Miliband and Darling rumoured to job swap in cabinet reshuffle

And yet it is difficult to see how young David could bring any gravitas to the economy. As one contemporary of mine said it is difficult to take him seriously after having changed his nappies. He would be better off studying and trying to understand his father's books such as Parliamentary Socialism.

His dad. who was not a model of political activity - his nickname at Leeds University was "Moribund" - at least knew the enemy was the capitalist system, a system which Marx described as one of boom and bust. Brown boasted he had ended this: a boast which will haunt New Labour for the rest of its short life.

Miliband as a potential leader of New Labour does have one strong card. He is a member of the secretive cult of Atlanticists whose often CIA-financed activities have done much to blunt the Labour Party's radical edge.

Banks defend their shareholders

As the Bank of England raised its interest rates during the first six months of this year to "fight" inflation, Britain's biggest banks cut theirs. A really easy way to raise profits and start a recession.

Not so Innocent

My good comrades in Rising Tide have found the producers of the smoothie drink Innocent guilty of greenwash. The company claimed on its website that its drinks were prepared from ingredients transported by ship and rail. In fact the drinks were made up in Holland and transported by lorry.

Green taxes and New Labour lies

Most people in Britain are hostile to any more taxes especially those raised in the name of the environment. The rich escape any serious taxation under New Labour while the rest of us pay through the nose. One example is the flat rate tax on air passengers. The official government Emissions Cost Assessment shows that passengers now pay £100 million more than than the environmental costs of air transport each year. None of the excess has been ploughed back into energy conservation. Instead the money is going to pay for two of the largest aircraft carriers in the world, for which there are no planes.

Fabian Hamilton and 42 days

I am seeking some help in trying to understand the actions of an MP familiar to readers of Under the Umbrella, Fabian Hamilton. In the run-up to the crucial vote on Brown's 42-day detention without charge law Fabian told anyone who would listen that he was going to vote against. This was despite the fact that the Home Secretary had had him in for a chinwag. In fact he went further, saying that Jacqui Smith had never asked him to discuss what the voters of Leeds North East think. He was just harangued. Then a few days before the vote he announced in the Yorkshire Evening Post (YEP) that he had been called in for yet another one-to-one with Ms Smith and now, despite still being against the 42 days, he was inclined to abstain in the cause of New Labour unity. He then voted for the 42 days because of loyalty, according to the YEP, to Gordon Brown. Now some MPs voted in favour because of various deals, one of which was rumoured to involve increased support for Cuba, but what goes on in someone's mind if they think that blind loyalty to Gordon Brown will play with any voters at the next election?

Snippets

Green tip of the week

Many cars have electronic systems which indicate how many miles to the gallon/litre you are doing. However these fluctuate madly. If you set the control to indicate how many miles you have left and then drive carefully you have the satisfaction of watching this mileage and your distance travelled both rise.

Or you could walk, of course.