Surely Glenda deserves a gong!

VANESSA REDGRAVE, 84, a former stalwart of the Workers Revolutionary Party and life-long republican, was given a surprise damehood in the New Year honours list.

But why no damehood for the excellent Glenda Jackson? She’s a double Oscarwinner — one more than Redgrave — who had a second career as a Labour MP and government minister.

Jackson then returned to acting, winning a Tony award in 2018 for her Broadway role in Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women at the ripe young age of 82.

■ ED DAVEY was embarrassed on The Weakest Link quiz show last week after a contestant was asked which ‘Ed’ leads the Lib dems and replied: ‘Is it Ed Miliband?’ Worse was to follow. at PMQs on Wednesday, the Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle called for: ‘Ed Balls . . . Ed davey.’ Ed who?

■ THE PM’s principal private secretary Martin Reynolds is said to have been lined up as the ‘fall guy’ when the Cabinet Office’s official inquiry into whether rules were broken at no 10 gatherings during lockdowns concludes. Reynolds is said to have sent an email invitation, and was also pictured with Johnson and his then fiancee Carrie Symonds in May 2020. But all is not lost. Reynolds will be made an ambassador, my mole tells me. Saudi arabia is one option, as he speaks arabic. Reynolds should remember boozy parties are frowned upon in the ‘dry’ kingdom.

■ LABOUR MP Barry Gardiner received a rap over the knuckles last week from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. Gardiner had failed to register £30,000 of donations from two trade unions within the required 28-day period. Baz blamed personnel issues, saying: ‘The period was busy. Two of my staff had been ill and one caseworker had left.’ He should have a word with his constituency office manager. It’s his wife Caroline after all.