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I normally keep the politics on this side of the pond but this story was too good not to mention. The Daily Mirror, a British tabloid reported this and there was something refreshing about this.
14 October 2005 EXCLUSIVE: TORY MP WALLOPS LABOUR MP Labour and Tory MPs brawl over an email in radio studio By Rosa Prince And Kevin Maguire
LABOUR MP Stephen Pound yesterday branded Tory backbencher Philip Davies "a little squirt" after the two men brawled at a radio station over a scrap of paper.
The bust-up broke out when law and order spokesman Mr Pound read an embarrassing email about Mr Davies which the Tory tried to grab from him.
Speaking from the red corner, 57-year-old Mr Pound - who went to hospital with a cracked rib or damaged muscle - declared: "What a pillock. He was knocking me about the control room trying to get the email. This guy has a very short temper and was howling at the moon."
But over in the blue corner Mr Davies, 33, innocently insisted: "He's pulling everyone's leg, there was no grappling. It was hardly Giant Haystacks against Big Daddy - it was more like handbags at dawn."
Talksport host Ian Collins, who had invited the two men to discuss their party leaderships on his show, had a ringside view of Tuesday's scrap.
His verdict? "It was an absolutely ridiculous sight, two grown men in their Savile Row suits brawling as if they were in a playground.
"They were in a bear hug and really going for it. They were very serious. We broke it up but as they were leaving, one taunted the other and it broke out all over again."
The email read out by Mr Pound revealed that Stacy Hilliard, an assistant of Mr Davies, had sent out a message asking local Tories to support him by phoning the show.
It read: "Tomorrow Philip will be on Talksport from 12-1 with Steven (sic) Pound and Simon Hughes. Please let members know so they can call in and support Phil."
At the end of the show Mr Davies, new MP for Shipley, West Yorks, tried to snatch the note from Mr Pound allegedly sending him flying.
Later Mr Pound, parliamentary aide to Home Office minister Hazel Blears, was treated at London's St Thomas' Hospital where doctors said he had either a cracked rib or a damaged chest muscle.
He said: "When I was 32 I never went grappling with older men.
"This man was embarrassed at the little scam being found out. I've decided he's a little squirt and don't want to give him any more publicity by reporting him to police.
"At one point it became quite farcical as the producer is blind and we ended up falling over his guide dog.
"But it's not really funny. It was very undignified. We were toe to toe body-checking each other. That's how I got hurt. I'm not happy about it at all. My rib is really very sore."
Told that Mr Davies denied his story, he said: "It 's a sign of desperation that he's making these claims. If I were to make up a story, it would be something a bit more exciting than a new Tory losing his cool and attacking me."
Mr Davies claimed he was unaware of the email and wanted to see it so he could discover who had leaked it.
He said: "None of this would have happened if he'd kept the email in his pocket. But he brandished it above his head as if he was Neville Chamberlain with the documents promising peace with Hitler.
"I snatched it off him and he was furiously trying to get it off me pulling at my fingers. In the end the note ripped. I had one half and he had the other. That was it, there was no grappling whatsoever. There's no way on God's earth he could have hurt his rib. If he went to hospital, he's obviously done it for effect."
Mr Davies accused Mr Pound of "having it in" for him because during the show, he joked about the Labour MP once being a bus driver.
He said: "I like to think of myself as a nice guy, and if that's what has upset him I'm prepared to apologise.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with being a bus driver. It was just banter and I'd hate to think I offended him. I can assure everyone there were no bear hugs. I wouldn't know how to give anyone a bear hug."
After the radio show the two MPs shared a taxi back to the Commons.
Meeting Mr Pound the next day, Mr Davies could not let it go and called out "How's your rib?" before adding: "It could have been worse."
But yesterday he said: "I did see him the next day, and shouted out 'You'll break your rib if you laugh like that, Stephen'.
"But that's because I thought it was a joke. I didn't believe for one moment he was seriously hurt."
Married Mr Davies was elected by just 500 votes. On his website he boasts that he campaigned to "Keep the Pound." Dad of two Mr Pound has represented Ealing North since 1997.
Response
This was just too funny. So, what do you think? David Williams and Ed Worley? Do you think Dan Mongiardo vs. Dan Kelley? Or let's go to the big leagues and say Senator Clinton vs. Senator Santorum. I think my money would be on Hillary. She's meaner.
