Chicken Chairman meets his nemesis

It must be every Liberal Democrat's worst nightmare: the Prince of Darkness meets the Chicken Chairman.

Peter Mandelson, the man who masterminded Labour's election victory, is sharing an office during Parliament's summer break with Brian Mawhinney, who oversaw the Conservatives' road to disaster.

The former Tory chairman, who earned his nickname after abandoning his Peterborough seat for safer shores, has been moved into a Commons committee room because of building work.

Unfortunately for all concerned, the same fate has befallen the minister without portfolio. Mr Mandelson, known as the Prince of Darkness because of his Machiavellian tendencies, has had his name posted outside the same door.

As well as Mr Mandelson, the Tory spokesman on home affairs, is also sharing with the minister for employment and disability rights, Andrew Smith.

However, because of holidays it is unlikely that Dr Mawhinney and Mr Mandelson will ever get the opportunity to flick paper pellets at each other across their shared office space.