Ministerial madness

After the revelation that some senior members of the Association of University Teachers mischievously refer to higher education minister Margaret Hodge as "mad Madge" comes a reported confession from the controversial minister. Paul Mackney, speaking at the annual conference of his union, Natfhe, this week, relayed what Ms Hodge said when the union attempted to brief her on the trouble faced by colleges on her doorstep and old council stamping ground, Islington. "I'm not Islington any more," Ms Hodge reportedly told Natfhe. "I'm Barking."