RANDOM THOUGHTS...

As  a Scotsman, with an "auld alliance" kind of feeling for France, I was sorry to see the Coupe du Monde go by a whisker to New Zealand. C'est dommage! On the other hand, well done the All Blacks. It's been a long time coming guys. Enjoy!

From Inverness the prime minister, David Cameron, was being told by first minister, Alex Salmond, to butt out and mind his own business over the referendum. Interestingly, in Brussels he was being told the same thing by Napoleon Nicolas Sarkozy over the €uro. Funnily enough many of his own MPs are saying exactly the same to him over the question of the EU vote. Now Mr Cameron, Munguin's Republic respectfully suggests that you get on with your job and sort out the UK's bloody mess... and butt out of other people's business.

Foxy was warned about Werritty by MI6, we learn today. For pity's sake. He was told by his private office, he was told by the permanent secretary, and he was told by MI6 that there was a security breach. Why did the prime minister not know? And if he did know, why did he not act? Because he is weak and vacillating? Because didn't want Fox outside the tent? Because he thought that if he gave Fox a sufficiently long rope he would hang himself? Well he has; but it really looks bad that the prime minister allowed this risk for so long.

Philip Hammond has been throwing his newly found weight about. Promoted only last week from English transport blokey to the new Foxy, he has taken it upon himself to warn Tory MPs that if they defy the three line whip on a referendum on Europe they will be punished. Six of the best and no jam rolly polly for 4 weeks? Actually they will miss out on chances of promotion and could find themselves deselected in the boundary changes. Hmmm! There are 60+ of them, so that's a lot of deselecting, but I thought that the constituencies, many of which would see the EU at the other end of the world from England,  chose the candidates. Maybe the Tories aren't as democratic as the SNP.

Am I the only one that isn't surprised by President Karzai's  commitment to be on the side of Pakistan in the event of a war with America (which would doubtless mean Britain too). As Karsai is stepping down after his term of office is finished, to spend more time with his money, it hardly seems important what he thinks about anything. But is there seriously anyone who would have expected Afghanistan to be America's best buddy? It really doesn't work like that.

Talking of America, it seems that the lovely Michelle Bachmann's campaign to be Republican candidate for the presidency has come unstuck, yet again. It's been a funny old campaign which leads they eyes of the world to the Snows of New England, as Danny (our man in America) always describes the first primaries. There seem to have been a shed load of favourites who, once they opened their mouths and proved what dummies they were, rapidly became unfavoured. Ms Bachmann is one of these. The darling of the far (and I mean F A R, loonie, nutty, religious right) was up there for a while, and Obama must have been whooping with joy. She was as unelectable as the Emperor of Japan. But she, like the rest, bombed after a short while. Now it seems her campaign team in New Hampshire has resigned, and first she denied it, then had to admit it. She'd have  made a fine president! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/44997837#44997837 

Pics: (1) We haven't won the Rugby World Cup for a long time, but we dance good, huh! (2) Awa an' mind yer ain business: Il vous faut se taire, posh boy! (3) Fox on the run. (4)  House master Hammond laying down the law and bringing back the cane. (5) What's that you say? A couple of million to be on your side? Make it three and it's a deal. More bent than the Vatican Bank is the lovely President Karsai. (6) The candidate from Iowa, Michelle Madman.