GAZA CEASEFIRE

The world seems a better place this morning following the news that Israel has unilaterally declared a ceasefire in Gaza and David Miliband is , like the rest of us, welcoming the news which has followed three weeks of intense pressure from millions of ordinary people aghast at the conflict, which has seen the deaths of over 1000 people. Miliband said a couple of days ago that he regretted the "war on terror." It's rather a shame that politicians only come to their senses after thousands have needlessly died in the process.

MILBURN AND MILIBAND

It's nice to know that Alan Milburn is going to be the new Chancellor in a Miliband Government. Would be nice, n'est ce pas, if Labour Party members were consulted about these arrangements.
Sadly for the two ultra right-wingers it's down to the grassroots members and trade unions who would be elected in a leadership contest. I suggest you all support the Calder Valley leadership change at Labour Party Conference - cutting the threshold from 12.5 per cent to 7 percent of the PLP in the advent of a contest - which gives us all a say. How dare these apparatchiks and wonks tell us which direction the Labour Party is going to take.

CLARE SHORT IS RIGHT ABOUT MILIBAND

Clare Short has made lots of mistakes in her time - not least not resigning over Iraq. And she was utterly wrong to abandon the Labour whip. Nevertheless, she makes some very salient points re Miliband in today's Independent. She shares my ( widely held) view that Gordon Brown's biggest mistake was not shifting left and sticking with the Blairite agenda. And that Miliband, far from being the answer to anyone's electoral prayers, would be an unmitigated disaster.


http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/clare-short-how-can-miliband-be-the-answer-to-labours-ills-885219.html

MILIBAND REWARDED - BENN LOSES JOB

First news trickling in for Brown's cabinet. Miliband Major is to be Foreign Secretary. Fair reward for not standing against Brown but is he really up to it? Would not have thought he had the gravitas but we'll see.
Doesn't exactly gladden the heart and actually feel bit sorry for Margaret Beckett - however she should have stood up a bit more for her anti-Trident principles because the outcome would have been the same ie the sack. And Douglas Alexander gets Hilary Benn's job, which doesn't bode particularly well for the Deputy Leadership candidate. Hewitt has already resigned so looks as though this cabinet will be more or less alpha male only. Daresay Yvette Cooper and Dawn Primarolo will get something but that, as Blair (missing him already) said yesterday, is probably that. Harman's been shunted aside and will be v surprised if Blears gets a look-in. Frankly, feel utterly disengaged. Brown's Labour is going to be even further removed from Real Labour. So probably best to numb the senses.
PS: Talking of which last night shared the champagne had got in store for Blair's departure. It tasted pretty flat.