three questions regarding the New Labour experiment, In 1994 we were so desparate for power we appointed someone who didn't even like our party to lead us,
I consider myself and would sooner go down fighting for us than go down and let the tories in, but it seems were ditancing our core vote 

The imminent departure of Gordon Brown (does anyone now doubt it?) marks the end of the Blair era of Labour politics and will give the chance we need to learn and move on.

Fancy a game of tennis with Tony or lunch with Sir Alex?  Help nice Mr Brown beat nasty Mr Cameron at the next General Election by bidding on some money can't buy lots.

A poll in today’s Telegraph suggests 65 per cent of the electorate supports an extension of pre-trial detention for terrorist suspects to 42 days. The only surprising thing about that figure is how low it is.

I spoke to a Tory frontbencher last week, who effectively admitted that in government his party would be far more likely to support this kind of measure, on the basis that a government’s first duty is protection of the country’s citizens, whereas the duty of the opposition… isn’t, really. Pretty shameful attitude. Labour, in the years BT*, voted regularly against the annual renewal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Only under Tony did we come to our senses and realise that only parties which take security seriously in opposition can be trusted with government.

The same is true today. The 42 days clause should be supported, not because it’s popular (though it is) but because it will help protect people. If the Tories understand this but oppose it for party political reasons, then they are not fit to govern.

*Before Tony

Visit Tom's blog (if you can stomach it).

Tribune has been following the Labour Party refinancing saga closely - seemingly the only good source of info for ordinary members on how the £21 million debt, largely from the 2005 election campaign, will be handled. The saga moves on another notch today.

Tribune today has a dramatic article about Labour Party attempts to reschedule up to £14 million of loans, and that NEC members could be personally liable for the debts if legal action is taken. Apparently a last resort of converting the party into a limited company is being considered by some, to protect the NEC members from liability!

I'm currently reading Alistair Campbell's diaries (a Christmas present) and enjoying them rather more than some of the reviewers.  But re-living the Clause IV debate (and getting an inside view of the 'other side') has raised some very important questions for me.  Does the nature of leadership in modern British politics make party democracy impossible?

Tribune's George Osgerby speculates on what the outcome would have been if the famous dinner at the Islington restaurant had turned out differently

Ever wanted a glimpse of a PLP meeting? A short video of Tony's final PLP ovation is available on myspace courtesy of former Whip Ian Cawsey. Also Cawsey's last Whip's breakfast meeting, and a peek into the Whip's office. Also a bit from Tony's leaving do in Westminster Hall.

You couldn't make it up could you? It has been revealed that Tory candidate for the Ealing Southall by-election, Tony Lit, donated £4800 to the Labour party last month at a Labour fundraising dinner where he happened to be pictured with a smiley Tony Blair! Gordon really is doing well - even the Tories are supporting us these days! Another cock-up by Team Cameron. Unlucky Dave!

For those Blair fans among you, he's set up a new website to keep track of his post-Downing Street activities:

www.tonyblairoffice.org

On the day the annual G8 summit begins, International development policy specialist, Chichi Umunna, looks at the challenges ahead and, more importantly, what the summit will achieve.

Is it hypocritical to support one military action and not the other? I'm actually not sure. I'm not old enough to remember UK going into Kosovo, but I think I would have been for military intervention in the Balkans. There are some who are always against these interventions, people like Tony Benn etc. There are also conservitives like Malcolm Rifkind who was against intervention in Kosovo and Iraq. There are others who shared the views of Robin Cook, for the first war, not the other. Another Hitchenesque school of thought is always confusing, defining missiling Sudan as a war crime, but, defending the intervention of Iraq. I was against intervention in Iraq from the start. Does it make me hypocritical? I think on the basis that Milosovic was threatning other countries and ethnic blocs. But I didn't believe Iraq was threatning other countries, the failiure to get a second UN resoloution, the faulty intelligance etc. were the reasons for my opposition. Hussein was obviously lots of things which I won't choose to say on a Sunday morning. If the 'Blairesque' school of thought is to be believed, then we would also have to intervene in Belarus, Burma, Zimbabwe, China, North Korea, Sudan, Venezuela, Cuba, Iran and many other countries. And I'm sure, that many bloggers would like to see intervention in some of these countries, but not others.

As I write this piece, I am sitting on a balcony looking out over Ramallah, in Palestine.