Caligula's Horse

Guido drew a brilliant parallel the other day between Caligula appointing his horse as consul and the potential arrival of Ed balls in number 11. Today's revelations of more expenses jiggery-pokery by the present Chancellor probably ensure that it's "Goodbye Darling" on Friday.

I also noted this morning that Harriet Harman on the Radio Five phone-in insisted that all MPs and cabinet ministers should be treated exactly the same. Was that a criticism of Gordon Brown's handling of the issue? Nobody picked her up on that.

It was heavy going for poor old Harriett. If that's a sample of questions directed at MPs it's going to be a tough period for them.

And where is Gordon Brown? Apparently working on some opaque plan that may or may not see the light of day and steering clear of voters. You can't help but notice the difference between this man and Tony Blair, who would have been out there, doing the "hair shirt" thing and to some degree diffusing the anger.