Hague isn't giving up the after-dinner circuit just yet

* When William Hague re-joined the Tory front bench, he promised to give up the outside interests that had (briefly) made him Britain's best-paid MP.

Claiming this would cost him roughly £500,000 a year in lost earnings, the new shadow Foreign Secretary declared: "I am obviously quite barmy."

Maybe this proud Yorkshireman isn't quite as barmy as he's led us to believe, though. Just two months later, Hague has resumed his after-dinner speaking career.

The agency JLA includes the former Tory leader in its latest "corridors of power" stable, alongside such political luminaries as David Blunkett and Andrew Marr.

Hague's presence on the list - his going rate, by the way, is between £10,000 and £25,000 - appears to contradict the impression given when he rejoined the shadow cabinet.

Back then, he was allowed to keep a few directorships, in return for dropping his News of the World column, and scaling back speaking appearances.

However, a spokesman last night insisted that Hague had never actually pledged to give up after-dinner speaking. Instead he had promised to cut down "drastically".

"William Hague is still on the list and available, but it's now very much a secondary thing," he said.

Meanwhile, JLA's director, Jeremy Lee, added: "He's still going to do occasional speaking for us, but it will be far less frequent than before."

* Anna Wintour, the formidable editor of American Vogue, arrives in town tomorrow to support London Fashion Week.

It's a coup for the British fashion industry, which rescheduled the week at Wintour's behest, but things may not go entirely according to plan.

The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals are making plans to disrupt her entire visit.

Activists, upset by Wintour's fur coats, will start by picketing her glitzy party at Luciano's in St James's on Friday night.

"We're busy making placards," they said yesterday. "They'll feature the slogan 'Fur Is Worn by Beautiful Animals and Ugly People,' together with a hilarious picture of Wintour."

"It's the ugliest shot we could find; a real shocker. We scoured photo agencies for ages and found something that reflects Anna's selfish, cruel nature."

Wintour won't be easily moved. In recent years, Peta have stuffed cream pies in her face, covered her in red paint, and thrown a dead raccoon at her restaurant table.

* Sienna Miller is in danger of trying a little too hard to convince us she's made a clean break from her ex, Jude Law.

On Monday, Miller informed assembled journalists at the premiere of her new film, Casanova, that she was "definitely single".

It was kind to volunteer such information - after all, nobody had actually asked about Miller's love life.

Later, Miller's co-stars passed on further evidence of her enduring happiness.

Although Casanova was filmed in Venice during the "nannygate" affair, actor Tim McInnerny informed me that she was untroubled by the scandal.

"Sienna did not seem at all distracted by whatever was or wasn't going on with regard to Jude Law," he said.

"In fact, she had a wonderful apartment near the Rialto Bridge, and would invite the cast around for superb roast chicken."

Domestic goddess Miller chipped in: "I love Italian cooking."

* Flop! A leaked letter lands on Pandora's desk from Helen Clark, the ex-Peterborough MP who was booted out at the last election.

Mrs Clark is now looking for work, and has written to several lobbying firms, enclosing a CV.

According to this splendid document, Clark (like many MPs) spent plenty of her time in office helping corporate Britain: she lobbied for Shell, BP, Calor, British Sugar, and Schering-Plough.

She now reckons: "I have drive, determination, communication skills, and would be a first-class face for a dynamic organisation."

That's a matter of opinion: in 2000, Clark's photograph appeared on the website www.mingers.com.

* Michael Aspel's elegant pins have always remained hidden beneath a thick layer of corduroy.

Until now, that is. For the Antiques Roadshow host has just agreed to star in in The Rocky Horror Show.

Aspel's role, the narrator, usually requires the actor to parade in fishnets, codpiece and stilettoes. However, with the show due to open in Brighton next month, the veteran presenter's wardrobe is still the subject of contractual negotiations.

"Is Michael going to wear fishnets? We were promised an answer yesterday, and I'm afraid we still don't know," says a spokesman.

"The contract is still being sorted out. We are reverting to the original script, and cutting a lot of later additions, so I'm afraid it rather depends."

Here's hoping!

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