Just back from St. John’s Cathedral, have been to a celebration service. Really good time. Feels a bit weird now that school has finished. Unfortunately the only celebration I get is going to the design company to look at the new layout for our “Matters” newsletters. There is going to be a really big change for next year!

Everybody is asking me how my chances have changed with Clarke’s promotion to Home Secretary. One is tempted to say that the bigger they are, the harder they fall! I actually think this improves my chances. Firstly is that Clarke is still saddled with his tenure at Education. I know 10,000 students at UEA (and countless more over the last seven years) who won’t forget which party and which person ushered in fees. But now Clarke is responsible for the area of biggest failure under Labour. He’s dumped with bringing down crime, waging a war against knives and tackling our immigration crisis. Michael Howard cut crime, now we’ll see if Clarke is made of the same stuff. I really think that gives a second edge to the fight in Norwich South, because now crime and education will be at the fore. And with the Tories currently 19% ahead on law & order issues, this could be the final nail in Clarke’s political coffin.

To paraphrase Dr Reid, on accepting the Health portfolio, “***k, not the Home Office.”