Control freakery of the kind not often seen this side of Stalingrad was afoot in the Labour group ahead of last week's city council elections. A directive was dispatched to the group's 21 councillors by Susan Brown, a press officer for the national party, in which she banned members from answering questions from the Oxford Mail on how they thought the elections would go.

Ms Brown's memo read: "Can I please urge members to not allow an unhelpful story through speculation on either of these.

"The only comment should be that we are working hard and taking nothing for granted."

David Cameron's 'Vote Blue, Go Green' message didn't resonate with the good people of Manchester, Liverpool or Newcastle in last weeks' local elections.

The Tories foundered once again in the north, but it was not just a phenomenon found north of the Watford Gap.

In Oxford, just miles from Dave's West Oxfordshire constituency, they managed to elect, er, no city councillors. And of the 29 Tory councillors elected to Cherwell and West Oxfordshire district councils just four were women.

Oxford's Lib Dems are still looking a bit male top-heavy after last week's city council elections success. John Goddard stays on as group leader after being re-elected unchallenged at a recent group meeting, while David Rundle managed to defeat Caroline van Zyl "handsomely", as one mole put it, to become deputy leader.

It's a man's world, or so it would appear.

Talking of which, things don't look a lot rosier in David Cameron's shadow cabinet, as there are more Davids (five) than women (four) in his opposition line up.

Former Lib Dem city councillor Tony Brett one of the high-profile casualties during last week's city council elections conceded defeat by sulking on the floor and not talking to anyone.

But he did eventually perk up and find time to tell The Insider that losing Cowley Marsh was not all bad as he now has more time to spend on his allotment.

Concern is growing for the welfare of Charles Steel, the Oxford University Conservative Association president-elect, at the centre of an election controversy.

Ever since it was alleged signatures on his city council election nomination papers were forged he has been holed up and not answering his mobile.

The Insider is told friends take food and water to his lodgings. But there is a glimmer of hope despite the fact fellow university Tories want him out on his ear.

A university spokesman told us: "As in the courts, the assumption would be innocent until proven guilty."

More public money well spent? Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council are ploughing a staggering £300,000 between now and 2008 towards the cost of back-slapping events being staged to mark the county's millennium celebrations.

And, even more baffling, is that £100,000 is being spent on publicity and marketing for the events alone.