Imagine being a five year old child and becoming lost in an old museum. Everything creaks and flutters with moths. There's nothing exciting about all that dark wooden panelling and stone floor and then you turn a wrong corner and suddenly you're staring up at something ghastly and frightful. Is it a statue about to come to life, a Baron who swears blind that he only took the peerage to please his wife or perhaps a painting that stares down at you with Victorian disgust? That is what work has been like. For a few brief moments there's some noise and movement and then it's back to the echoey silence of the Westminster Palace at recess time.
A few of you have emailed me over the last few days and I thank you for the images.
Most MPs have gone back to their constituencies but not all. No, there are a few dedicated and hard working individuals hanging out on the terrace and necking the champers.
Diane Abbott conspiring to bring down the Bourgeois
In some offices where the MP has taken a few days off, the staff have taken it upon themselves to decorate with campaign posters. I am told that the Sergeant at Arms has removed the poster as it breaks Parliamentary rules but when the photographer asked whose office it was, he was told to take a hike.
I'm told this is Graham Allen Parliamentary office
I know what my dear readers are thinking. 'That's boring Flick, why are you putting up random photos like this?' Mainly because it links into the AV campaign and therefore gives me an excuse to mention that the No to AV guys have Rik Mayall on board as Alan B'stard, the man who almost single handedly sparked my interest in politics. Amongst other things...
Who else went to the No to AV event this morning in Victoria Gardens for parliamentary staffers and their MPs? I got as far as the gate and then turned around again. I am NotoAV and proud but there is no way I was going to wear a bright green t-shirt in public so I stayed off to one side and had a smoke.
I did spot one or two MPs returning to the Westminster Palace with their green shirts tucked under their arms. I don't know if these were gifts from the campaign team or 'souvenirs'.
Well done those who did their part for the compaign at 9am on a Monday morning. With my cigarette clasped between my lips, I saluted you. And quite possible the German tourists who just happened to be walking past me at the same time. It would have turned messy if they had taken offence, I can tell you!
Also well done to Labour today from ignoring their own links and connections to the UKuncut bunch and instead trying to make the story about Boris Johnson. Of course some more than other's were having trouble with BoJo's words of wisdom.
Did you know, dear readers that there are those who are actively trying to corner and identify me? If it wasn't so funny I would probably find the whole situation a little bit sexy!
The people in question are mostly colleagues, staffers who just hate being out of the loop. I am quite sure some of them are reading this right now. My friends: don't you have better things to do than try to work out if you have a spy in your midst? There's talk of getting together and working through the clues. I'm going to be there, I've offered to take notes. Inspector Clouseau eat your heart out!
Remember boys and girls: I get my information and inspiration from many things. If you have a titbit that you think I might be interested in then tell me. You can rely on me to keep all identities safe, my lips will be sealed. And yes, before anyone says anything, that does make a change from the norm.
