Sometimes, like turnspit cur, he reels, Sweating in his mysterious wheels; And by his motion, tho' he fancies That higher up he still advances, Yet, press'd down with his nat'ral weight, After much toiling, still the Knight Is found to be in the same place Where first he did begin his race; And has done less, for all his boasting, Than turnspit dog the goose when roasting.

Aspiring pop stars lined up for hours just to audition.

It involves abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual relations from dawn to sunset, in the hopes that it will lead to greater taqwa, or consciousness of God.

Politicians know how to look after themselves. Derry Irvine, Blair’s old boss, trousered a pension fund worth £2.3 million after just five years as Lord Chancellor - all courtesy of the tax payer.