Tiger farms

Paddy Tipping wants the Chinese government to close tiger farms - apparently they do exist - and to destroy its stockpile of tiger parts.

The Sherwood MP and 30-odd other members have tabled a petition saying if they don't, they could wipe out more of the dwindling tiger population.

It's a noble cause, but they shouldn't hold their breath. Lobbydog spent a year sniffing around in China and knows how much they love their Tiger parts.

A MoDern Xmas

The Ministry of Defence spent £4,000 on Christmas decorations in Whitehall last year - but won't be doing so this time.

The MoD was asked this week how much they spent on decorations in a question from an MP.

Junior minister Kevan Jones said there was actually an annual £5,000 provision, but coincidently the subsidy had been removed around the same time the question was asked.

Super Al

Alan Simpson is pushing Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to question the Met Police about giving so much compensation to retiring chief Sir Ian Blair.

The Met has agreed to pay £300,000 plus a £168,000 a year pension - a suspiciously large payment. It's interesting he's getting one at all considering he resigned of his own will.

Either way the Nottingham South MP is certainly emboldened from his victory on the Climate Change Bill earlier this week.

Watching me, watching you

A neat little story about David Cameron told by him at lunch today.

Not long ago a journalist from one of the nationals visited the Cameron family home.

He happened to speak to the Tory leader's young daughter who asked him what he did for a living - to which he replied along the lines of: "I write the newspapers."

He asked the daughter what she thought her daddy did and she replied: "My daddy reads the papers."

She then added: "When I'm watching cartoons he turns the channel over and watches himself on television."

Mercer advances?

Lobbydog hears a whisper that Newark MP Patrick Mercer will soon be offered a new parliamentary position.

I can't say exactly what yet - suffice to say that it will concern national security.

Keep your eyes on the Evening Post this week for an announcement.

Cash for cops

Police Minister Vernon Coaker was facing further demands from hard-up cops asking for cash today.

Last week the Government came under attack from a Derbyshire MP for not giving his local force enough money.

The chief constable of the force said if the lack of funding continued the public would be put at risk.

Meanwhile Gedling MP Coaker had to tell Lincolnshire bobbies this morning that they too couldn't bank on getting any requested extra cash.

As the public finances tighten up the Notts MP should prepare to fight many more "cash for cops" battles.

Kiljoy

Lobbydog returns to Westminster today to find consternation among East Midlands politicians that tanned independent MEP Robert Kilroy-Silk is taking part in a TV reality show.

Silk's participation in I'm a Celebrity... is the latest publicity grabbing stunt from the former TV presenter.

Having many years of media experience he has never been shy of taking PR opportunities.

A couple of years ago Lobbydog was invited to watch the East Midlands MEP march on to a Notts cricket pitch to confront travellers who had taken up residence there.

Dressed in a bespoke suit for the flashing cameras he banged on the door of a caravan to be confronted by an elderly lady.

He began trying to tell her off until she started massaging his ego and said she was a huge fan of his TV talk show - at which point he began smiling and lapping up the attention.

At that point the stunt was aimed at raising his profile before an election. The question now is for what purpose he wants this PR?