Today is the by-election in Oldham and Saddleworth. The previous MP for the area, Phil Woolas (Labour, just in case you rely on the BBC for news and therefore aren’t sure) was removed from the House of Commons after lying about his political rivals so far above and beyond the usual level of abuse that it ended up in court.

Labour, of course, rallied mindlessly behind this twisted individual after his re-election, with Red Ed appointing Woolas to his front bench and Woolas receiving public statements of support from both Brown and Blair during the course of his trial.

All for nothing, though, as Woolas – famously mauled by the sainted Joanna Lumley for his betrayal of the Gurkhas – is now discredited and unemployable…and so will therefore become rich as a lobbyist for some fake charity or other.

And the sheep of Old and Sad will today vote for another politician from the same mould.

Enthusiasm is high, it appears, as this photograph of Jack Straw campaigning in the constituency and addressing a mass rally of ….err….one….shows. Maybe when convicted thugs and sex offenders get the vote there will be more visible support for Labour – although not at open air public meetings you’d hope.

Nevertheless it’s strongly expected that the Labour woman with the face like a toolbox with the spanner drawer open will beat the blue-rosetted man so vast he has his own gravitational field and the lawyer-dependent sore-loser yellow one. And the others – including one who calls himself “The Flying Brick”.

Voters will get exactly what they deserve.