More from the parallel universe of press offices.

On Monday I called the press team of a Midlands city council outside my patch. I asked for some information about various details of their council’s structure, as part of a wider report I’m putting together.

They took my name, telephone number and the name of the publication I work for. I then waited for a response, but heard nothing.

I called back yesterday afternoon.

“Oh I’m sorry we didn’t get back to you,” the head of press replied, “we Googled your name and it came up with the Conservative MP. We assumed you were a politician fishing for information so we just ignored it.”

That’ll be Penrith MP David MacLean (pictured) who, incidentally, is one of the most vocal opponents of the Freedom of Information Act in Britain. I use it every day. The irony…