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That wasn't very nice of them. Putting you in a box before taking your photo. You don't look that bad surely.

Can I make suggestion for the topic of your first blog in your new home. How about an analysis of why Labour or so utterly pitiful these days and the part Ed Miliband has played in this. Don't be too harsh on Ed though. We want to keep him around until the next election.

jobsagoodin @ 2

Labour was in a massive hole after the general election last May. Broke, knackered, tarred (rather unfairly) with all the blame for the financial crash, a discredited leader and bereft of policies and ideas. If it hadn't been the tribal Labour vote in the north it would have gone below 200 seats.

So a recovery back to over 40% in latest polls and a fairly decent showing in the elections last week - (notwithstanding the performance in Scotland which was mainly down to utter incompetence in the upper reaches of the Scottish Labour Party which must have made Donald Dewar spin in his grave, isn't bad.

It's going to take time.

#2
You are right in a way. At a time when there is so little to chose between the main political parties it will take a defeated party more than one term to rebuild. How many elections did the Tories take until they won or rather 'til Labour lost. The problem is are we talking political parties or just their leaders?

In 1992 I believe that the country saw Labour as a better political party, but voted for Major as the better PM. In 2010 they were not convinced by the Tory policies but just about preferred Cameron. Cameron is playing the 'good guy/ bad guy' double act with Clegg in a way which is going to make hime very difficult to defeat. I don't really rate Ed Milliband, they may have to go through a Balls disaster before they turn to brother David is find some new blood. I think he was glad he wasn't elected Labour leader - it seems to take two or three leaders of the opposition until they get their act together. Of course Clegg might decide to remove the teflon that covers Cameron at the moment.

Never mind the new look - what about the old boys? Why isn't David Laws going to jail?
He wrongly claimed over £40,000 in expenses since 2006 and didn't repay it until he either came out or was forced out when his homosexual relationship was about to appear in the Daily Telegraph in 2010.Ìý
There were also some interestingly creative property house deals with and for his male friend.
Others got jail for less money. Why not him?Ìý
Oh yes, I forgot - he's a friend of Clegg and Cameron, as well as public school and Cambridge. That's all right then.

Don't think the new look is universally loved judging by the comments- still I don't suppose Nick had any more say in it than the rest of us.

Hope we don't completely lose the archive.

nick like phoenix i hope you will rise from the ashes of this thread when you blog

from your new site.