Behind the skirting board on the corridors of power
A real brazier burner
In the light of news that Housing Corporation staff are considering strike action, their union chapel may be interested to know that they have a source of comfort and advice close at hand.

Corporation chair Baroness Brenda Dean was, in the dim and distant past – well, 1985 – the first woman to became general secretary of a British trade union.

The organisation in question was the notoriously hardline SOGAT printers' union, which was at the heart of one of this country's longest and most bitter labour disputes – the battle with newspaper tycoon Rupert Murdoch in 1986.

Doubtless she'll be warming up her chanting voice and firing up the brazier …

Vote Toksvig
Housing Today is hammering at the doors of the Establishment – it's official. Columnist Sandi Toksvig has entered the race to become the next chancellor of Oxford University. Any readers who are alumni of this fairly reputable former polytechnic are encouraged to dig out the old sub fusc and vote for her tomorrow.

At the time of writing, Toksvig was the only candidate to have expressed an objection to top-up fees, although she faces stiff competition from heavyweights such as Chris Patten – or, as the Oxford Student put it, Chris Pattern. So nice to see such high academic standards among the golden few.

Tired and emotional
Many a tear was shed at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister during Mike "Communities Plan" Gahagan's fond farewell drinks.

But perhaps the most unexpectedly affectionate farewell came from deputy prime minister John Prescott himself. Demonstrating a hitherto unsuspected soft side, Prescott was master of ceremonies and presented Gahagan with a rather unusual parting gift: a homemade ceramic medallion on a red ribbon bearing the legend "Prescott award".

Gahagan was duly chuffed to received such a collector's piece – look out for it on Antiques Roadshow around the year 2070.

Neil O'Connor tonight
It can be difficult for civil servants to secrete themselves into a housing gathering without a few inexplicable noises being made, as Neil O'Connor discovered this week.

The assistant director of the Homelessness Directorate was in the middle of being introduced at the London Housing Strategy Conference when a rather strange noise was heard emanating from the audience.

"I always get that noise when my name is mentioned," O'Connor revealed to the tittering delegates.

Fortunately the noise was later found to come from a mobile phone rather than some kind of sinister experimental civil servant detector.

Marathon effort

New Shelter director Adam Sampson won’t be running the London Marathon next month even though Shelter is the official charity of the event this year. It’s nothing to do with lack of team spirit, or fears that the 42-year-old will be outrun by his younger, junior staff – it’s because Sampson’s second child is due the same day. Sampson says he might get into trouble with Shelter HQ for not taking part in the race, but that’s nothing compared to the wrath he’ll face from his lady wife if he doesn’t show up to cheer her on.

Source

Housing Today