The political landscape in Reading has taken an unusual turn after a ground breaking Lab-Con pact was agreed behind closed doors before full council. In a series of votes both Labour and Conservatives backed plans for business as usual.

Announcing the agreement, the Tory group leader told us: "We disagree on so few things now-a-days with our Labour colleagues that it is important that we put up a united front against the bloody Lib Dems. Both parties agree that it is vitally important to the ruling executive that emails from Lib Dems and briefings to them are copied to lead councillors so that they can see what the bastards are getting up to. Our only real disagreement with Labour is which one of us will be the biggest party after the next election and therefore privy to the emails. So you can see that there is no way that we could agree to stricter rules now that could rise up and bite us on the bum in a few years time."