Steve Richards

The political year ends with a sequel. Labour leaders, trade unionists and party members gather at Warwick university for what is billed as Warwick Two. The original version took place at the same location shortly before the last election. Like many sequels the outlines of the narrative for Warwick Two are precisely the same as the original. In essence here is the familiar story being played out for a second time. Desperate for cash, the Labour leadership needs the unions’ money. In return for their cash, the unions want policies that benefit their members. Thank you and good night. Of course the actual story is far more complex and multi-layered. Some important and worthwhile reforms were implemented as a result of the first gathering in Warwick.

Gordon Brown’s first anniversary in Number 10 Downing Street is passing in the usual whirl of Prime Ministerial hyperactivity. It would have been out of character for Mr Brown to raise a glass if the year had been an unambiguous triumph, but even a more fun-loving leader would balk at toasting the last 12 months. Instead the event is marked by an eruption of articles and television programmes seeking to analyse what has gone wrong. Mr Brown will not have liked any of them. A less commonly asked question in the media’s volcanic eruption is what, if anything, the Prime Minister can do to change the situation in his second year at the helm. Are there actions he can take which might make his next anniversary in Downing Street a little more upbeat than the first?