WE'RE into the first full week of election campaigning, and one of York's political parties is in disarray.

A cash crisis, expulsions and talk of a breakaway party have beset the York branch of the Official Monster Raving Loonies.

Boney Maroney, national treasurer, told the Diary this shock news about prospective York candidate Eddie Vee: "I don't think he will stand for the election because he can't raise the money."

All candidates must pay a £500 deposit by April 19 or forfeit their chance to stand.

She added: "I'd like to put out an appeal to see if we can get someone with the funds to come forward and stand. We find people who run a pub or a shop make the best loony candidates."

Anyone interested contact the Diary.

Eddie was more upbeat. "Boney's always negative. She looks at the worst case scenarios."

So how much of the £500 remains to be raised?

"About £500," he said. He's appealing for donations, large and small: ring him on 01904 782297.

Eddie is meeting with the York branch tonight. Meanwhile, the faction known as the New Loonies, which unsuccessfully tried to replace Eddie as the candidate, is meeting on Wednesday.

This includes two loonies ousted from the main party, John Morris and Gareth Spydaz. They were thrown out for selling loony merchandise against Electoral Commission rules, said Boney. Or as Gareth told the Diary: "We are too loony to be loonies."

John, former honorary secretary of the York branch, and Gareth, erstwhile Chief of Fun Police, will get together with Andy Hinkles, otherwise known as the artist Milladdio, to discuss the New Loonies' next move.

Milladdio, aka Pope Millladio I (a name bestowed long before recent sad events in Vatican City), is still considering standing in Eddie's place. Alternatively, the New Loonies may form a breakaway movement, provisionally entitled the York Integrity Party, or YIP.

Gareth would like to see the whole situation sorted with a custard pie fight in Museum Gardens on St George's Day, April 23.

An appropriately messy idea.

GOOD news. Christmas has not been cancelled.

That was the fear of reader Harold Mozley after York Minster cancelled Eucharist on the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25). This is the day which commemorates the moment when an angel announced to Mary she would bear a son, and naturally it is nine months before Christmas Day.

"Don't worry Harold - just celebrate Christmas on the correct date!" writes Kenneth Barnes, of Catterton, Tadcaster.

Mr Barnes reckons that Luke's gospel gives enough clues to place the conception date of John the Baptist on June 24/25, and so would have been born nine months later.

"Now Luke tells us that John was six months older than Jesus so Jesus must have been born in late September (my source says the 29th).

"It would appear that since the church calendar was Romanised at Whitby the births of both John and Jesus have been celebrated on the dates of their conceptions. A good celebration nonetheless considering that the conception of both was more amazing than their births."

Meanwhile, York Minster Precentor, Canon Jeremy Fletcher, points out that the Annunciation was the feature of four other Minster services that day.

"You can put your mind at rest," he adds. "Christmas will come in 2005, and it won't be delayed by nine days either."

Updated: 09:30 Tuesday, April 12, 2005