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THOSE of us who take an interest in politics are an odd lot. No, we are. But those taking a particular interest in the minutiae of Oxford City Council are slightly more peculiar than the rest.

I mean, who hangs around the Town Hall until the wee small hours dissecting the results?

No sooner had the votes trickled in, than political bloggers were firing up their laptops and making hay.

One cyber friend of The Insider's claimed the city's Conservatives - who lost their only two seats in a blue version of a bloody massacre - should now be known by their Latin name, distinctus party (non-electus).

How rude.

TALKING of which, it wasn't all bad for the Liberal Democrats after they lost control of the council to Labour as the votes were counted on Thursday night.

Apparently, it was all round to Jim Campbell's humble Frenchay Road abode on SaturdayMay3 for a garden party - losers and all.

At least the weather stayed nice for them.

Ironic really, after the sun failed to shine on them for the best part of two years.

I just hope they were all well behaved.

But if they weren't, don't worry, Jim. After the next election, if the tide against them continues, they might have to host their parties in a telephone box.

Bottoms up!

IT IS strange, isn't it, how people become a little more lucid when they leave office. Lord Levy, Alistair Cambell, Tony Blair even... and now Stephen Tall, the former Lib Dem city councillor for Headington.

Widely appreciated for his common sense and decency, Mr Tall seems to have been caught off guard in comments attributed to him on a website.

He is reported to have said: "My pet hate is meetings of full council (we're with you there, Stephen); five hours of torpor in which councillors grandstand to no purpose in the unrequited hope of being in the local paper.

"It is an oddity of Oxford politics that most councillors rub along together pretty well, and can find more to agree on than disagree... until they sit in the council chamber.

"At which point, some form of collective guilt takes over, in which councillors fear they've betrayed their principles by co-operating with opponents - and decide to tun into mindless, partisan morons."

WHAT IS the collective noun for Johnsons? A gaffe? A thatch (as in blond hair)? A buffoon, perhaps?

Well, Londoners either have a cracking sense of humour, else they're largely a sick lot.

Boris has been given the keys to the greatest city on earth... so what next?

Lovely chap that Mr Johnson, a really lovely chap.

But one suspects there is a trademark foot-in-mouth moment just around the corner.

Deep down, I wonder what his leader and fellow Oxfordshire MP David Cameron made of the mayoral result? Seriously.

And now we have the news that Johnson Snr could be parachuted into Henley, with Boris's dad Stanley reported to be in the running for the Tory nomination to replace him.

Lightning couldn't strike twice, could it?

4:49pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

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