'Is there any mileage in Mr Bean?'
Updated on 29 November 2007
Inside the morning news meeting...
"Where does the story go?" asks the programme editor rhetorically of the ongoing donations saga.
"The main event is Harriett Harman questions - she's on the floor of the House. We also understand that Lord Triesman [a former Labour general secretary] will appear in front of camera."
"And we'll be chasing Matt Carter [another former general secretary] hard."
A discussion follows about the merits taking the temperature of the public in a key constituency.
Both Cathy Newman - in and around Westminster - and Nick Martin - in the North East - will be door-stepping key characters involved in this running story.
"I'm also wondering if there's any mileage in the Mr Bean remark," the prog ed asks referring to Vince Cable's put down of Gordon Brown during yesterday's PMQs
("The House has noticed the Prime Minister's remarkable transformation in the last few weeks from Stalin to Mr Bean, creating chaos out of order rather than order out of chaos.")
A discussion follows about the merits taking the temperature of the public in a key constituency.
"It'll need more structure than a pure vox pop," says a senior editor.
Someone suggests we return to those we interviewed on the eve of Brown's first day in the top job. Those voices were broadly supportive back in June. Are they still backing Brown?
Also prominent on the running order is the just-ended hostage situation in Manila ("great pictures and chaotic scenes"); the guilty plea of the NatWest Three; and an interview with Sir Nicholas Stern, the government's economic adviser on climate change.
Meanwhile, Nima Elbagir is in Sudan where British teacher Gillian Gibbons will be sentenced later today.
Gibbons was charged with insulting religion and inciting hatred after allowing pupils at a school in Khartoum to name a teddy bear Mohammed.
Word is that the sentence will be lenient. "I'm tempted to say 'she'll get a slap on the wrist'," says the programme editor. "But that could still be quite nasty in Sudan."
"Have you been practising that one?"
"No, no. It just came to me. That's my genius."
Catch more of his genius, tonight at seven.
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