def create_menuitem(string, stock_id=None):
from gtk import MenuItem, Image, HBox, Label
hbox = HBox(spacing=7)
hbox.set_property("border-width", 2)
if stock_id:
image = Image()
image.set_property("stock", stock_id)
hbox.pack_start(image, False, False, 0)
label = Label(string)
label.set_property("use-underline", True)
hbox.pack_start(label, False, False, 0)
menuitem = MenuItem()
menuitem.add(hbox)
return menuitem
