Conservative MP Nadine Dorries loses the plot

Over on Nadine Dorries MP's blog, she questions whether you can be addicted to Twitter?

Firstly though, she plugs the fact that she has written an article for Iain Dale's book, before she then questions whether you can in fact be addicted to Twitter, she writes;

In the article, in which I very clearly define the reasons why MPs should not blog or Twitter (yes, I know ) I mention someone who has posted 22,000 tweets in four months.

Today, someone has emailed my office with the details of a political/personal Tweeter who has posted 35,000 tweets in a similar amount of time.

I'm going to have to set up a Twitter account again so that I can check this out for myself!... Not.

Is there such a thing as Twitter addiction?

I think this is funny given Nadine has given up on Twitter (although it was always funny how she blocked people who didn't agree with her) but still blogs - what's that old saying?

Don't do what I do, do what I say.

It seems appropriate for Nadine Dorries on this issue.

Anyway, I digress.  What is wrong with posting 22,000 comments over a period of four months?

Nadine explains;

Surely these people cannot be in employment because if they are, how can they work? if they aren't then it's time they got a job which involves being sat at a key board because there's nothing much up with their fingers, brain or attention span!!

Oh my god, it is stupid ridiculous comments like this that remind me despite being in coalition, our two parties are so far apart.

Anyway, if that comment from Nadine Dorries wasn't enough to drive you to drink, then hold on to your hats folks.

In the meantime, do you know of anyone else who has Tweeted more than 35,000 times in less than six months? If so, email my office and let me know. Or, better still, if it's someone you know is on benefits, contact the DWP.

Honestly, you really could not make it up could you?

The other 49 Labour MPs who want to be in the Shadow Cabinet

Here is the full list of the 49 Labour MPs who want to be in the shadow cabinet. Labour's MPs will vote to elect 19 of them, and then, the new leader Ed Miliband will choose the jobs they get.

Some of them I have never heard of and then there are some of the old school such as Alan Johnson, who I thought was taking a back seat.

There is in fact 50, but Harriet Harman is automatically on the list so, don't panic.

1. Diane Abbott
2. Douglas Alexander
3. Ed Balls
4. Hilary Benn
5. Roberta Blackman-Woods
6. Ben Bradshaw
7. Kevin Brennan
8. Chris Bryant
9. Andy Burnham
10. Liam Byrne
11. Vernon Coaker
12. Yvette Cooper
13. Mary Creagh
14. Wayne David
15. John Denham
16. Angela Eagle
17. Maria Eagle
18. Rob Flello
19. Caroline Flint
20. Mike Gapes
21. Barry Gardiner
22. Helen Goodman
23. Peter Hain
24. David Hanson
25. Tom Harris
26. John Healey
27. Meg Hillier
28. Huw Irranca-Davies
29. Kevan Jones
30. Alan Johnson
31. Tessa Jowell
32. Eric Joyce
33. Barbara Keeley
34. Sadiq Khan
35. David Lammy
36. Chris Leslie
37. Ivan Lewis
38. Ian Lucas
39. Fiona Mactaggart
40. Pat McFadden
41. Ann McKechin
42. Alun Michael
43. Jim Murphy
44. Gareth Thomas
45. Emily Thornberry
46. Stephen Timms
47. Stephen Twigg
48. Shaun Woodward
49. Iain Wright

Well, only 19 of these will get a job in the Shadow Cabinet, 30 will be unhappy.  Let's see how far Ed Miliband goes introducing the new generation, I'm certainly not holding my breath.

Conservative candidate Gill Dykes claims she is an MSP, but she isn't

Next May, voters across Scotland will be heading to the polls to elect their constituency and regional MSPs.

The Conservatives, like all other parties are already campaigning, but one of their candidates is already claiming she is the MSP, seven months before a vote has actually been cast.

Perhaps she is a medium, or has at least consulted Mystic Meg or the like?

Gill Dykes has sent out a campaign postcard to residents ahead of next May’s polling day which is headed: “Gill Dykes MSP for Dumfriesshire.”

However, Gill Dykes is not an MSP, for Dumfriesshire or anywhere else for that matter!

The current MSP, Labour's Elaine Murray has reacted angrily to the leaflet.

She told the Dumfries and Galloway Standard:

“It is very concerning that another candidate is trying to pass herself off as the MSP. It shows extraordinary arrogance.”

The other side of the campaign postcard features a photograph of her and the words “Gill Dykes for MSP” – a statement Gill Dykes insists proves the postcard is not misleading.

She said:

“You have only looked at one side of the postcard, when you look at both sides it shows that I am the candidate.”

Gill Dykes has denied that the statement on the other side was misleading.

What a lot of pish, everyone knows any leaflet through your letterbox has 10 seconds before it hits the recycling box, so for Gill Dykes to say she thinks overall with people reading both sides of the postcard it isn't misleading, is quite frankly nonsense at best.

Let's hope it is a genuine mistake and not an attempt to mislead the public?

Mrs Dykes is currently a Conservative councillor for Mid and Upper Nithsdale and is also a parliamentary assistant to Galloway and Upper Nithsdale MSP and presiding officer Alex Fergusson.

Elaine Murray MSP added:

“People expect honesty from politicians and it is highly unfortunate that the Conservative candidate appears to be trying to mislead the public.

“I understand that this has been reported to the Electoral Commission and I think it is important it is investigated.”

This is a highly embarrassing mistake for the Scottish Conservatives and especially for Gill Dykes.  And given Gill Dykes beat Derek Brownlee by just one vote to get the nomination, mistakes like this will not be tolerated within the Conservative Party either.

David Mundell MP quizzed by police over election expenses

Following the announcement of David Mundell's election expenses mistake - Police probe David Mundell election expenses complaint - and then the news - David Mundell MP set to appear in court over election expenses probe - well, it appears now that the Police have in fact finally got around to this case.

David Mundell MP was apparently questioned by the Police two days ago on Monday.

I still don't think this will come to anything more than a fine, although the fine can be as much as £5,000.

Scotland's only Conservative MP entered a newspaper bill on the long campaign expenses that was really meant to have been entered into the short campaign section, but that would have meant a complete overspend on the legal limit.

Let us wait and see what the Police recommend.

David Miliband quits conference; Shadow Cabinet next?

So, David Miliband has quit the Labour Conference early following a spat with Harriet Harman.

Will David Miliband even bother to serve in his brother's cabinet, the signs are not looking good, with only 19 hours until nominations close there is no sign of any paperwork from David, now back home in Primrose Hill, London.

Although David stayed in Manchester for Ed's speech, he was spotted by an ITV camera apparently snapping at Harriet Harman.


As Ed Miliband criticised the war in Iraq at the podium, David turned to the party's deputy and said: "You voted for it, why are you clapping?"

Harriet Harman apparently replied: "I am clapping because as you know, I am supporting him."

The Ed versus David saga is not going away and it will take labour's best spin doctors to sort this one out.

It's time for Stonewall's Ben Summerskill to resign

I have written a piece on gay marriage for Liberal Democrat Voice today and my final piece is calling on Ben Summerskill to resign.

I believe his position is now untenable.

You can read the article here Opinion: What does Stonewall want if it isn’t gay marriage?