Whoosh - That was a quick leadership contest.

313 Polit Bureau nominations later and Comrade Brown is handed the reins of power.

No discussion, no hustings, no outlining of policy or direction and the Parliamentary Labour Party effectively decided who would be the next British Prime Minister.

He will be a Prime Minister with no mandate from the electorate or even his own party membership.

With no mandate Gordo’s premiership will be damaged before it begins.

No rivals - No opposition - No problem

Bring on the purges

Whilst the post-election Tory on Calderdale Council infighting continues apace with Cllr. Nick Yates leaving to become an independent, the Halifax Courier gets down to the crux of the issue -

Should the council pay for the clothes bought by the partner of a defecting Tory because she wasn’t made deputy mayor’s consort?

Easy answer this one - NO.

Lessons of the day:

• Don’t assume you are going to be deputy mayoress until they put a chain round your neck
• Always keep your receipts
• Airing your dirty washing in public can make you look a tad petty

Halifax Courier: ‘Pay for my frock’, says Jenny who’s no longer deputy mayoress

The Tories are ditching yet another plank of traditional Tory policy. They no longer want more Grammar Schools and selection, and instead back Blair’s academies policy.

Cameron is yet again trying Blairwash the Tories ironically as the Blair era is coming to an end.

I smell blood on the carpet over this one - The hang ‘em high brigade will have a fieldday.