The new Paris

Paris Hilton’s coming incarceration and Lindsay Lohan’s trip to rehab creates an opening for a new party girl to keep the paparazzi employed though the summer, the red tops in copy and the rest of us entertained. New York Magazine have done us all a service by providing a guide to the runners and riders in the great It-girl steeplechase—and you’ll be glad to know that there’s plenty of  British representation.

The Brit pack consists of Lily Allen who gets points for declaring that anyone who paid for Paris Hilton’s music album should be put down. Then there’s Rod Stewart’s daughter Kim, let’s ignore the fact that she’s technically an American, whose role as Paris’ side-kick makes her the party scene’s Steve McClaren option. But the smart money is on former OC star Mischa Barton who was born in London and is starring in the new St. Trinians movie. Whoever triumphs, Paris will be a hard act to follow: the Labour deputy leadership contenders have it easy.