Fraser Nelson

I was right - Clegg's speech was better with the volume down. He wasn't just copying Cameron's walkabout speech tactics but also his "broken politics" analysis (itself inspired by Obama). Given his role in last week's vote on the EU referendum, it was the height of hypocrisy. He led his party to abstain, thus denying the public the say he promised them in his own manifesto. Actions speak louder than words in politics. He was forced to choose between the people (who want a referendum) and the Westminster system he affects to despise. In that vote, he showed the world where his loyalties lie. He was a key accomplice in perhaps the greatest anti-democratic stitch up for a generation.

When I was at The Scotsman we dreamed about getting the kind of scoop the newspaper has this morning – one that impacts the American presidential race and runs on Drudge all day. It’s by Gerri Peev, political correspondent, who has an eerie knack of drawing candour from people (just ask Tory MP James Gray). Samantha Power (pictured), Barack Obama’s foreign policy adviser, has told Gerri she regards Hillary as a “monster” who is “stooping to anything”. Power has now resigned. This is what McCain can dream about: internecine warfare amongst Democrats. And there may be months to go.

I had so much material left over from my political column this week – looking inside the doors of the revamped Team Brown and the needing-to-be-revamped Team Cameron – that I have posted a longer version online. The gist: Brown has had a Goldman Sachs-style restructuring of No10 and he has hired very good people. He’s recognised his shortcomings, and subcontracted out to people who will not bungle. This contrasts with tales of drift at CCHQ, where – in West Wing terms – there is no Leo McGarry figure making the operation work. Cameron’s ideas are good, his press operation is good. But in terms of retail politics, you have to take this product to market.

Fabian Hamilton kicked off with today’s planted question. Poverty pay in this country has been abolished by the National Minimum Wage, he says, and will Brown increase it and retain his commitment to high employment?  Poverty pay is, of course, alive and well – in those who operate in the booming black market. At least a quarter of a million are paid less than the minimum wage. Anyway, Brown announces it will be £5.73 this October – a 60% rise from the original minimum wage (Brownie alert - that’s a bogus rather than real terms rise using the £3.60 rate of 1999 as a base). We have created 3m jobs, says Brown (no, the economy has created them and 81% of those jobs are accounted for by immigrants). And just 3% of these jobs are minimum wage jobs.

I went along to the launch for Cameron’s Military Covenant Commission, aimed at renewing the obligations that are owed to the military.  It’s a good idea and good box office – we had Falklands veteran Simon Weston and Frederick Forsyth (or “Freddie” as Cameron calls him) up in front of the cameras. Far better than the usual politicians. But Cameron faced the same line of questioning – if the military is his no1 priority, as he said, what will he do about spending?