The latest rumour

In the febrile atmosphere that is Westminster, there is another Tory defection rumour - John Bercow, the thoughtful MP for Buckingham. It's important to stress Mr Bercow has denied this to The Times as recently as this morning. But it would be an amazing coup for Gordon Brown to bring a second Tory MP into the fold.

But the fate that awaits Quentin Davies may persuade him otherwise. According to one top Tory, "MPs want revenge and will use every opportunity to humiliate him. Expect stories about his butler, or his sheep (he was once fined for failing to look after his flock), in the papers in coming weeks. He needs to watch out."

Update I've just bumped into a Tory who said that the latest rumour is that Bercow gets Hilary Benn's job, the Department for International Development. Seems unlikely, but....

Comments

[Traditional Tory]

John Bercow, the thoughtful MP for Buckingham

Thoughtful?

Don't you mean 'barking'?