Rebel without a pause

Labour rebel Ian Gibson was openly worried about his Norwich seat in the run-up to the election. In the event, he suffered a smaller swing than the other Labour MP for Norwich, Charles Clarke, the former Education Secretary. Dr Gibson has been heard complaining that if he hadn't been forced to share a campaign leaflet with the man who brought in top-up fees, his majority would have been even bigger. But it seems that the future remains wobbly for Dr Gibson's former fiefdom - the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee. Westminster insiders say the troublesome committee is earmarked for a merger with either the environment or trade select committees. And Conservative MP Robert Key is odds-on favourite to replace Dr Gibson in the chair.