Refined rock and roller Alex James, of Blur fame, is adjusting well to life in the country, we learn.

In case you didn’t know he runs a small cheese making business in west Oxfordshire, a community where people have come to expect the unexpected.

In his weekly column in the Independent newspaper he wrote: “I have been very impressed with the postal service recently.

“The snow shut the school early and one or two of the big high-street retailers in Chipping Norton couldn't get their deliveries.

“No sign of the builders, either, but the post has kept on coming, through thick and thin.

“The best letter I've had this year was addressed ‘Alex James, Rock and Cheese Legend, The Cotswalds (sic)’. ‘Try Chipping Norton’ was written on the envelope in pencil. Pretty impressive.”

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Not a lot has been happening on the home front recently for the Independent Working Class Association, the once proud political mavericks at Oxford City Council.

You may remember a time when the IWCA — once the scourge of New Labour on the city’s estates — was a relatively well respected fledgling political group.

But we have been left wondering what has been going on since March 24 last year, the last time anyone managed to post an item on their website under the heading ‘news’.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that at last year’s May elections they lost two of their four councillors.

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A cautionary tale if you ever try to gain access to the House of Commons: Don’t try to smuggle in a sharp, six-inch letter opener — especially on Wednesday mornings ahead of Prime Minister’s Questions.

But remarkably, buried at the bottom of a tanned leather attache case belonging to one daily newspaper editor, was one such item that, understandably, slowed his progress through the gates of Parliament last week.

Our mole manning the x-ray machine tells us the bespectacled gentleman caused quite a stir with security.

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Finally, we couldn’t let the week pass without paying our own tribute to Maureen Christian, the veteran city councillor who died last week, aged 82.

Mrs Christian was a formidable political opponent, fiery but fair, and The Insider was on the wrong side of a tongue lashing or two during stints at the Town Hall.

However, unlike other sulky, aloof characters, she didn’t bear a grudge, and was happy to talk soon after a disagreement.

Local politics is poorer for this sad loss.