Is Alaskan Senator's conviction the final nail for McCain's campaign...?

Longest serving US Senator - a Republican - faces prison after being found guilty of corruption.

To make matters worse for McCain, convicted Ted Stevens, 84, is from the great state of Alaska, home of 'hockey mom' and McCain's running mate Sarah Palin...

Earlier today, the biggest paper in Alaska endorsed Obama, saying Palin was a novice and it was unthinkable that their own state Governor could become a heart-beat away from becoming President.

It ain't over til it's over, and a week's a long time in politics. But can anything now stop Barack Obama becoming the first black President of the most powerful nation on earth...?

I hope not.

Another dodgy donation story piles pressure on Cameron and Osborne...

Wee Georgie Osborne faces fresh questions about his lack of judgement after details of a donation to the Conservative Party came to light this afternoon.

The revelations on the Daily Telegraph's website pile the pressure on David Cameron and his Shadow Chancellor following allegations earlier in the week that wee Georgie attempted to tap a Russian billionaire for a potentially illegal donation to the Conservative Party.

The wonderful Dennis Skinner hits his target...

Wee Georgie Osborne looked like the naughty boy caught stealing the dinner money as he squirmed throughout today's Prime Minister's Questions.

David Cameron's hapless sidekick faces serious issues over his lack of judgement in talking on a Russian oligarch's yacht in Corfu about potentially illegal donations to the Tory Party.

David Cameron's reference to 'dodgy accountants' brought the House down, as MPs made the unspoken link to 'Corfugate'. But despite the big questions about Mr Osborne's fitness to run the economy (or rather lack of it) splashed all over today's front pages, 'Corfugate' appeared to be the elephant in the room and was not raised for the first 29 and a half minutes of Prime Minister's Questions.

Just when Cameron and wee Georgie thought they had survived the session, the wonderful Dennis Skinner was called by Mr Speaker to ask the final question:

The former Derbyshire miner and so-called 'Beast of Bolsover' - seen here with yours truly on the campaign trail a couple of years ago - rose. And in his unique passionate style, order paper waving in hand, eyes focused sharply on Mr Osborne, Dennis asked:

"Will the Prime Minister promise that whatever he has to do to solve the nation's finances, he will never ever resort to boarding the luxury yacht of a Russian oligarch to ask for money...?"

House erupts. Even bigger squirms from Georgie...and this time the man sitting next to him - Tory Leader David Cameron who has publicly backed the boy Georgie over the Russian oligarch affair.

Gordon Brown replied: "This is a serious issue and I trust it will be properly investigated by the authorities..."

Quality Dennis. Top Quality.

Georgie dodges the questions...

Deepings conkers save the day..

from Hexham Courier

Two Lincs MPs named in Government reshuffle...

More congrats are in order...this time to two Lincs MPs who have taken up new posts in the Labour Government.

Quentin Davies (Stamford and Grantham) has joined the Government as a Defence Minister.Mr Davies has been appointed by Gordon Brown to be Minister for Defence Equipment and Support. He will be part of a department which has a budget of £13 billion.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has appointed Gillian Merron (Lincoln) to be a Minister in the Foreign Office.

Our Rev. Mark gets a new calling...

News just received: "The Bishop of Lincoln is pleased to announce that the Revd Mark Warrick, who is currently Vicar in the parish of Deeping St James in the Aveland & Ness Deanery, has been appointed Priest in Charge of the benefice of All Saints and St John´s Stamford, subject to CRB Disclosure.

"Mark, his wife Alison and their family hope to move to the parish in January and Mark is due to be licensed on 28th January 2009."

Congratulations to Mark, who I've had the pleasure of knowing since he arrived in Deeping St James some ten or so years ago.

I've served with Mark on Deeping St James Parish Council for a number of years and we are currently both trustees of the United Charities Trust.

I've also enjoyed supping an occasional pint or two with Mark down at the Waterton Arms while we put the world to rights.

Mark's undoubted compassion, wit, and valued contribution to our communuty will be greatly missed. Hope he forgives me for the rather cheeky snap I took of him at the Rose and Sweet Pea Show on the vicarage lawn a year or two ago.

Hopefully the Warrick family link with DSJ will continue through Alison's role in a senior teaching post at the Deepings Comprehensive School.

Republican tells us why Obama should win...

Heard the best reason this morning why Americans should vote Obama for President - from a hard-line conservative.

Iowa Republican Steve King was ranting on Radio 4's Today programme why he would never vote for the economic rescue package currently before politicians on Capitol Hill, suggesting that it would bring socialism to America through the back door.

Bizarre enough. But then he switched his fire to blast Barack Obama again - King hit the headlines earlier this year by disgracefully claiming that radical Islamists would declare victory in the war on terror and dance in the streets if Obama was elected to the White House...

This time it was Obama's brand of socialism for health care that was in King's sights...

King had this warning:

"He (Obama) wants everyone in America to have a health insurance plan..."

Bring it on Barack!

Tory hypocrisy over Police Commissioner...

So, the Tories have finally managed to force Sir Ian Blair out of his job as Britain's top cop.

The Tories demanded his scalp some months ago after the Met was criticised for breaking Health and Safety rules - but today Mayor Boris Johnson finally forced him to quit.

Remember what David Cameron was calling for just yesterday in his speech to Tory Conference...

Yep, that's right: he wants Health and Safety rules to be scrapped...!

Same old Tories eh?

UPDATE: David Cameron is under fire from the Health and Safety Executive who say Cameron's claims in his speech are a 'myth'.

More Tory hypocrisy...

Just watched Tory hopeful for Grantham and Stamford Nick Boles on Sky accusing Gordon Brown of using the Armed Services for political purposes...

As Boles expressed his outrage, the backdrop was live coverage of a video of British soldiers serving in Afghanistan being shown at the Conservative Party's Conference.

Same old Tories eh?