One former employee of collapsed car giant MG Rover has happily fallen on his feet, unlike thousands of his colleagues.

Alistair Morton, the company's former training manager who was made redundant in April, has been appointed head of communications for Birmingham Shitty Council. He reports to the Conservative leader of the ruling Tory-Lib Dem coalition, Mike Whitby.

One of Morton's last acts at Rover was to arrange the long-term loan of £65,000 top-of-the-range MG SV sports car to...wait for it.... Cllr Mike Whitby. At the time Morton said the loan was "totally above board". Cllr Whitby was said to be an "ambassador" for the city......"we needed to promote it (the sports car) among people who could afford to buy it".

When Rover collapsed and employees with company cars were being obliged to give them back, Cllr Whitby hung on to his freebie, only returning it months later. Alas, even with the cachet of Cllr Whitby behind the wheel, only a handful of MG SV's were ever sold. It is estimated that developing this dud accounted for some £48m of Rover's debts.

Let's hope Mr Morton has a happier story to tell for his new boss. So impressive, apparently, are his spin-doctoring skills- despite limited experience in the field- that Birmingham Shitty Council appointed him without advertising the job!