So farewell, then, industrial corrs
To the TUC to talk about how trade unions manage now there are no specialist labour and industrial correspondents to report on them, and the answer is: with difficulty. Peter Hitchens, John Lloyd, Paul Routledge et al.
Round here, Big Society means: pass the begging bowl
Here in Barnet, I've just had a letter from my three Conservative councillors.
They tell me the Council can't any longer give any financial help to Avenue House - a much valued local amenity, with pleasant grounds which on fine weekends are full of families relaxing. Without money, the building and grounds will swiftly become unusable through lack of upkeep.
Read more: Round here, Big Society means: pass the begging bowl
We'll mention you in the paper if you pay us
A very smooth young man telephoned me. He said he worked for the company to which the Daily Telegraph had outsourced the production of a supplement for older people, and he was contacting me because I do media relations for the University of the Third Age.
I said I'd be delighted to help any journalist on the publication with an article about any aspect of the U3A's work, but we were not in the market for buying advertising space.
"Ah" he said. "I don't think we could mention you without an investment."
London's fire engine fleet at risk
I don't know if I've managed to get this story into a single national paper, yet it seems to me to be one of the biggest scandals of the past year or two. The London Fire Brigade is placing its whole fleet of fire engines in jeopardy ny insisting on contracting them out to a firm which may well be wound up because of unpaid tax bills.
The greater and the lesser fraudster
I wrote earlier about former MP David Chaytor, now languishing at Her Majesty's pleasure for dishonestly obtaining £18,000 in expenses. This morning I hear that wealthy bankers will once again, despite all the rhetoric about curbing them, be taking home bonuses of up to £9 million this year.