An update from the corridors of power

VETERAN Labour councillor John Tanner cosied up to Conservative colleagues as energy reduction policy was discussed.

The former city council leader praised the county council for its work to cut carbon at Conservative-controlled County Hall.

During a growth and infrastructure committee meeting, Tories jeered at Mr Tanner, pictured, when he said: “I know on occasion I have been critical of the county council, but I just wanted to say how welcome this report is.”

They always say you get more right-wing as you get older, but The Insider wonders what will be next for Mr Tanner.

Maybe he will embrace a love of small Government and privatisation?

TALES of mice and mince have been flying around the region’s press after a series of mistakes in press releases from the Ashmolean.

On Tuesday, the museum sent out a press release promising “free mince pies and mulled wine” on Christmas lights night on Friday.

Fearing a storm of the popular attraction by mulled wine and mincemeat fans, they almost immediately corrected themselves with another mailout.

This time they proclaimed that “mice pies and mulled wine” were not going to be free, but then had to issue another clarification to ensure the press knew that rodent pie was not on the menu.

Perhaps the press team at the Ashmolean had been sampling the mulled wine ahead of Friday’s festivities?

ANIMAL madness was also on offer in an article advertising the festivities in Your Oxford, which has recently made headlines.

The article, touching on the event’s “frozen planet” theme, refers to “polar bears, penguins and other arctic animals”.

If the council has really managed to locate Arctic penguins, they should get on the phone and report the find to scientists, especially if they turn out to be members of the animal kingdom, not birds, like their Antarctic cousins...

COUNTY council leader Ian Hudspeth, right, recently suffered a broken phone, but managed to remember it was one of the Oxford Mail’s reporters who last called for him.

The Insider wonders whether he ignored the call, as he ignores many calls from Oxford Mail reporters, saying he will not answer “withheld number” calls.

Maybe he will change his policy if he misses a call from Conservative colleague David Cameron at Downing Street, where numbers are also withheld.