Labour Party leadership hopefuls were in town this week hoping to woo the rank and file with their impressive credentials for the job.

But CVs don’t always reveal every talent.

Former schools minister Ed Balls must have been top of the class in home economics – he bakes all the kids’ birthday cakes at home and is most proud of a pirate ship creation.

This year’s request for an iPad themed cake shows how quickly kids take to technology.

And to prove his food and drink credentials, Mr Balls popped into the Royal Blenheim pub, in St Ebbe’s Street, for a swift half before the leadership debate at Oxford Town Hall.

At the hustings, Diane Abbott struggled with the microphone before admitting that despite an education “at the other place” she would never make an electrician.

Hard times are upon us and an age of austerity is being forecast. But not every state sponsored hand-out has dried up.

The drinks were on Her Majesty’s constabulary during England’s clash with Slovenia.

Unfortunately, Thames Valley Police’s contribution to the short-lived football party was to hand out nothing stronger than free bottles of mineral water.

It was all part of the force’s Watch Your Game campaign, which aimed to keep fans safe, out-of-trouble... and well-hydrated.

Now that England are out, The Insider wonders whether bobbies will be handing out free punnets of strawberries and cream to tame rowdy tennis fans.

And drinks were on David Cameron ... and President Obama in Washington as you’ll have seen this week. Following a wager on the England v USA game that ended in stalemate, the leaders exchanged a bottle of beer.

Mr Cameron offered a drop from the Wychwood brewery in Witney and Mr Obama returned a bottle from his native Chicago, Goose Island 312.

The Prime Minister betting on an England victory? Let’s hope Mr Cameron is more astute when it comes to taking risks with the country’s economy.

AS England crashed out of the World Cup a nation wallowed in the collective disappointment. So spare a thought for Oxford City Council’s deputy leader Ed Turner, who found himself in Germany for Sunday’s game.