Reading Conservatives are seeking a refund after sending several councillors on a public speaking course ahead of the last full council meeting. News of the course was revealed by Dave Luckett, but it's effectiveness proved to be a disappointment. A Tory source told us: "In these hard economic times, it's unfair to keep asking Mr. Madejski to pay for our upkeep and Lord Ashcroft's foreign money from Bearwood Corporate Services can only stretch so far. That and the realisation that there's not really much point in taking part in council debates because we've got absolutely bugger all to say anyway. So instead of these costly courses we've decided to buy a big rubber stamp instead."

The local party have cancelled 'Argument Theory for Debaters' and 'How to be an Effective Opposition' citing them to be as much use to them in the coming year as a chocolate tea pot. However, it appears that it was too late to withdraw their councillors from the 'How to Roll Over and Have Your Tummy Tickled by Labour' seminar, which by all accounts was well attended.