The Salt Mine Joke

This was an aide’s account of a joke told by the PM to members of the PLP at tonight’s meeting.

It seems to have been one of the only times the PM acknowledged what happened with Hewitt and Hoon.

The aide recalled: “He said that there was a big issue that confronted him last week – when he spoke to the head of the salt union.

“He asked him what we could be doing more to help. And the man responded ‘Prime Minister we need more people to go down the salt mine’.

“The PM responded that he could immediately think of a number of people that could fit the bill, but added that Tony Lloyd the chairman of the PLP would be opening nominations and that it would be important to have a secret ballot.”

The aide added: “If you’re in the PLP, that’s like Peter Kaye.”