There is little chance of the Socialist deputy for Dublin West Joe Higgins swelling the ranks of new Labour. At a briefing this week on the European elections organised by the Dublin office of the European Parliament, Higgins, who has declared for the race much to the discomfort of other lefties, turned up along with several party hacks and Eurocrats.
Asked over lunch in the Westbury what he thought of the new Labour's redesigned rose he said it reminded him of two flying saucers that crashed into each other on some aimless flight into outer space.