Johnson announces ID Card u-turn.

Chris Huhne, Lib Dem Home Affairs spokesman, summed it up quite nicely,

"This is another nail in the coffin for the government's illiberal ID cards policy"

So, it looks as though ID cards are slowly being shown the door, asked to sit down and slowly forgotten about.

Make no mistake, removing the compulsory element of these cards signals the death nail for ID cards, with continuous polls revealing their unpopularity - particularly when the cost of the proposal, estimated to be near £100, was factored in.

However, the announcement today is an interesting one for several reasons. Leaving aside the obvious issue of appearing 'tough on terror', Alan Johnson appears to have made a distinctive move towards, pardon the pun, burying the hatchet that the Home Office is a graveyard.

When Johnson was shuffled across in the recent botched reshuffle considered opinion held the view that it was an attempt to 'neutralise' the former Postie. Reports however suggest the u-turn was not at the behest of the Prime Minister, rather a clear and vocal reminder that Mr Johnson remains very much aware for his own political career.

But, like so much of the government's current strategy, what remains crucial is where Mr Mandelson's hands lie.

Election issues starting to emerge...

Following this weeks PMQs (and many others) a clearer picture is beginning to emerge of the impending electoral battle lines.

Despite Ed Ball's incessant bobbing around this week, a Brown election campaign would almost certainly lead with the charge of the Tories being a 10% cut vote. Gordon, and his cabinet, have repeated this at almost every opportunity, seizing upon the very words of the Shadow Health Secretary.

Speaking of troublesome Health Secretaries, Gordon must have been ringing his fingers with the news that Alan 'I'll stop you at any cost' Miburn is to step down.

Back to the election issues though...

Cameron proves slightly more difficult. He has led on various fronts. The charge of landing the country with the highest level of national debt has been tried and seemed to largely appease the core vote. Nothing more though.

Incidentally, the Lib Dems now seem to be picking up on this theme, hoping to attract disaffected Tories as well as Labour voters?

So, considering recent campaign material, it seems more and more likely that Dave's campaign shall focus on one simple idea: Trust. He has repeatedly attacked Gordon at the dispatch box over the issue of capital investment, seeming to suggest that Gordon had misled the house.

Whether these themes can be relayed into the wider consciousness remains to be seen.

However, one fact does stand out. With ministers openly posturing for positions and election bandwagons being proverbially loaded up, an election must surely be in the offing some time soon?

John Bercow is elected speaker.

Update: Well, it appears as though Sir George did rather better than expected. Still beaten by John Bercow though.

Still, I did rather find myself siding with the 'anyone but Beckett' camp, something which became painfully apparent after the second round of voting.

Bercow faces an enormous challenge; that is undeniable. But, for tonight, let the pomp and circumstance continue.

If Beckett is elected it will be a sad day.

Well, we're now in the final furlong to elect a new Speaker of the House.

If, as the Bookies are predicting, Margaret Beckett is elected it shall be sad day for the back-benches and, in my opinion, Parliament at large.

The government lap-dog shall face a crisis in public opinion unprecedented in recent political history. Expect one of the most controversial speakers' elections of modern times. If she can muster the support of more than 50% of the House, then I strongly doubt she'll be the person to drive support through for greater reform.

For my money, I'd personally like to see Alan Haselhurst elected. YouTube him, he seems a sound choice!

Observer: Blair pushed for secret inquiry

The Observer this morning reports that former PM Tony Blair pushed for the much anticipated Iraq War inquiry to be held in private.

The paper alleges that Blair communicated through Sir Gus O Donnell, imploring Brown to keep the inquiry private, something Brown duly ceded to.

If the story is correct it demonstrates two aspects.

Firstly, Brown is now too weak. He fears the Blairite element and worries about angering the 'loyal', so to speak.

Secondly, and this is perhaps more telling, it suggests that Blair feels a degree of nerves not only for himself but for the people who surrounded him during the conflict. Remember, our current Justice, Foreign, Home, Defense and numerous other secretaries were all part of the Blair cabinet. As was our current Prime Minister.

Now why would he be so nervous for their futures?

Beckett now bookies favourite

Depressingly, Political Betting are reporting that Margaret Beckett is now the favourite to assume the title of Madam Speaker.

It comes despite new reports from the Telegraph which, again, reiterates the degree of Beckett et als involvement in the expenses scandal. None of the candidates have been 'whiter than white'.

Still, like last Wednesday, what strikes me amongst the claims is the sheer costs of items claimed. Just where are you buying £1000 worth of plants?

Redacting this week

This week has been another of high politics.

The feeling of lunging from one crisis to another has set not just with the government but with Parliament itself. Domestic politics seemed to cover old ground, u-turns, Iraq and MPs expenses. Foreign Affairs have also demonstrated a high-point in politics, demonstrations in Tehran, new agreements in Ireland on the Lisbon Treaty and even the Grande Dame of French politics, Mrs Chiraq, keeping the husband in line.

The announcement, at the start of this week, of an inquiry into the Iraq War was interesting in several respects. For Gordon's own reputation it was perhaps damaging. It demonstrated he had held no consultation with own, let alone others, party.

The nature of the inquiry, in private and by a Privy Council body, did no favours for the idea of openness and transparency. The later u-turn, agreeing that parts of the inquiry could be held in public, came after a heavy and largely unprecedented measure of criticism from leading former civil servents and former Army high brass itself.

Speaker Martin's final days have also done little for the reputation of MPs. The delicious hypocrocy of Cameron et al praising his abilities seemed at odds with the line taken only a few weeks ago.

Speaking of Speaker Martin, the man effectively in charge of the House, I wondered if he knew of the process of redaction. Most MPs vermentally assert they had no knowledge of the sheer level of black ink that would be applied to receipt and forms themselves. This again seems a contradiction to the idea of openess in Parliament.

However, this proves crucial in understanding the expenses scandal. Aside from police investigating several MPs, the process of redaction demonstrates that MPs have not been able to largely regulate themselves. The House authorities seem, at no point, to have grasped the seriousness of the level of public distrust and anger, and continue to be blistfully unaware.

Turning to Iran, Martin Amos, the author and poet, made an ominous prediction on the BBC's This Week. The strength of force in Tehran plays, he said, a crucial role.

Indeed, the old guard have so far with held back from a full on assault, perhaps cautious of the lessons of the Revolutionary Bodies own history, emerging from the over-throw of a deeply unpopular ruler. In the coming days and weeks, particular after the intervention of the Supreme Leader, it shall be interesting to see how authorites, and protestors, re-act.

The country now risks being very close to completely overthrowing the Islamic system all together or again surpressing the voices of a very considerable proportion.

Who knows what next week could only hold...