Sarah Palin snubs Conservative MP

Sarah Palin, the Alaskan governor and one-time Republican vice-presidential candidate (pictured), has delivered a humiliating snub to Tory MP Edward Leigh. Like a number of other misguided souls, the former Tory minister appears to have developed something of a crush on Palin, or the ‘pitbull in lipstick’ as she dubbed herself. Such was his ardour that he took the extraordinary step of asking her to have dinner with him and some chums at the House of Commons.

According to the Times, his offer was not a capricious act. In his online journal six months before he plucked up the courage to make the offer he had written: "Westminster politics had left me feeling a little jaded. Then I watched the Republican Convention. Now I feel reinvigorated."

So when a letter arrived on headed paper marked 'State of Alaska, Office of the Governor' one assumes his heart skipped a beat. However, the contents were not what he hoped. "Thank you for your very kind letter inviting me to dinner at the House of Commons," wrote Palin, or more likely some lowly assistant. "While it is not possible at the time to take advantage of your kind invitation to dine with Cornerstine Group of Conservative MPs, thank you for the invitation." Heartless stuff.

But it got worse. Palin added: "I have asked our Office of International Trade to be available to answer any questions you may have about Alaska. God Bless." Ouch.