Never mind the politics, here’s a bit of showbiz to kick off this week’s column. One eagle-eyed reader sent in this snap of Orlando Bloom, looking for a new motorbike at a certain North Oxford BMW garage.

So what will one of the Pirates of the Caribbean's next film be? A remake of Easy Rider?

Keith Mitchell, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, famously claims to work 100-hour weeks and never takes overseas holidays.

Presumably that is why he has not had a chance to enjoy some the world's most awe-inspiring vistas. And presumably that is why he described Cornmarket Street as "a great pedestrian experience".

If you dodge the cyclists and overlook the buskers, illegal street sellers and pebble dashing of chewing gum, then maybe.

But it hardly compares with the streets of Rome, Florence or Venice, does it?

Mr Mitchell's strange choice of words came as he unveiled plans for an ambitious multi-million-pound pedestrianisation programme for central Oxford.

County Hall, you may remember, was largely responsible for the disastrous £5m Cornmarket Street repaving project, where county and city officers "fought like ferrets in a sack".

However, he has promised no repeat, saying "we have learned our lessons from Cornmarket". Watch this space, folks.

All this talk of paving Oxford city centre could spell bad news for cyclists — and scooter riders.

Shoppers take their lives in their hands when walking along Queen Street and last week was no exception when, riding the wrong way, Green county councillor Sushila Dhall was spotted flying along on a scooter.

It makes a change for a Tory to have a pop at the BBC, rather than the usual rantings from Alastair Campbell.

So we were left shocked by claims this week the BBC was left wing.

Ed Vaizey, the Tory MP for Wantage, tells the story of an an irate Tory supporter who wrote to Aunty concerned that David Cameron's conference speech was not available on its iPlayer, a facility where you can watch programmes you have missed, after they have aired.

Apparently, the BBC experienced technical difficulties as it tried to upload it on to its site and failed to complete it within seven days.

Mr Vaizey said: "The BBC iPlayer is not technically configured to host centre-right speeches. Does any one know if Gordon Brown's conference speech made it on?

"Bet it did."