LAST Wednesday, Andrew Smith, the MP for Oxford East, voted against a call for the Government to sign up to the goals of the 10:10 campaign.

In case you missed it, this particular campaign calls for a 10 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emission by the end of 2010.

According to The Public Whip, a website that records how MPs vote, Mr Smith went against the motion, which was put forward by Liberal Democrat Simon Hughes.

His motion was lost – despite the fact most front bench MPs have personally signed up to the campaign through public pressure.

Somewhat bizarre then that just a few days later Mr Smith joined local activists to speak at a climate change rally in Oxford city centre.

  • The Insider is known for his extravagant tastes and has an expenses account the size of some Third World deficits.

But even we were aghast at the findings of a recent report by Ray Hammond that suggested a loaf of bread could cost £6.50 by 2030.

Mr Hammond – a visiting lecturer at Oxford University’s Institute for the Future of Humanity – reckons a combination of soaring food prices and inflation caused by a drop in rice, maize and wheat yields could push the cost of a humble packet of Cornflakes above £7.

More worryingly, beer is set to increase too – with a pint of lager topping £18.

It’s enough to drive anyone to drink...

  • Surely not a case of sour grapes from Ed Vaizey, who was voted in by the second cleverest bunch of constituents in Oxfordshire.

Of 628 constituencies recently studied by boffins, only 65 had a higher proportion of people with degrees than his very own Wantage.

Apparently, more than 40 per cent of people in Wantage have a degree.

Statistically speaking, Mr Vaizey’s constituency is cleverer than Henley, Banbury, Witney and Oxford East. But not Oxford West and Abingdon.

Through gritted teeth, Mr Vaizey said: “Unfortunately (Evan) Harris MP and Oxford University managed to beat us by one per cent.”

  • Maybe it was the effect of FA Cup fever, but The Insider wasn’t the only one to clean out his ears after the name of Oxford United’s 12th Man flag-bearer was read out at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday.

Harrison Ward, the announcer said, much to the excitement of the crowd. Alas, no Hollywood star.

Yes the young lad really was just a syllable away from tumbling out of the player’s tunnel fleeing a rolling boulder from the Temple of Doom.