Last night was a poor result. 

Labour has a proud tradition in Eurovision. Since the start of the competition in 1956, every Labour Prime Minister has overseen a British winner (Harold Wilson did it twice).

Winning Eurovision in 1997 was the icing on the cake following Blair’s first election victory.

Gordon Brown must deliver a win if he is to be taken seriously as a Labour Prime Minister.

 

The government broke its own law and published new ID card costings a month late, entirely by chance on the day that the news focused on Tony's departure. 

The scheme will now cost us at least £400m more than was estimated six months ago.  And that's if you believe government figures.

Where do the candidates stand on ID cards?

Am I late on the uptake?  I've just come across LabourSpace.

It's apparently a way for the Party to engage with 'ordinary' people about things they're passionate about.  

I have to say that there has been little, if any publicity.  Anyone got any views/experiences of the thing?

There's not much to cheer about in Jack Straw's White Paper on Lords reform.  But there is a promise to consult on a new name for the upper chamber.  I'm sure we can offer some suggestions!

There is a worrying tendency on the right to view climate change as some kind of Big Government conspiracy. I think there is a real danger that any future Tory government would not take the issue seriously. That could be catastrophic.

A light-hearted Friday quiz for budding Home Secretaries everywhere:

http://bread-and-circuses.net/?p=75

Apparently, Tony Blair has "not yet decided" on whether to give an opt-out on the proposed law to ban discrimination against lesbians and gay men.  Let me offer some help.

My Labour membership is up for renewal.  Three reasons, please, why I should rejoin for another year.

Prompted by the inevitable rash of end-of-year lists and polls, I thought I'd try one for political hacks.

At the risk of kicking the whole party funding debate off once again, I have further considered the issue of opting in or out of the trade union political levy.

Matthew Taylor has the wrong end of the stick.   Political activity and engagement on the internet is a response to a crisis in politics, not its cause.  

Alan Johnson is floating the idea of raising the school leaving age to 18. A good example of creative, progressive thinking from the Government.

The resignation of Donald Rumsfeld is something that will affect many of you.  Don't suffer in silence.

The Poll Tax was hated, the Millennium Dome an expensive white elephant.  ID cards will be both.

If there's one lesson we should learn from the Iraq inquiry debate, it's that we need to reinvigorate the country's democratic processes.
 

Closing a hospital is like drowning a kitten - it's just not something that the public are ever going to thank you for.  But is it sufficient reason alone to stand for Parliament?  Is it a helpful way of rallying support for a worthy cause, or does it distort the `market' in favour of those who are most eloquent and well-organised enough to run a campaign?  And is this sort of single issue politics good for the political health of the nation?

The Daily Mirror has got hold of what appears to be a leaked memo from Number Ten, outlining plans for Tony Blair's `retirement'.  

There has been an interesting irony to the news this week regarding air travel.

ID cards will be in the next manifesto, so said Tony Blair yesterday.  But does anyone have any confidence in the scheme, or know what it's really for?  And why does the Party appear to have rolled-over and accepted it?