Three Thousand Versts of Loneliness

A statement from Harriet Harman contains detail of measures through which the Prime Minister intends to give the system of expenses for MPs some running repairs, pending a more thorough renovation. The most striking proposal would scrap the controversial second homes’ allowance and replace it with a simpler overnight allowance linked to attendance at the House of Commons. Which is a sensible and necessary expedient. But, as Pete Baker on Slugger and Jonathan Isaby on ConHome have already noted, it may not apply to Northern Irish MPs. A passage of the statement reads, “H. We will ask the Committee on Standards in Public Life to look at the circumstances applying in Northern Ireland before final application of the flat rate allowance for MPs representing Northern Ireland.” One circumstance, which conspicuously applies in Northern Ireland, is that 5 Members of Parliament, elected by the province’s voters, refuse to take their seats. Sinn Féin’s abstentionism, shamefully, does not p...

Although Michael White is probably right when he insists that Harriet Harman is not positioning herself to make a pre-election Labour leadership bid (as another Guardian blogger suggests this morning), it is a sure sign that Brown’s ‘comeback’ is well and truly over that media speculation about a possible successor is back. David Cameron will want to guard against complacency, but the Conservative Party is likely to form the next UK government irrespective of who leads Labour at the next election. Indeed Labour figures with long term leadership ambitions would be well advised to shelter from the fall out of defeat as best they can, rather than challenging Brown at this juncture. Any speculation, however, will be grist to the Tory mill. As opposed to a galvanised party, steered by the self-styled saviour of the world, it looks increasingly likely that Conservatives will face a divided Labour party in all kinds of disarray.