Peter Hoskin

As James wrote yesterday, Stephen Carter's alleged slide down the pecking order at No.10 suggests that his softly-softly approach to tackling Davids Miliband and Cameron has been thrown out the window.  The assumption now is that the Brownite attack dogs will be let off the leash, and we'll start seeing some bare-knuckle politics from Team Brown. One question doing the rounds, then, is whether that (potential) new approach will help Labour eat into the Tory poll lead.  I'm inclined to agree with Political Betting's Mike Smithson that it will do nothing ot the sort.  Two simple, interrelated reasons spring to mind: 1) There's plenty of evidence to suggest that David Cameron is extremely popular with the general public.

There's a comment piece by Gordon Brown in today's Observer, and one by David Miliband in the Mail on Sunday.  The subject of both? Russia and the Georgian crisis. Our Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary's words on the matter are familiar by now - all about how Russian aggression is "unacceptable" and how they must recognise Georgian "territorial integrity".  But there's still little sign that this message will be backed up by substantive action, of any sort. In which case, it's difficult not to read the articles from the perspective of a Kremlinoglogist.  Two comment pieces, on the same topic, by two senior ministers, in one day?

Has Alistair Darling just earned himself the chop?  In an interview with the Guardian this morning, he claims that the current economic downturn could be the worst we've faced for over 60 years, and that voters are "pissed off" with the Government. Frank admissions both.  But - as they depart completely from Gordon Brown's alleged belief that the economic storm clouds will start dispersing in a couple of months - No.10 may read them personal affront to the Prime Minister, and another supposed sign that the Chancellor is a dangerous livewire who needs to be dealt with in the forthcoming reshuffle. On that front, Darling says that there are "lots of people who'd like to do my job".  Problem is for No.

Ok, so Tesco's announcement that they're dropping plans to construct an eco-town at Hanley Grange, Cambridgeshire, was couched in diplomatic terms ("We think the proposal had very good prospects of succeeding under the government's Eco Town initiative", they said). But it's hard not to regard their actions as a sign that confidence in eco-towns is dwindling. After all, as this Government's stock falls, and as further questions about the towns' "green" credentials emerge, it's no longer good PR - or good business - to back the scheme. The Tories recognised that back in June, when they also withdrew their support from it.  Of course, it's all a pretty hefty blow for Brown - who might have hoped the eco-towns would be a lasting legacy, however misguided.