Ellee Seymour

Tony Blair’s exit from 10 Downing Street will be immortalised by his wife’s undignified final blast at the press: “I don’t think I will miss you lot”.

If Cherie feels aggrieved about her media coverage, she has herself to blame. She started off with a clean slate, just like Sarah Brown does now. I remember her refusal to tell anyone if her baby Leo had been given the MMR jab at a time when there were considerable concerns about its safety. I remember contacting her office around that time to ask if she would support a campaign promoting reusable nappies for environmental reasons, but she refused. She did nothing to engage or endear herself to other mothers or women in the country. She also shamelessly exploited her position as the prime minister’s wife to accept lucrative speaking engagements.

I wish Sarah Brown all the very best, she should have learned from Cherie’s mistakes. She knows she has a tough job ahead of her and I am delighted that she will be supporting children’s charities during her time in Downing Street.

Update: And do read Nick Robinson’s report about Cherie looking at him with daggers.

Would you know who to call for help if your home suffered flooding on the same scale as in the Sheffield area?  My first thought would be to ring fire brigade, but the chances are they may not be able to help.

The excellent East Anglian Daily Times reports today how the Suffolk Fire Brigades Union feared it could not cope if there was flooding on a similar scale in their county. A change in policy means that they do not automatically attend all local flooding incidents, householders could be referred to an specialist rescue company if the flooding was not deemed a threat to life, or if the fire service’s equipment could not help.

Steve Collins, Suffolk secretary of the FBU, does not think members of the public were aware that their council tax  did not cover assistance from firefighters in all instances of flooding. He believes it is a problem which needs to be addressed. I’m not sure if this is common practice throughout the country. And an outraged retained fire fighter is quoted as saying:

“We find it disgusting. It’s an embarrassment. They don’t think it is their problem. If anything ever happened in Suffolk, they would send two officers to have a look and then call in the nearest specialist rescue service, which would probably be Cambridgeshire.

“We find it insulting - a job we used to do with no problem we are now being told we can’t.â€?

If the government is serious about tackling climate change, which has been suggested as a possible cause for this devastating summer flood, then swift mopping up operations need to be instantly available to help displaced householders. Why was this change of policy introduced in the first place? I suspect as a cost-cutting exercise.

I watched Quentin Davies on Newsnight last night and what struck me most was how he had not even thought through his political future as a Labour MP.

Asked if he was likely to stand as a Labour candidate in his constituency of Grantham and Stamford in the next general election, he said he had no idea. He has clearly not decided what happens next. Perhaps his admiration of Gordon Brown will have waned by then and he will decide to switch to Liberal Democrats.

Clearly he can’t stand in his same present constituency for Labour unless he is hugely popular. That does not appear the case. The most obvious test would be for him to stand in Sedgefield after Tony Blair resigns later today, which Alan Duncan suggested on Newsnight; I was itching for him to say it as the same question was on my lips.

Even if Davies was cheesed off with David Cameron, he should have shown loyalty to his constituents and local conservative association, whose chairman has expressed deep disappointment, saying:

I am astonished to hear about Quentin Davies’s new-found admiration for Gordon Brown, which has not been at all evident before this afternoon. If he is as straightforward and devoted to his constituents as he protests, no doubt he will resign and fight a by-election, so that that the people can decide. Until then, Quentin will have the same lack of democratic mandate that his new leader does.

Jon2, a local constituent posting a comment on the Peterborough Evening Telegraph website, feels the same:

“The people of Stamford (and Grantham) voted for a Tory MP - not a Labour one. How can Davies swap without any sort of consultation. There should be a by-election so voters can demonstrate their opposition to this move. It is not right.”

I agree with their views, why should Davies be allowed to take the easy way out with scant regard for his local conservative association which has supported him? Who is going to support Davies when he looks for a new seat at the next election, which could be fairly soon if Gordon Brown decides he wants to establish his personal mandate and authority as Prime Minister?

It seems to me that Quentin Davies is a dead duck.

P.S. Do you think that Quentin Davies looks like Jack Nicholson, the main difference being that the Hollywood actor smiles while Davies scowls?

Raluca Denisa David mysteriously vanished this year on 25th May in Greece; poignantly, it was International Missing Children’s Day.

According to reports, the 13-year-old girl disappeared in Kypseli, Greece. I am not sure if this is Kypseli, in central Athens, or Kypseli, a village on the island of Santorini. It would be helpful if these posters could provide clearer information.

I could find no further information, the case is regarded as a non-family abduction.

In memory of those who are still missing.