Model Sophie Anderton, 27, was born in Bristol and began her career by entering herself in a national modelling competition as a teenager. At 19, she landed the Gossard campaign, and over the past eight years has also appeared in campaigns for Knickerbox, Sony, Topshop and Marks & Spencer. “I’ll also wear a pedometer, and we’ll post the results on my internet site.” The wonders of modern democracy!pandora independent.co.uk. Apparently, a leading financial backer is unhappy at the “direction” of things.Putting meat on this bone is tricky, though. The official Veritas press officer strongly denies any putsch As well she might.

Her name is Jan Kilroy-Silk, and she’s the former chatshow host’s wife.* The first PR stunt of the election silly season is upon us. Ann Winterton, the Tory MP for Congleton, has been sent a pedometer by her Labour opponent, Nick Milton, in an effort to see if she is (in his words) “one of the laziest MPs in Britain”.It follows this column’s discovery – reported in October – that Winterton hasn’t held a constituency surgery for 21 years. The revelation followed her brief suspension from the Tory party for telling a tasteless joke about cockle-pickers killed in Morecambe Bay.”I’m challenging Winterton to get off her bum and record the number of steps she takes in the election campaign,” says Milton. Joss Stone is in just one TV advert, which will only air in the US. He formally denies ever throttling a member of staff.* SARAH JESSICA Parker is said to be “mortified” at her (supposed) replacement as the face of Gap clothes by the soul singer Joss Stone.Strange, then, to hear that SJP just e-mailed Gap’s executive vice-president, Jeff Jones, to ask what all the fuss is about.”The first SJP knew about this row was when she was sent recent English newspaper clippings, so she asked what’s going on,” I’m told.”Jeff’s reply said that he’d no idea. Joss Stone isn’t going to be Gap’s new face anyway, and the row’s been totally cooked up by the press.”A Gap spokesman adds: “SJP was a brand ambassador, and was used in all our global TV, print and in-store adverts for three seasons. “If any of this came out, he’d be toast.”Paxman’s correspondence with Massey took place earlier this year, while he was preparing to interview his DG on the subject of – among other things – the BBC’s programme of redundancies.The exchange was intended to form a background to that interview, but came to light when it was leaked yesterday.Through a spokesman, Thompson yesterday admitted the biting incident, but described it as “a bit of horseplay that backfired”.

It actually sold 8 per cent fewer private houses in the first six months of its financial year; but a dramatic expansion in its social housing took the total volume growth to 2 per cent. Barratt is tacking to the prevailing political wind, as it has done in the past when it positioned itself as the leading urban regenerator. Much-needed social housing sells for lower prices, but it costs less to build and nothing to market.Barratt is a well-managed outfit, top of the pile in terms of return on capital, a key financial measure It is also improving its sub-par margins. It has improved controls on its land buying, too, which will result in a slower-than-expected expansion of volumes this year and next, although that should snap back in 18 months.

It is planning for modest growth in a market where demand for new homes is – because of well-known demographic changes – sure to stay high With a 4 per cent dividend yield, it is a long-term buy.. Insurance giant Prudential shocked the City today by announcing it had removed its chief executive of the last five years. Chris Keates, of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, is also in the spotlight for the first time. You can’t go round schools and not see the improved conditions.” But he believes that the union must make its voice clear to Government when it disagrees with them. Kelly will not be attending this year’s conference in Gateshead This time it is because she has not been invited. By contrast, Charles Clarke was invited but refused to attend two years running.