Both the Australian and Malaysian courts acquitted him, but he was an odd choice for a prime minister seeking to project a cleaner image.

ECONOMIST: The prime minister fights for survival

On the face of it, it was odd, perhaps, that the prime minister hung on to Mr Hain for so long.

ECONOMIST: An embattled minister finally quits

Whereas the UN's meeting had been overrun by presidents, prime ministers and even the odd monarch, Mr Bush was only able to entice ministers, advisers and bureaucrats to his.

ECONOMIST: Climate change: Warming to the environment? | The

Mr Farage has defended UKIP as being different from other parties after Prime Minister David Cameron said some of its members were "pretty odd people".

BBC: Nigel Farage a Stalinist dictator, says UKIP MEP