As the fallout from Serbia's performance in the Eurovision Song Contest is taken slightly more seriously than the fallout from their performance during the Yugoslav war, Lost in Showbiz presents a standout candidate for Stupidest MP 2007. He is Richard Younger-Ross, Lib Dem member for Teignbridge.
Richard has tabled an early day motion(cost to the taxpayer: £1014) complaining that the current Eurovision voting system is based "largely on nationalistic grounds" and "harmful to the relationship between the peoples of Europe". He goes on to call it "a joke", so he's clearly a gifted self-parodist, but the real joy is discovering that Richard sits not simply on the European scrutiny committee but also on the foreign affairs committee.
I was going to express gratitude that the utter absence of any pressing foreign affairs problems has freed Richard up to lavish parliamentary time on this important issue. But on further consideration, let's just begin making our way to the Anderson shelters. No offence, but Lost in Showbiz needs to know every conflict in the world has been resolved before MPs start wasting legislative time on the disenfranchisement of a bunch of Western European hairdressers, and until then pledges to devote every breath in its body to ensuring Richard is given a spot on any Hell-in-a-Handcart wallchart currently being planned by the Guardian's circulation department. Know Your Harbingers, kids!
