PETERS AND THEIR FRIENDS

Apparently, the PLP were clapping and cheering when Mandelson returned from exile last week. Well, some of them were. And I daresay the bubbly will be flowing for Peter's friends today as he is exalted to the House Of Lords.
In the great scheme of things, Mandelson's return, though unwelcome, is a minor irritant,
Have just returned from a trip to my bank (Lloyds TSB) where exchanged some banter with a cashier over possible nationalisation.She seemed to think it would be A Good Idea.
In times like these one needs to retain a sense of humour so last night I watched Peter Kay do a spoof of Pop Idol.This now world-famous Boltonian used to be an unassuming bloke who carried on working in his local cinema long after he started being popular on the Northern comedy circuit. Phoenix Nights was utterly brilliant. Made on a shoestring, its depiction of working-men's club culture was affectionately spot-on, and on occasion made me absolutely helpless with laughter. Not so last night's offering. There was the odd inspired moment but it was a bit of a vanity project which went on and on and on. And, without being overly PC, the running joke about a band with two disabled women wasn't actually that funny.And the "spoof" was so close to the real thing that it wasn't actually satirical. You also know you're in trouble when people like Paul McCartney start being drafted in as guest stars and Gary Barlow writes specially-commissioned tunes. Like Steve Coogan, Peter Kay has become a bit TOO famous. And the massive budget which last night's show had did not improve him one iota. There comes a poinmt where affectionate observation of Northern working-class life becomes , actually, taking the piss. And Peter Kay is close to stepping over that line.