Back from the break

We're sorry. We know this blog hasn't been updated for a embarrassingly long time. But then you'll also know from looking at the site that we've not spent all our summer idly sunning ourselves - the new EU and US portals are up, with loads of new information contained within and our exciting new vacancy bulletins are coming to an inbox near you.

It's an exciting tiome politically too. In the UK, party conference season is edging ever closer, as is a potentially cataclysmic Scottish by-election. Across the Channel, lobbyists are watching the progress of the new transparency register warily. And in the US, there's the small matter of a presidential race.

Should be a busy autumn...

Another holiday headache - and the last chance for Gordon

The sad death of the respected John MacDougall, MP for Glenrothes, is a blow to all sides of the house. A member of Parliament since 2001, he won admirers from all parties for his principled stances and the passionate support given to his constituents.

In a baldly political sense though, his demise is yet another cause for alarm at Number 10. The by-election machine has barely found time to refuel in the last five months (just as well given the petrol prices), and although the Fife seat is relatively safe Labour at present, there's no reason to suggest another Glasgow East isn't on the cards.

The Lib Dems managed a surprise scalp just next door in Dunfermline and West Fife in 2006, overturning a 11,500 majority at a time when Labour's poll rating looked positively buoyant compared to the present slump. And with Gordon Brown's constituency bordering Glenrothes, many voters will not have to look hard to see where the blame lies.

This could be Gordon's last chance. Another embarrassing by-election loss in his back yard would surely herald at best a souped-up Millibandwagon and, maybe, the descending axe on a short, painful premiership.

Laddish behaviour

As part of a speech on families and marriage he will be making at an IPPR meeting, Michael Gove plans on decrying the degenerative effects of 'lad mags'.

All well and good - even if you don't agree with him, it's always nice to see Michael Gove do something vaguely interesting - but he'd do well to see what certain members of his party got up to in their own youth, without the assistance of FHM and Nuts.

Dave Cameron was particularly busy after all...

Read this blog, get free money!

Well, we never like to say I told you so.

But it was us (last Wednesday) who predicted an amazing SNP by-election victory in Glasgow East at 11/8!

Ten pounds on that would have seen you net a health £23.75 this morning. What's the odds of a 100 seat Tory majority at the next election? Or Gordon to go before the end of 2008?

Slimmer than they were yesterday morning, that's for sure...

Snippets

3 things for you this Thursday;

• A brand-new 'Day in the Life' piece, explaining what new lobbyists actually get up to all day, has now been uploaded to the Careers section.
  
• Also for those looking to make their first steps on the career ladder, there's an interesting post on the Fleishman-Hillard Public Affairs 2.0 blog worth looking at.
  
• And most enjoyably, a hilarious BBC article on a New Zealand court allowing a child to change her name. 'Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii' - embarrassing enough for you?

Video killed the political star

Our new 'Videos' section has been uploaded here for some light political relief.

Just as an introduction, here's a excellent bit of Boris Johnson doing what he does best.

Village People

One thing that lobbying and politics in general frequently finds itself guilty of is needlessly creating exclusivity. In part, this is because it can act as a selling point ('we are the only people who have access to the politician's eyes and ears'). Mostly however, it's an ego thing.

A phrase that neatly sums this up is 'the Westminster village'. It is extremely unlikely you will go through a lobbying career without this asinine concept cropping up on a monthly basis. 'Westminster village' is typically deployed in situations when something happens that seems momentous to people spending too much of their time involved in politics but is completely ignored by everyone else (as in 'it shocked the Westminster village, but you clearly couldn't give a toss, ignorant prole').

Essentially, the 'Westminster village' is the hallowed realm where decisions happen, and where people genuinely care about press releases and EDMs. Those who see themselves as inside it think of it as a leafy gated community, a place where political compromises can be made without the irksome distraction of reality and public opinion coming to the fore. The problem is that the both the phraseology and philosophy behind 'the Westminster village' is exactly the kind of thing the turns people - especially young people - off politics completely.

Working in the village can be fun. Just don't be the village idiot.