IT WASN'T until Spectator's colleague drove down into the West Riding just after last week's election that the missing factor in Alan Milburn's fiefdom became apparent.

There seemed to be party posters on every hoarding on every corner and Darlington residents were deprived of that part of the campaign owing to the local council's purging of hoardings, on the grounds that they distracted motorists. The town's electorate could, therefore, complain that it was not on an equal footing with electors elsewhere as it didn't receive the punchy poster messages.

Incidentally, on a busy Friday teatime, at a multi-lane offset crossroads with fiendishly complicated traffic lights, the presence of a large poster advising drivers to keep it if they valued it didn't seem to cause any of them to run into each other. But maybe they were too busy driving to notice the poster.

Well stewed

NO wonder some tractor drivers on main roads acquire a bad name among motorists.

Another of Spectator's colleagues, on the long haul to Skipton for the Friday election count in David Curry's constituency, found himself in a tailback which his rear view mirror suggested must have stretched at its worst for almost half a mile on the A59 up and over Blubberhouses Moor.

It was caused by a tractor, minus any amber warning beacons, whose driver ignored two empty nearside laybys and only deigned to pull over at a spot containing a mobile snack bar on the other side of the road.

Spectator's colleague trusted that his mug of tea was as stewed as the rest of the road users.

Brutal moment

A REMINDER of the brutality of politics can be found in Lawrie Quinn's election diary on a Labour Party web site.

The jottings of Mr Quinn, deposed by Tory Robert Goodwill in Scarborough and Whitby, make for poignant reading.

The excitement as the campaign draws to a close with the party big guns arriving in the resort is tangible. Barely a reference to Mr Blair (I can't think why) but John Prescott is declared a thoroughly good bloke, keen to eat fish and chips at Whitby's famous Magpie (did they have to queue, Spectator wonders?).

Post-poll Mr Quinn reveals how defeated MPs have four days to clear their Westminster desks. Saying goodbye to staff isn't easy either. No wonder Mr Blair doesn't get a mention.

Reality check

We enjoyed the thoughtful contributions of Neil Foster, the Labour man up against William Hague in the Richmond constituency, during the campaign.

However, we think he must be writing with tongue firmly in cheek on the letters page opposite when he states that he was "hard on the heels" of Mr Hague. A Tory majority of nearly 18,000 votes hardly represents a narrow victory