The Buzz: Wife swapping, Westminster style

By Siobhan Courtney

Welcome to The Buzz, our weekly round up of how the stories Newsnight report are being talked about in the blogosphere, twitterverse and other social media.

WESTMINSTER WIFE SWAP

This week MPs learned that when Sir Christopher Kelly produces his reform package for MP expenses and allowances he is expected to put a stop to the widespread practice of MPs employing spouses and other family members in back office jobs.

Step forward the Westminster Wags who are threatening to swap their husbands for another MP so they can continue working at Westminster.

A Brief Encounter in principle does not have a problem with MPs employing family members, but argues there has to be transparency, asking: "What serious politician wants people whispering that Mrs X or Mr Y is being bunged £40,000pa to swan around the West End?"

MPs swap wives for fun and profit is the title of Obnoxio The Clown's post. In it he says that shifting staff around may actually improve working standards a bit.

A Dundee Wifey said that the argument often used to defend the employment of wives, namely that MPs' long hours meant that they would not get to see each other otherwise no longer rings true if they are prepared to switch around.

There was a mixed response to the practice of employing spouses on the Digital Spy Forums with some posters arguing that it is no different to owners of small businesses employing their spouses, and others complaining that it is a "shameful" use of taxpayers money.

MOD 'ACCEPTS NIMROD BLAME'

Jeremy Paxman gave Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth a grilling this week as he responded to a review which blamed a "failure of culture, leadership and priorities" for a fatal Nimrod crash in 2006 in which 14 servicemen died.

Ainsworth: 'We accept Nimrod blame and apologise'

Whitehall 1212 called the report by Charles Hatton-Cave QC, "the most damning indictment of institutional failure that anyone in Westminster can remember reading".

"Ainsworth is the man who told us the Nimrod was airworthy. He lied then and should go" said the blog, Fitaloon at Microshaft.

Burning our money accused the government of "bungling and complacency" asking readers to take a moment and imagine "it was your partner, your son, your brother, or your father who went down with the plane".

But Bill's Comment Page critiqued the report, saying it leaves out "any criticism of the makers of the policy under which the MoD had to operate".

TV COMEDY - ALL DONE IN THE BEST POSSIBLE TASTE?

Comedian Frankie Boyle, who last week was rebuked for making a joke about Rebecca Adlington, has said that the number one priority in television comedy has become "Don't frighten the horses".

Watch with Mothers Blog suggested that "the real problem rests with production at the BBC", eliciting a massive response.

Planet Cricket Forums said that in comedy people are going to be made fun of: "If Frankie had said something like '9/11, that was hilarious' I would understand."

But others called into question whether the joke was even funny. Biased BBC said: "I'm all in favour of frightening horses if it means we get something good on TV. But not from Frankie Boyle."

If you missed the Newsnight discussion with comedians Richard Herring and Natalie Haynes, you can watch it again here.