Shoes - the new tomatoes

It seems there are some places where the credit crunch hasn't hit. I've seen reports that shoes have been thrown at Downing Street. (BBC News: UK protests over Gaza air strikes) Naturally this is in imitation of the one thrown at George W. Bush but I'm reminded of this classic movie moment:

Still it's freedom of speech and anything that keeps an industry going is to be welcomed in this day and age!

Another Blairite legacy dismantled

I've just seen the news that there is once more a cat in Downing Street. (BBC News: No 10 gets new feline first lady) The previous Chief Mouser, Humphrey was unceremoniously driven out by Cherie Blair back in 1997. Now her legacy has crumbled.

Defecting doesn't pay?

An interesting entry on the Downing Street website full list of government ministers:

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Rt Hon Shaun Woodward MP *

* Unpaid

Woodward, like Quentin Davies, defected to Labour some years ago. Until today he was Minister of State for Northern Ireland so it's a natural promotion, although as Gordon Brown has already publicly offered the job outside the party it's not as if Woodward is the first choice for the post.

And he won't be getting a ministerial salary. Not the best advert for potential defectors.

Government - a one-man show?

This is the full list of government ministers on the 10 Downing Street website:

Her Majesty's Government
We will publish the official list of Her Majesty's Government as soon as it becomes available from 27 May [sic] 2007.

Cabinet
Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service
Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP
Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
To be confirmed
Other Ministers
To be confirmed

Truly this is a very Brown government!

But once the posts have all been filled there will be many more names. Somehow I doubt we'll ever see a government as small as the following Australian ministry which held ofice from December 5 1972 to December 19 1972:

Prime Minister - Gough Whitlam
Minister for Foreign Affairs - Gough Whitlam
Treasurer - Gough Whitlam
Attorney-General - Gough Whitlam
Minister for Customs and Excise - Gough Whitlam
Minister for Trade and Industry - Gough Whitlam
Minister for Shipping and Transport - Gough Whitlam
Minister for Education and Science - Gough Whitlam
Minister for Civil Aviation - Gough Whitlam
Minister for Housing - Gough Whitlam
Minister for Works - Gough Whitlam
Minister for External Territories - Gough Whitlam
Minister for Environment, Aborigines and the Arts - Gough Whitlam
Deputy Prime Minister - Lance Barnard
Minister for Defence - Lance Barnard
Minister for Supply - Lance Barnard
Minister for the Army - Lance Barnard
Minister for the Navy - Lance Barnard
Minister for Air - Lance Barnard
Postmaster-General - Lance Barnard
Minister for Labour and National Service - Lance Barnard
Minister for Social Services - Lance Barnard
Minister for Immigration - Lance Barnard
Minister for the Interior - Lance Barnard
Minister for Primary Industry - Lance Barnard
Minister for Repatriation - Lance Barnard
Minister for Health - Lance Barnard
Minister for National Development - Lance Barnard

(Source: Wikipedia: First Whitlam Ministry)

Can this be beaten for the smallest government ever?