Reshuffle Day Strikes Again

They all deny it is accurate in public, but the Labour triumvirate of former Cabinet ladies must have found the Westminster village screening of the first episode of the new series of The Thick of It brutal watching. Would recently dismissed/disgraced Hazel "the mortgage"Blears, Jacqui "porno film" Smith and Caroline "window dressing" Flint have turned up if they had known the episode showing was based around over promoted women on reshuffle day? Whoever sent the invites out definitely has a sense of humour.

Cast your mind back to that heady summer day! Smith made a hasty exit having sat through what must have been uncomfortable watching. Flint who quit in spectacular style, mid a Brown press conference apparently over the government's views on women, at least stuck around long enough to dismiss the show as inaccurate on the basis that "it's not really like that, there is a big board with postit notes getting moved around on reshuffle day, not that I was in No10, and when you speak to the PM there a three other people listening". Take note script writers!

In fairness there was a poignant moment, when the spinmeister general breaks the news to the new Minister that she is owned by the state, a mere puppet in a grander plan, at the mercy of the watchful press, none of the threesome were laughing.

The event was quite the who's who of closet Thick of It fans. A particularly strong showing from the CCHQ press office. TB's favourite Mr-Rent-a-Quote Parmjit Dhanda succeeded admirably at strengthening his well earned nick name by declaring the real reshuffle day was "much worse!" to the assembled crowd.

The new season of the show looks fantastic. TB was in stitches and it seems the new Saturday night slot is going to make for compelling viewing. Get use to seeing these guys a lot:

We have the Tory Flatmate, then Sam - who is really in the thick of it rather than.. oh you get what TB means. The new Minister of State, and of course good old Glen.

TB managed to have a quick natter with Armando Iannucci, the director and a long-term hero, who thankfully assured the bear that there was a blog/twitter related episode coming up and in true Thick of It style was conceived months before anyone had ever heard of loving the NHS or Kerry McCarthy.

Was a cracking night and TB is eternally grateful to

TV's Shane Greer

for the ticket. Sadly Jacqui politely declined the chance of a photo with the bear, but Mr Ianncci, despite pulling is best politically neutral face, was much more obliging.

Funnily enough given the last line of the episode, Nick Robinson was otherwise engaged!