I’VE got good news and bad news. I wonder if the bosses at Newcastle United used that old line when announcing their new sponsorship deal to players. The good news is that the home ground will revert to its old title, St James’ Park.

The bad is that when the players trot out onto the pitch they’ll have the name of new sponsor Wonga on their shirts.

Wonga is a pay day loan company, an organisation that – depending on your political views – embodies the innovative, free-market entrepreneurship that will get the country on its feet again, or a bunch of chancers dragging the poor and gullible into an ever worsening spiral of debt.

Pay day loan companies and their like have colonised our high streets. If you’re unfortunate to watch television during the day you will see they have perfected a pincer movement.

As they charge interest at an annual average rate of more than 4,000 per cent, they can afford it. In the current economic climate, people desperate for a quick financial fix will never be in short supply so there is little danger – short of legislation capping their charges – they will go the same way as the Toon’s previous sponsors, Northern Rock.

Wonga will no doubt point out what it is doing is legal, meets demand and fills a gap in the market, but it’s all a bit sad nevertheless and illustrates the huge gulf between the financial powers that run football clubs and the ordinary fans.

I suppose the Newcastle players can always be thankful they don’t turn out for Kendal Town FC, who earlier this year signed a deal with a local novelty firm. It obliges their players to warm up wearing woolly hats and knitted beards. Now that would be demeaning to a dedicated professional. Then again, I’ve just watched the latest Wonga advert. Maybe not.

TWITTER and the rest of the anti-social media, as I call it, give us endless opportunities to get into hot water. To this end, the Football Association has drawn up a strict code of conduct to curb players’ online excesses.

It comes in the wake of Ashley Cole being fined two weeks wages – generally reported as £240,000 – for a rude tweet about the FA.

Yes that’s not a misprint – £240,000. I wish the FA well in its crusade for better manners.

But I have an awful fear that the way that money has soaked the game’s soul means it is bound to lose.

ED MILIBAND quotes Benjamin Disraeli.

George Osborne quotes Karl Marx. Nick Clegg probably did something similar but no one can remember what he said. With this kind of clothes-stealing, it will be a confused electorate that goes to the polls in 2015.

The David Cameron speech was something completely different to anything I’ve seen since the speeches of Tony Blair at such conferences.

We might not agree with Mr Cameron and his policies but he sounded, and looked, like a Prime Minister. The speech was measured and had substance. He’s come a long way.

I think people will reflect and agree that this was the best speech Mr Cameron has made since becoming the Prime Minister. We should give credit where credit is due. If I had to choose between Boris Johnson or David Cameron to be the Prime Minister, it would always be Mr Cameron. Boris is a good guy and a good Elected Mayor but I don’t think he is a Prime Minister.