The week's best political gossip (Image: Red Lion)

       Cameron's reshuffle panic

       For starters, cast your mind back to the excitement of last Monday’s reshuffle, the sacking of Suella Braverman and the return of an old SW1 face.

       Beachcomber's sympathy goes to the staffer for new Conservative MP Lisa Cameron (late of the SNP), who found herself fielding dozens of phone calls on a torrid Monday morning.

       She told Beachcomber: "People were calling asking if I was the new Foreign Secretary.

       "It took a while for us to realise what was going on.”

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       After former leader David now "My Lord" Cameron was put in the job, she noted: "It's a big clan."

       It turns out that when Ms Cameron was first elected, her mailbox was next to the former Prime Minister’s.

       "I kept getting his Christmas cards," she said.

       READ MORE: New Party of Islam and No.10 needs a spellchecker – latest Westminster rumours

       Lisa Cameron vs David Cameron - a useful guide (Image: Parliament / Getty)

       Expenses madness

       Yesterday provided Sir Arbuthnot with something of an early Christmas present - namely the publication of the latest batch of MP expenses.

       After combing through the 28,074-line document - ok there may have been some ctrl-F’ing involved - here’s a couple of surprise findings.

       Earnings for Elon

       Two MPs have decided to bill the taxpayer for their Twitter/X premium memberships, introduced by Elon Musk, which allows them to post longer tweets, customise the app and even make money by signing up to the ad revenue sharing scheme.

       Helen Whately - a senior Health minister - and Andrew Bridgen both leapt on the new feature, and duly charged the taxpayer ￡100.80 for membership.

       Toilet politics

       While Labour tears itself apart over whether trans women should be allowed into the ladies, Claudia Webbe has no such toilet troubles - she billed the taxpayer ￡20 for a new constituency office loo seat.

       Labour’s expenses blind spot

       The most jaw-dropping claim of all came from Jonathan Ashworth, who was appointed Shadow Minister without Portfolio in Sir Keir’s summer reshuffle (otherwise known as Minister for the Today Programme).

       Mr Ashworth is down as having claimed a whopping ￡3,206 in taxpayer-funded expenses for "New blinds for constituency office".

       This one was so surprising yours truly went to Mr Ashworth’s office for clarification - a missing decimal point perhaps?

       Their explanation: that their 10th-floor Leicester office required custom-made blinds due to the very large windows, and they “had to be fitted by specialists for safety reasons”.

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       Lee Anderson mocks Keir Starmer for naming EU anthem favourite classical song [LATEST]

       Cleverly apologises for 'unparliamentary language' but denies insulting Stockton [LATEST]

       Jon Ashworth's new curtains were blindingly expensive (Image: Getty)

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       GB News fills with hot air

       Given the reactionary views of many of its pundits and presenters, the GB News Paddington studio is more than used to blowing hot.

       Unfortunately for presenters, their jobs have been made much more trying over the last week thanks to the heater being stuck on full blast while they try to host live news.

       Word is they’re now having to decamp parts of their operation to the yet-complete Westminster Studios.

       Trending

       Ukip fights to remain

       Could Ukip be preparing for the end of a once-great and irrepressible political party?

       Beachcomber’s eyes were drawn to a new application on the Electoral Commission website, entitled “UK Independence Party (UKIP) & English Democrats”.

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       Michel Barnier pinpoints greatest Brexit regret - but tells Keir Starmer 'door is open'

       164 Comments

       Keir Starmer won't need to give Tony Blair a job - he will be the real Prime Minister

       78 Comments

       Jeremy Hunt must deliver tax cuts next week or Rishi Sunak is 'in the last chance saloon'

       44 Comments

       David Cameron's explosive return to politics after Brexit and boredom

       55 Comments

       Despite whatever Braverman's backers feel, Cameron can revive Tories, says Leo McKinstry

       155 Comments

       POLL: Do you back David Cameron's return to the cabinet as foreign secretary?

       1198 Comments

       Now furious Suella Braverman allies weigh up taking 'nuclear option' against Rishi Sunak

       2197 Comments

       Rishi Sunak's reshuffle gamble has set up a life and death struggle with the Tory right

       569 Comments

       Cameron's reshuffle panic, Labour MP's ￡3000 blinds and Ukip reinvents itself

       42 Comments

       Boris Johnson tells Rishi Sunak: 'We're no longer EU slaves, curb migration now'

       81 Comments

       'Patently Islamophobic' Geert Wilders on verge of becoming Dutch PM, warns Boris

       Comments

       Lee Anderson accuses BBC of pumping out 'anti-government' propaganda

       491 Comments

       Alex Salmond warns Humza Yousaf's 'day of reckoning' is coming in ominous new threat

       Comments

       Rishi Sunak mocked for struggling to use a hammer - but here is what really happened

       89 Comments

       'Keep your nose out!' Brexit hating billionaire George Soros linked to Scottish indy plot

       1318 Comments

       When will the election be? Treasury mulls early budget hiking speculation of spring poll

       29 Comments

       Lord Cameron takes just seconds to rip into Boris Johnson in maiden speech - watch

       542 Comments

       'We're utterly f***ed': Rishi Sunak is in the death throes as PM - and his own MPs know it

       526 Comments

       Tory Party's internal feud may undermine public confidence in elections, says Ross Clark

       3 Comments

       If the Tories REALLY wanted to stop the boats they would have done so - Comment

       1 Comments

       Michel Barnier pinpoints greatest Brexit regret - but tells Keir Starmer 'door is open'

       164 Comments

       Keir Starmer won't need to give Tony Blair a job - he will be the real Prime Minister

       78 Comments

       Jeremy Hunt must deliver tax cuts next week or Rishi Sunak is 'in the last chance saloon'

       44 Comments

       David Cameron's explosive return to politics after Brexit and boredom

       55 Comments

       Despite whatever Braverman's backers feel, Cameron can revive Tories, says Leo McKinstry

       155 Comments

       POLL: Do you back David Cameron's return to the cabinet as foreign secretary?

       1198 Comments

       Now furious Suella Braverman allies weigh up taking 'nuclear option' against Rishi Sunak

       2197 Comments

       Speaking with their press chap, it turns out the former Nigel Farage outfit is formally entering into a pact with the nationalistic English Democrats party, which not only involves standing down against each other in elections but sharing a party description on ballot papers - namely “Patriots Alliance”.

       While both parties will maintain their branding, logos and separate leadership for the time being, Sir Arbuthnot was informed the parties “could end up amalgamating” in the future and forming one patriotic front.

       Reform UK has apparently been approached to join the alliance, but for the time being is refusing to participate and - in the words of Ukip - “doing a huge disservice to voters”.

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