Anne Keothavong and Jane O'Donoghue made winning starts to the grass court season in the Surbiton Trophy event, and then berated themselves for making such hard work of it.

Live on stage, comedians Mel and Sue are very much unchanged from their familiar personae on Channel 4's Late Lunch. They display all those qualities which gained them sofa-loads of malingering student fans: they're sassy, saucy, sussed, sarky. Oh, yes, and silly. The pair are at their best when their professionalism is at its worst. During a recent live show, they would often lose it completely in the middle of a sketch, and step out of character to take the mick out of each other's (frequent) fluffs. Rather than appearing self-indulgent, this is actually rather endearing. They appear with Tim Vine, Bill Bailey, Paul Zerdin and Jocelyn Jee at tonight's Alan Davies Appeal Benefit. Alan Davies Appeal Benefit (in aid of the Hackney Empire Appeal Fund), Hackney Empire, London E8 (0181-985 2424) tonight

`If there's a more awful experience than looking for a flat to rent, I don't want to know about it'

LEGISLATION TO cut disability benefits was passed by the House of Lords last night, despite last-ditch claims by Labour peers that they were "grossly unjust" measures.

ALISTAIR DARLING came under intense pressure for "betraying" the most vulnerable people in society last night as backbenchers rebelled against measures to cut incapacity benefits (IBs).

It's four years since Hackney Downs school was forced to shut down after years of very public pillorying as `Britain's Worst School'. But its long demise was no simple tale of poor teachers and lack of community support.

Sir: In a number of articles last week your writers have appeared to glamorise squatting in Hackney (reports, 22, 23, 24 July). I don't think that the average Hackney council tenant or property owner shares the views or perceptions of your writers.

Weird Sister by Kate Pullinger Phoenix pounds 16.99

MINISTERS WILL announce shortly that they are to privatise the school improvement service in Hackney - the first time one of a council's key functions has been taken over by a private contractor.

Derevo

If a man strikes you, you should turn the other cheek, says the Bible. But if your assailant is one of the athletic evangelists known as the Power Team, it might be better to run away. They're spiritual, but they are also large.

Sir: Ministers claim they are privatising Hackney education authority because they are acting on behalf of Hackney parents and children ("Hackney loses control of its schools", 20 March).

THE GOVERNMENT effectively took over key parts of a local authority yesterday, as Ministers prepared to put its controversial education service out to tender.

THE GOVERNMENT is to seize control of one of Britain's worst education authorities after inspectors found it was still failing pupils.