On the train back to the constituency; it’s been a particularly long, hard week. Seven solid hours in committee on Tuesday, followed by four and a half today, in addition to a particularly demanding, time critical, constituency issue – not to mention the rest of the everyday stuff.
I feel knackered; but at least I can look forward to what the future may bring.
Labour MPs are not so chirpy. I spoke this morning to one of them, still quite a young man, who told me he was giving serious thought to standing down at the next election.
“How would you like it if your party leader was Gordon Brown?” he asked. I thought he was joking, but the look in his eyes told me he wasn’t.
“And, anyway, I’ve been in opposition before,” he added. “I don’t fancy another stint.”
It’s a strange world. He is a pleasant, civilised man whose company I enjoy. He is probably a conscientious constituency MP. But the bottom line is that his presence at Westminster is part of the reason this Government is still in power.
And that is why, despite our good relationship, I want him to go as quickly as possible and be replaced by a Conservative.
