DANIEL Kawczynski is not a happy camper. Shewsbury’s Tory MP has written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, John Lyon, to complain that Paul Flynn MP used a room on the House of Commons estate to launch his memoirs.

Kawczynski has been gracious enough to “share” his letter of complaint with conservativehome, the site announced this evening, just as a BBC correspondent in Olden Days might have asked Harold Macmillan if he had anything he wished to share with the country.

“The rules of the House with regards room bookings are clear,” wails the grief-striken Mr Kawczynski, his lip audibly trembling, the theme from The Dambusters growing louder in the background as a Spitfire thunders overhead. “Any disregard of these rules causes me great frustration, as it brings the House, through use of its facilities by members, into disrepute; causing the standing of Parliament to fall even further in the eyes of the electorate.” And the same breeze which causes the Union flag to flutter proudly above him causes a loose strand of hair to fall briefly over his manly brow…

And he’s right, by George! To arms! This is something up with which we shall not put!

But hold on a minute – there’s more:

I recently held the launch of my book, a biography of Colonel Gaddafi, at the Royal Institute of Mechanical Engineers on Birdcage Walk. This I did at considerable cost as I felt and was indeed advised by Commons Authorities that to use a room in the Commons to launch my book would be inappropriate and an abuse of taxpayers’ money.

“… advised by Commons authorities”, eh? So, Daniel, did you decide that “the rules with regard to room bookings are clear” before or after you asked permission for your own book to be launched in the Palace?

In other words, Daniel asked if he could launch his book in the Palace first, and only put his hand in his pocket after he was refused. And now he’s complaining about Flynn’s launch, not because the event “brings the House into disrepute” but because Flynn was allowed and Kawczyynski wasn’t.

In fact, I’m guessing that the launch of Flynn’s book about his life as an MP was probably considered a more appropriate event to take place within the Palace than that of a biography of “Mad Dog” Gadaffi. But what do I know?