And another thing…

GORDON Brown made an unintended (but rather good) attempt at stand-up poetry on Monday night as he addressed the Parliamentary Party:

It has been a difficult time, a difficult day
And difficult letters are on the way

So is this a new development in political communication, I wonder? At the risk of encouraging some unprintable attempts at similar rhymes from readers, may I suggest this for David Cameron:

It’s Gordon Brown, not me, who’s failing
I do hope someone’s told Chris Grayling

Or how about this for Nick Clegg:

Why can’t everyone be as pure as me?
The voters would thank, not moan at us
Yes they’re less honest than I
But I’m going home to cry
Cos I can’t find a rhyme for “sanctimonious”

Okay, folks – do your worst. But please remember, this is a family blog.

SHADOW Home Secretary Chris Grayling has launched a savage attack on himself after he announced new measures to combat anti-social behaviour.

“This kind of thing is just a cynical gimmick and I therefore call on me to resign,” he told BBC News.

After he was passed a note by an aide, Mr Grayling continued: “Of course, it’s exactly this kind of tough measure which the country needs. People shouldn’t read too much into what the so-called Shadow Home Secretary said a few moments ago… God, I could do with some Champagne…”

PERSONALLY, I think such displays of gleeful triumphalism from opposition politicians are unwise, whatever the polls may say. Still…

And a happy St Patrick’s Day from me, too.

A RULE about reshuffles is that, whether in government or in opposition, they tend to be initially welcomed by the media. If doubts emerge, it is only in the aftermath, 24-48 hours later.

So the Tories have done well so far to dominate the political headlines on the day a second tranche of cash is to be shoveled into the black hole that is our banking system. And there are some interesting and intelligent moves: Grayling has done well in both his recent positions – transport and DWP – and it will be intersting to see how effective his rottweiller approach will be at Home Affairs.

Theresa May will probably be glad to have her second stint as Shadow Leader of the House finally end. Alan Duncan will enjoy his weekly jousts with Harriet Harman during Business Questios on Thursday mornings. As Coffee House rightly says this afternoon, Dominic Grieve should probably not have been given Shadow Home Secretary last summer when David Davis resigned, and he may well be more suited to Shadow Justice Secretary.

Two negative points, though: I share the disappointment of the business community and a sizeable number of Tory MPs that Cameron has not shifted Theresa Villiers out of transport (though I accept that would have been difficult following a week when he gave her such unambiguous support in her campaign against economic growth Heathrow’s third runway).

And then there’s the DD question. Having accepted the argument for bringing back at least one of the so-called Big Beasts, what is Cameron’s reason for not bringing back David Davis, especially after his tacit admission today that DD’s replacement has not performed well?

Having won the argument for Clarke’s return, DD’s supporters are unlikely to allow the prospect of his eventual return to the front bench disappear from the headlines or from Tory blogs.