Lembit Update 4.

The world of jounalism has gone completely 'bonkers'. Even my Sunday Telegraph has joined in with a half page profile of Gabriela's new boyfriend, together with a specially commissioned and rather good cartoon. And the MoS has pages of 'Friends of Sian' rubbishing our newly discovered, so called 'super-charged sex god'.

For over 10 years, I have done all that I can to persuade the people of Montgomeryshire not to vote for Lembit Opik. I have not thought him to be the right man to follow in the footsteps of Clement Davies, Emlyn Hooson and Alex Carlile. I have not been able to think of him as anything but a camara chasing publicist who will do almost anything to promote his personal 'celebrity'. But the negative publicity he is getting at present is way over the top. It is beginning to look a bit unfair.

As far as I can see he hasn't actually done anything wrong. He is a 41 year old single bloke - who seems to like a 'trophy' girlfriend on his arm. His fiancee in '97, when I contested the General Election against him was named Sam - a very attractive girl she was too. And then Sian was a 'celebrity' in her own right. And now Gabriela Irimia is also something of a celebrity, who seems to think that she has finally found true love. (Well not a pantomime, anyway). As long as he didn't break the rules on the visa application issue, I cannot see what all the fuss is about. All he has done is give us all a bloody good laugh, provide bloggers and journos with a wealth of material, and brought great joy to us all in this festive season. It took a special line in comical-ness to outdo the Bishop of Southwark this Xmas - but Lembit's managed it. I just hope that not too much of the ridicule rubs off on my home county of Montgomeryshire.