Pandora: 'Only Israeli comic' in diplomatic incident

Goodness.
Pandora very much hopes that a bit of well-intended ribbing isn't going to descend into a full-on row.

We're told that relations have been left frosty after a representative from the Israeli Embassy in Dublin stormed out of an Edinburgh Festival performance by Yariv Perelmuter, the self-styled "only Israeli stand-up in Britain".

"I invited a couple of them [embassy officials] when I realised they were in Edinburgh for the festival, so they decided to send their cultural affairs attaché," explains Perelmuter.

"He was a little late. I saw him come in and I made a joke. I like to do a bit of off-the-cuff and so on.

"Either I offended him or he didn't like the attention because a while later I saw that he had walked out."

Whatever it was, it seems that the embassy is unwilling to get involved; no one was available for comment last night.

Sienna lets bygones be bygones

There was little sign of animosity on Wednesday night, with Anna Wintour and Sienna Miller walking the red carpet side-by-side. Of course, Miller would have had good reason to give the evening a miss. It marked the premiere of The September Issue, a documentary about the making of American Vogue's September 2007 issue – which includes a shot of the indomitable Wintour complaining that Miller's smile was too "toothy" and her hair "unruly".

Nice work if you can get it...

How intriguing to hear moat-owning Member of Parliament Douglas Hogg's arguments in favour of a new, six-figure salary for politicians.

Naturally, Hogg is well-placed to comment on the matter of inflated pay. As a quick flick through the last Register of Members' Financial Interests reveals, the lucky fellow is accustomed to earning upwards of £5,400 for just 38.5 hours' work as a barrister. If our maths is to be trusted, that's roughly £140 per hour – not bad at all for a bit of spare cash.

Police drag Shayler from Surrey squat

Oh, dear. More news of David Shayler and his attempts to inhabit a stately home. Yesterday police vans were forced to move in after Shayler and his so-called Rainbow Movement refused to leave their squat in a Surrey National Trust home.

"We don't have a roof over our heads, but I am Jesus Christ so I don't mind," a jovial Shayler was heard telling reporters. "Basically we will just go and squat somewhere else."

Not exactly the Commons canteen

Spare a thought for Paul Rowen, the Liberal Democrat member for Rochdale, who has spent his recess coping with a spate of power cuts.

"I'm afraid they seem to be following me around and I had to cook my tea on a camp stove," explains Rowen. We're told the enterprising member has been forced to subsist on beans on toast. Let's just hope they won't be claimed on expenses.

pandora@independent.co.uk