The new year...

Well I'm back from my Xmas/New Year break, sorry for the lack of articles during this period.

So we have a new year with some interesting things shaping up. There's the report from the Hutton inquiry, Labour splits over tuition fees, the civil contingencies bill (which would allow the govt to give itself dictatorial powers in the event of an emergency), the promise of Libya to get rid of its WMDs, the US presidential elections, and much else to make this an interesting year for those who follow politics and world events.

I fully expect the govt's attacks on civil liberties to continue (e.g. the civil contingencies bill which will allow legislation by decree), but I think British politics has undergone quite a change over the last year. The Blair govt is no longer teflon coated and Blair's credibility has been damaged. However it is yet to be seen if the opposition can exploit the opportunities presented. I think for the moment that developments in the Labour party and its relationship to the govt will be more important than anything the Tories do.