Can Labour get the agenda back to the economy?

After four frenetic days when the headlines and bulletins have been dominated by the MP expenses affair there’s been an apology by Gordon Brown.

His precise words as quoted by SkyNews were: “We also, as politicians have a responsibility to show that people who enter our profession are there to serve the public interest and not their own..”I want to apologise on behalf of politicians on behalf of all parties, for what has happened in the last few days.”

I don’t know whether this was intentional or not but the word-smiths will notice that his apology relates to “..what has happened in the last few days.” Perhaps it should also have included something on the way MPs appear to have used a system which look to the outside world as though they are feathering their own nests.

Still this is a step forward and could help ministers move on.

I’m now off to London and the Palace of Westminster for a reception. My train stops at Luton Airport Parkway from where (for the information of MPs) it is only 20 minutes into London. In First Class you get free coffee, mineral water, a newspaper and free wine in the evening.

Mike Smithson