Reasons for crazed cackling

Three stories to which the only rational response is to run outside screaming at the limitless inanities of the world. Plus one to cheer us all up.

First up, as reported by every newspaper in the country, though this is as good an example as any, comes the news that faith schools – Jewish and Catholic in particular – have, again, dominated primary school league tables.

The reasons are far from obscure. They believe in structure, in discipline and in work. Yet instantly it is asserted by the usual gang of half-wit lefty educationalists that their success is the exclusive result of 'covert' selection, with only the brightest, predominantly middle class children being accepted. There is as yet no concerted campaign for them to be scrapped, as with grammar schools. But I feel quite sure that their continued success will inevitably lead to one.

In other words, the instinctive reaction of the educational establishment is to demand that success be outlawed when, self-evidently, the precise opposite should happen, ie that non-faith schools model themselves on faith schools.

It is more than merely pernicious. It is evil.

Second up, courtesy of Mr Eugenides, comes news that due to a 'diary clash', ie a meeting with the incredibly important 'Commons liaison committee', the Bottler may not be able to attend the formal signing of the EU reform treaty (but not constitution note) in Lisbon next week.

Self-evidently, having blatantly broken the manifesto commitment to hold a referendum on the treaty/constitution, the Bottler doesn't want to be the one to sign his name on it on behalf of Britain. By all accounts, the hapless Miliband will be dispatched in his place.

As an attempt to evade responsibility – to be able to say "Oh! But I didn't sign it!' – it is an act of transparent dishonesty, part pathetic, mostly beneath contempt.

Then, via both the Englishman and DK, Climate Skeptic has a remarkable account of just how the IPPC distorts data in the interests of an obviously political agenda. Seriously, how has the great climate change scam been swallowed so credulously?

And the good news? That fully four years ago, as the Guardian scoops, 'two middle-ranking Labour officials' cooked up the deal whereby international man of mystery David Abrahams could, as they thought, legally donate money to the party via intermediaries. In other words, they spotted a loophole in Labour's own Political Parties Act of 2000 and, surprise, surprise, took advantage of it 'even though it went against the spirit of the legislation which is to ensure transparency for all donations to political parties'.

Needless to say, the then general secretary at the time, Lord Triesman, 'has categorically denied that he had any knowledge of the agreement'.

I just love these people. They are so bent. And it comes so naturally to them.

Of course, the only drawback here is that the Bottler will now be able to claim it was all Blair's doing.

There is an interesting footnote to the story, too. The penultimate paragraph reads:

It is now likely that the Electoral Commission will apply to the court to reclaim the £650,000 from the party, and then hand the cash to the taxpayer.


Bit queer this, no? Over the weekend, the culture minister, James Purnell, claimed the money had already been returned. At least, that's what it says here.