Bell, book and Cantab

A ripple of applause for Alumnus to be Proud of No 97, the almost all-party-approved candidate for Tatton in the general election, standing against the allegedly dishonourable Neil Hamilton. Martin Bell, chief foreign correspondent of the BBC, is clearly suited to the task as the author of a book called In Harm's Way. Hamilton, by contrast, has penned a tome on UK/US tax law. But they have one dread thing in common - Cambridge.

Bell was at school and then King's there, while Hamilton took his LLB at Corpus Christi. If Bell wins, he will presumably be frontrunner for chairman of the committee on members' interests if not for Hamilton's slot on the All-Party Anglo-Togo group.