Tuesday 10 March 2009

Skippy, skippy!*

* As in Skippy the bush kangaroo. For younger readers.

Did a seminar today for parliamentarians from across the Commonwealth, on MPs' use of the internet, along with website maestro Derek Wyatt MP and blogging supremo Nadine Dorries. (Slightly awkward moment during Nadine's presentation when I was - helpfully I thought - scrolling through her blog on the laptop in front of me so that the audience could see projected on the big screen some of the things she was talking about, and then realised I'd inadvertently paused on a piece entitled: 'Is Britain Already Full?')

When it came to my turn, having heard from Nadine as to why she'd had to stop accepting comments, the assembled MPs were particularly interested to see my Comment of the Week from Dave H and the picture which prompted it.

Anyway, from Skippy to skipping.... Today was the parliamentary Skip2bFit challenge, where MPs compete to see who can do the most skips in 2 minutes. Despite my initial burst of enthusiasm when I received my complimentary skipping rope, complete with counter, I ended up not taking part because (a) I'm wearing a dress today that only just lets me walk up stairs, never mind skipping, and (b) I didn't fulfil my promise to myself to keep practising until I was sure that I would at least beat Ann Widdecombe (78 skips in last year's competition). Given my abject failure to participate in either this or any previous years, I am hardly in a position to comment on the performance of any other MPs, but still....

Don't know this year's results but the winner last year was David 'TC' Davies with 245. (He also won last year's Westminster Mile, must be chasing all those criminals that keeps him fit). Next was Eric Joyce with 226, then Two Brains with 211 (not just brains but brawn too!). Top woman was Bev Hughes with 170. Dawn Butler managed 56 and ended up on crutches for the next six months (skipping in heels - not a good move).

Big names included a creditable 138 from Ed Balls, a not very impressive 48 from George Osbourne and a frankly weedy 27 from Chris Huhne. 'Token skips' from Damien Green and Sir George Young. And guess who turned up just for the photo-op? Probably a sensible move though, as the footage can be seen on YouTube.

Next year, I promise you, I'll be ready for action.

3 comments:

Old Holborn said...

"Next year, I promise you, I'll be ready for action."


Yawn

So you won't censor comments?

Nah, didn't think so.

OH doesn't censor comments because if we do, we are "editors" and legally responsible for what we allow through. If we don't moderate, we are not responsible for what people scrawl on our wall. But as a qualified Conveyancer, you'd know that.

Martin said...

"I didn't fulfil my promise to myself to keep practising until I was sure that I would at least beat Ann Widdecombe"

I'm pretty sure even Stephen Hawking could beat that blob of tory lard.

Kerry said...

But not George Osbourne.