submitted a bill for £680 and this included costs for clearing wisteria and vines from a chimney, replacing outside lights and resealing his conservatory’s roof. The bill was passed without query by the fees office. But did the wisteria stop him functioning as an MP? No more than Douglas Hogg's weed-ridden moat! We don't want MPs to fall into a blame game, but any move to rectify the shoddy situation must be done with proportionality and fairness. Either all moral miscreants pay back money or they don't. This drip drip cheque waving routine only helps to keep the mess a mess.

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