MP’s former life as a DJ comes back to haunt

Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna is understandably tired of the lazy comparisons with Barack Obama. But does he too have dark secrets in his past, like Obama’s history as a Kenyan Muslim socialist terrorist?

It turns out he does, as The Independent last week revealed that he used to be contactable at the email address “ukgaragefreak@hotmail.com”.

We all have our youthful indiscretions, and Mr Umunna’s was a fondness for the genre that gave us So Solid Crew. What’s even more surprising is that an earlier Independent interview revealed that he pronounces it to rhyme with “Farage” rather than “Beveridge”. Like any proper music fan, though, the former DJ makes the point that he was into it “before it became really big”.

The only question is, why did he give up this form of address? The nation has been deprived of the experience of hearing MPs say the words, “My right honourable friend the shadow secretary of state for business, UK Garage Freak”. A tragedy.

Students provide the sweet smells of success

By this evening, we’ll know if Sally Walton, part-time lecturer at Solihull College and Team GB hockey player, is in the running to become the FE world’s Olympic champion.

But whatever happens, colleges have found a way to ensure they will have a presence on the podium. The victory bouquets handed to the medallists have been created by students at the Adult Education College Bexley, Kingston Maurward College in Dorset and Writtle College in Essex (the latter being more of an HE institution, but FErret will let it off this time).

It’s an Olympian feat in itself, because together the colleges have to produce 4,400 of the bouquets, which combine pink rose, yellow rose, orange rose, green rose, English lavender, rosemary, apple mint and wheat, approximating the colours of the Olympic rings. Not only that, but it’s provided many moments of entertainment as hulking weightlifters or boxers clasp their delicate flowers. Thanks, students!