The real cognoscente election of the moment is that for the Labour deputy speakerships.

It is hard to get worked up about the leadership election.  So many months.  So few differences.

And the shadow cabinet election, not scheduled to happen till after the new leader is anointed, remains a little abstract.  (The emerging theme, though, is of a bizarre mass election in which more members of the PLP stand than don’t.)

But the first ever deputy speakership election is interesting.  Ostensibly, it is part of the revolutionary change sweeping Parliament in the wake of the expenses crisis. In fact, exactly the same people will be elected to exactly the same unsung jobs chairing Parliament’s unseen hours as would have been appointed anyway. (more…)