Quick change of plan

Was going to blog tonight about the House of Lords reforms (snooze). Why can't we have real democracy rather than the ludicrous regional list system, under which you can choose any candidate you want, as long as it' the one the party machine favours?

Under Jack Straw's plans, half the upper house will be chosen by party leaders and the other half will be, well, chosen by party leaders - with only a handful of members (those the parties aren't too taken with anyway) at risk of lsing their seats.

But then Guido's blog led me to tipped me in the direction of some telling revelations about the sad death of former MP Fiona Jones.

Now I'd never taken to Mrs Jones, she seemed like a whinger with an air of sleaze hanging over her after her arrest and subsequent convicition for electoral expenses irregularities (a conviction that was rapidly overturned on appeal).

But, having read Jane Griffiths' blog, and an excellent piece by Patrick Barkham in The Guardian, it's clear there's more to this than a sad woman turning to drink as her career is thwarted. It's yet another incident in the life of this god-awful Labour government that should have them hanging their heads in shame. Particularly shocking is the accusation over a male cabinet minister's supposed 'sex for promotion' offer.

I was going to suggest anyone concerned about House of Lords reform could post on Jack Straw's own local newspaper blog. where, apparently, this week's most pressing issue is the managerial talent of Blackburn Rovers' Mark Hughes.

Come to think of it, you might want to ask him about the death of Fiona Jones as well...