Our New Shadow Chancellor

There are a few people who lived at the heart of New Labour for years, and yet remain unaffected by the proverbial shit which clings to Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Balls et al. Let us take Jack Straw: this man is one of only a few who can claim to have been at the Cabinet table for the entire 13 years of New Labour rule. He was a central figure in every major Labour disaster (including Iraq), has been implicated in electoral fraud (some of his campaign officers are serving prison sentences for tampering with voting papers), and has spent over a decade slowly corroding Britain’s civil liberties. Despite all this he has now retired from front line politics smelling of roses. Where is the justice?

Now Alan Johnson may not be quite as bad as Mr Straw, but let us be fair-Mr Johnson has not had the same ministerial opportunities as the old Justice Minister. However, when given his moment to shine Mr Johnson has behaved with all the vindictive, careerist and short-sighted paranoia which defined the New Labour years-does anyone else remember poor Professor Nutt losing his job because he dared to present evidence which challenged Alan Johnson’s view of drugs? But fear not for there may yet be time for Mr Straw to be eclipsed. Alan Johnson MP has been declared Shadow Chancellor. Woe betide you if you happen to disagree with this new power-broker in the Labour regime-you may end up like poor Professor Nutt!