Blair defends 'cash for peerages'

From the Scotsman:

"At a Downing Street press conference, Mr Blair said he was perfectly comfortable for people to believe that those who helped finance his city academies scheme were rewarded by the government through the honours system."

In rewarding those who have 'helped the country' the Christian Blair has clearly forgotten all about the widow's mite. He uses a telling phrase to justify this:

"Giving money to a government scheme, the Prime Minister said, was like donating money to support an art gallery."

Forking out cash to support city academies is most unlike donating money to an art gallery, one would have thought. Are there many art galleries in the country carrying exhibits that are considered national treasures only by Blairites? And one wonders if nearly thirty percent of art gallery donors already have peerages, as is the case with those who have supported city academies?

Unsurprisingly, the latest ICM poll indicates that the electorate isn't particularly impressed with this; it shows support for the Labour Party at an 18-year low and two points behind the Conservatives, who in turn appear to be flatlining at around 34% - dangerous Dave with the huskies notwithstanding.

And I'm happy to report that the poll shows a huge majority of those surveyed - 77% to 20% - are antipathetic towards the notion that it is somehow their responsibility to help political parties overcome their corruption problem by supporting them from the public purse.