Year in review: January

A tumultuous year in British politics began with signals of the turmoil and changes that were to come over the following months.

Tony Blair released his final new year's message, urging his party to remain 'New Labour'.

In light of what was to follow in the second half of the year, the former prime minister might look back at the message as advice his successor should have heeded more closely.

"This is the most difficult time for any government," he said. "Nine years into power, mid-term in a third term. Labour has never been in this position before.

"But the Labour Party should take heart. It is dominating the battle of ideas. It will continue to do so provided it continues to be New Labour."

Later in the month, there were signals that the agenda was slipping from Blair's control.

Gordon Brown bounced a reluctant Number 10 into condemning the handling of the execution of Saddam Hussein.

The then chancellor described mobile phone footage showing the former Iraqi dictator being taunted before his death as "deplorable" and "completely unacceptable".

His remarks later prompted Downing Street to break its silence on the subject, saying Blair agreed the hanging "shouldn't have happened in that way".

Later in the month, during his first trip to India, Brown spoke publicly for the first time about the prospect of moving into Number 10.

He spoke of having "the strength of belief and willpower to do what is difficult and right for the long term, even when there are easier short-term options on offer".

And left-winger Jon Cruddas was making waves in the campaign to succeed John Prescott as Labour's deputy leader, insisting that it was activists on the ground and not clever marketing that would deliver the party further election successes.

In government, John Reid was forced to call an urgent meeting with senior police officers and officials after it emerged that details of serious offences committed overseas by UK citizens were ignored by the Home Office.

Reid also called on the courts to send fewer people to prison as the jail population continued to rise. Within months, emergency action would be required - with the early release of thousands of offenders.

The year never really got any better for the troubled Whitehall department, which was later to be broken up.

But 2007 was to get worse before it got better for those caught up in the 'cash-for-honours' inquiry.

January saw the prime minister forced to express confidence in a senior Downing Street adviser who had been arrested.

Director of government relations Ruth Turner was arrested and later released without charge. It would be six more months before she was cleared.

In another sign of what was to come, SNP leader Alex Salmond said his party's war chest for the Scottish parliament elections was on schedule to exceed £1m.

And 2007 began for Sir Menzies Campbell with another forced defence of his leadership of the Liberal Democrats.

"I was elected by the party some nine months ago. In that period I have restored the stability the party required and we are making progress," he said.

But there were signs of hope and promise too. Then Northern Ireland secretary Peter Hain said "there is every prospect" that devolution could be restored in Ulster.

And President Bush began sending a 'surge' of US troops to Iraq in a bid to bring the horrific levels of violence under control.

On a different note, two Conservative peers defected to the UK Independence Party, giving the anti-EU party its first parliamentary representation.

And, in a surprise result, Manchester won the race to house Britain's first 'supercasino' - or at least thought it had.