In case you missed it, Tim Farron’s interview on yesterday’s Andrew Marr Show is here in full on BBC iPlayer (starting at 35:43) or here in a shorter clip. Standing, well wrapped up, in snowy Cumbria, Tim is in typically robust form. He pays tribute to Chris Huhne and says he “wants and expects” him

Successful auction of €1.5bn of shorter-term debt follows European Central Bank intervention in buying the country’s notes earlier this week

Was Ed's Big Speech worth the extended wait? Not really. It wasn't a stone-cold terrible speech, but neither was it the rambunctious, attention-grabbing number that his leadership could do with. In fact, we could have saved ourselves the effort by simply reading his New Year's message again. That was considerably shorter, and covered almost all of the same ground. Squeezed middle? C...

80mph speed limit ‘risks rise in road deaths and obesity’ Obesity? and a potential rise in obesity due to more people taking advantage of shorter car journeys. Eh? They’re raising the speed limit on motorways for cock’s sake. A motorway journey is not a subsititute for a waddle around to the corner shop for lardy

The Federal Aviation Administration will require pilots to rest more and work shorter stints in an extensive overhaul of pilot fatigue regulations

NASA’s latest astronaut recruitment drive is talking about sending people to Mars. They are looking for people with advanced degrees in engineering, maths, biology or the physical sciences. You can’t be shorter than 5’2″ or taller than 6’3″. Pilots with more than 1,000 hours of flight time are desired; so are educators. And of course

The ECB held interest rates yesterday, although outgoing ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet did announce a series of measures aimed at helping banks weather the current financial market turmoil and secure longer term funding, including offering banks unlimited shorter term loans will continue until at least July 2012, but could be extended if necessary.

Plans are part of Coalition attempts to boost the economy, with ministers arguing that shorter journeys will help businesses.

Pal, it ain't a perception problem when the guy really does suck. Besides, on most issues Cameron's not the fireman, he's the arsonist.

Berlusconi’s not to blame for Italian problems. But we should blame him anyway. There is no doubt that the Italian economy is in deep trouble. The huge state debt has been in place for decades. Right, predates Silvio then. The sooner Berlusconi goes, the better, although the deep structural problems inherent in the Italian economy