Mr Arbuthnot did not respond, but sat with a thin, weak smile, like winter sunshine upon a coffin lid. - Simon Hoggart

Peter Mandelson is the only man I know who can skulk in broad daylight.

I'm often amazed at the way politicians – who spend hours poring over opinion poll results in a desperate attempt to discover what the public thinks – are certain they know precisely what God's views are on everything.

The theory then is that while the economy continues to flounder under - the Conservatives (the current crop of Ministers reminds me of Edward Scissorhands trying to make balloon animals), they can get in a leader more to their liking.