Diary: You wouldn't credit it

Published on Wednesday 30 September 2009 22:35

THIS summer the government launched a crackdown on rip-off credit card merchants. Interesting to see, then, that the Co-op Bank's official Labour Party credit card, being touted at Brighton, has an 18.9 per cent APR. For a £1,000 debt it would take over 28 years to repay at the £5 minimum monthly rate – longer than clearing the UK's massive national debt.

Sun sets on kindly Mandy

LORD Mandelson – aka the Kindly Pussycat – had his claws out when he was told of the Sun's decision to back David Cameron. The Business Sec had no compunction about using the "c" word – and it was not "cuts". Wonder how the hacks liked being called chumps?

In two minds on Gordon's speech

TIM Reid of BBC Scotland asked a prospective Labour parliamentary candidate for a Scottish seat what they made of the PM's speech. "I thought it lacked punch," was the frank, off-air assessment. Then Reid turned on the microphone: "It was a fantastic speech," trilled the candidate. There is, quite literally, nothing like honesty in politics…