Russian Policing

I read an interesting letter to the telegraph today in which the correspondent mused about the fact that Manchester United and Chelsea were able to play the European Cup Final in Moscow without a single supporter being arrested – the assumption being that this was because they were frightened of the Russian police and that more robust policing should be adopted here. It is an interesting argument, is it not? What this country really needs is more riot police with licence to thump anyone who looks at them cock-eyed.

It seems unlikely to happen, however. In fact the police have been criticised for their new tough approach to knife crime. It seems that this risks “alienating” the country's youth. Nothing upsets a child more than taking their knives off them.

On the political front Gordon Brown, having failed to take my generously offered advice, has stumbled from crisis to calamity. It seems that the Labour party's MPs are in a panic, believing that Gordon is the problem. The trouble is that this time last year the same MPs were certain the Tony was the problem. However, they seem pretty convinced and there are even suggestions of staging an “illness” as a pretext for Gordon getting the chop. Then they could impose another unelected Prime Minister on us all. How long do you think it will be until they are the problem? I think I shall open a book.

That reminds me. My PA Jemima has been helping out the Chairman of the local Conservative Party – an old friend of mine. She's had a taste of some of the stresses of political life – there was a late vote in the House during the week. She says that she and the Chairman were kept busy and that his Member was up all night!