This man was an MP!

If Jim Devine can't stand up to the gentle enquiries of Channel 4's Krishnan Guru-Murthy then I doubt he'll look that good in court when facing a decent barrister.

Jim Devine does not seem, how can I put this, the sharpest pencil in the box. Maybe it is time for all prospective MPs to sit an IQ test or similar. The trouble with many MPs for safe seats is that their abilities are less important than their being able to wear the right coloured rosette and follow the whips instructions as to what lobby to troop into and vote.

So who was the Labour Whip who gave Jim Devine the advice? Why won't Jim Devine name him?
These are the current Government whips: Nick Brown, Tommy McAvoy, John Spellar, Helen Jones, David Watts, Frank Roy, Steve McCabe, Tony Cunningham and Bob Blizzard. Just in case it was an assistant Whip and not a Whip (and Jim Devine couldn't tell the difference) these are the Labour assistant whips: Diana Johnson, Mark Tami, Dawn Butler, John Heppell, Lynne Brown, Sharon Hodgson, Mary Creagh, David Wright and Kerry McCarthy. I believe that Jim Devine said it was a male Whip so let's start asking questions of: Nick Brown, Tommy McAvoy, John Spellar, David Watts, Frank Roy, Steve McCabe, Tony Cunningham, Bob Blizzard, Mark Tami, John Heppell and David Wright.

Maybe someone should explain to Jim Devine the difference between a budget and an expense claim.

Meanwhile I note that "Keir Simmons, ITV News' Crime Correspondent, is reporting that none of these MPs were arrested, fingerprinted or had to give DNA samples. One law for them..."


Thanks to Guido Fawkes for the video spot.