Free and fair? :: 09:30 AM :: easyjetsetter

Birmingham's council polls were marred by fraud in 2004. An elections judge said the evidence he heard would "disgrace a banana republic."

Last week, council leader Mike Whitby asked for a police presence at polling stations.

He said it would ensure the city's elections were "free, fair and clear of any illegal or corrupt practices".

I dunno about you, but I would classify police presence at polling booths even more of a banana republic thing....

Things a girl doesn't want to hear :: 06:38 PM :: easyjetsetter

A text, received at 3:30 pm:
After reading guardian have decided that you are, in fact, kirstie allsopp.

So I go and read the article about her in G2, and two things stand out. One, she is pregnant. Two, she says "I'm quite like mercury. I'm unstable"

So I send an email.
Either, you fancy Kirstie Allsopp, or you think I look like her. Neither is good.

An email returns.
Well you both have black hair and if you were wearing name tags it would be easy to misread them I suppose.

I reply
She's pregnant. Are you saying I look pregnant?

The answer:
Nothing more than the first trimester at most

Git.

(In his defence, he did point out that it was more her turn of phrase and peremptory dismissal of all claims of poshness despite being patently very posh)