'Back to brochan'

It is a saying my Irish mother uses with monotonous and annoying regularity. I always understood the intent without actually understanding the meaning but when you realise that 'brochan' is gaelic for porridge you know that you were right all along - keep your nose to the grindstone and go back to the coalface. Or, as a child, first day back at school - back to brochan indeed.

Spreading rumours is fun, fun, fun but the real meat and potatoes is pretty well encapsulated by this week's Boyd Tonkin column in the independent. One in the eye for all those who think 'Marx' is a swear word.

And really, who cares about the 'opposition'.