Time to get serious
After Tony Blair’s sofas, spinning machines and guitar have been packed away, how will Gordon Brown redesign Downing Street in his own image? John Kampfner looks ahead to an era of a notably different prime ministerial style
John Kampfner

The man in the iron mask
While the Labour left have pinned their hopes on Gordon Brown’s socialist credentials, the prime minister-in-waiting has a modernising streak that may disappoint them. Michael White tries to predict what lies in store for the country when the chancellor finally takes the reins
Michael White

Gordon goes global
Stephen Twigg looks ahead to an international stage no longer dominated by Tony Blair and George W. Bush, and assesses the shape Gordon Brown’s foreign policy agenda may take
Stephen Twigg

The Oakley Column
Robin Oakley's take on the political scene
Robin Oakley

Voxpop
The trends that polling organisations pick up have a lot to do with the way they conduct interviews and filter opinion, explains Roger Mortimore
Dr Roger Mortimore

Blunkett’s warning shot
Sam Macrory speaks to David Blunkett, who urges the Labour Party to look to the future – and avoid being torn apart by internal feuding
Sam Macrory

Are you thinking what he’s thinking?
Looking on from the backbenches, former Conservative leader Michael Howard tells Edward Davie why he believes time is running out for the government
Edward Davie

Prepare for comeback
Former Liberal leader David Steel tells Sam Macrory why he is returning to speak at conference this year, and says that his party has nothing to fear from a Gordon Brown-led Labour Party
Sam Macrory

From red to green
Fifteen years on from his tenure as President of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev now chairs Green Cross International, an environmental charity based in Switzerland. In an exclusive interview with the Parliamentary Monitor, Gorbachev explained how he believes the threat of climate-change can best be tackled. He was speaking to Sam Macrory
Sam Macrory

Patrolling the parliamentary beat
Sir Philip Mawer has been parliamentary commissioner for standards for over four years. He tells Matt Mercer why he believes the reputation of the House of Commons is on the up
Matt Mercer

Things are still getting better
Labour will continue to take a serious-minded approach to government and take the tough choices that will benefit the many, not the few, writes Hazel Blears
Hazel Blears

No turning back
Sometimes the truth may hurt, but there is no going back on the task to change the entire way that the Conservative Party sees and does things, writes Francis Maude
Francis Maude

Consider the real alternative
Free, fair and green: the Liberal Democrats do have a distinctive policy blend, insists Simon Hughes
Simon Hughes

Winging it?
Life has been far from dull at the home office since John Reid began to rule the roost.Colin Brown gives his take on the latest home secretary’s performance so far
Colin Brown

No place like home
John Reid reports on his first six months as home secretary, and sets out the challenges for turning the Home Office into a 21st century department of state
John Reid

Bars to progress
The government’s fixation with so-called tough media-friendly announcements has clouded the false ‘tough/soft’ divide and sensible reform of the criminal justice system, writes Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg

Double take
Jo Dungey looks at the latest debates on localism and assesses the three parties’ commitment to devolving power
Jo Dungey

Community test
Chris Leslie says that the government must look beyond merely building new homes, but set out a framework for building whole communities that are made to last
Chris Leslie

Power to the people
It is time to axe regional government and give power back to locally elected councils that are accountable to local communities, urges Caroline Spelman
Caroline Spelman

New sap in the roots
It’s time to roll back 20 years of local government mismanagement and centralisation, argues Tom Brake
Tom Brake

Worry lines
So will London’s transport system be up and ready in time to handle the Olympic Games? Dick Murray is far from confident
Dick Murray

Kicking for home
Left on the sidelines at Singapore, and marginalised by the British athletics community, Linford Christie tells Sam Macrory of his hunger to pass on his expertise to the next generation of British sprinters
Sam Macrory

All the fun of the fair
Tessa Jowell says the government will continue to enrich our cultural institutions while preparing for an Olympics to remember
Tessa Jowell

Cool intentions
Labour has failed to deliver on its cultural overhaul of Britain, writes Hugo Swire, who sets an alternative Conservative vision to make the country vibrant once more
Hugo Swire 

Switch’s brew
We all know the benefits of digital television, but there remains a number of unanswered questions behind the government’s decision to switchover, says Don Foster
Don Foster

Beware the tortoise
Lord Moynihan urges the media and the public to look beyond a less than successful summer for British sport, and focus on the long-term goals that are being worked towards
Lord Moynihan

Life in the fast lane
Work is already underway to ensure that the 2012 Olympic Games will leave behind a positive legacy, and Manny Lewis explains how the London Development Agency is playing its part
Manny Lewis

Spent force?
Liam Halligan predicts a stuttering year ahead for the economy, a factor that could yet derail the Labour succession
Liam Halligan

The perfect figures?
The upturn in the economic fortunes of the country has been the success story of this Labour government, writes Stephen Timms, who sets out the priorities for the year ahead
Stephen Timms

Removing the road block
George Osborne sets out the Conservatives’ economic agenda, at the heart of which would lie a Treasury focused on getting value for money for taxpayers
George Osborne

Taxing times
Vince Cable explains why the Liberal Democrats have decided to go back to the drawing board with their tax policies, and outlines the direction that the party is set to take
Vince Cable

Painful delivery
Alan Jones assesses the state of the Royal Mail, and says that sorting out its future remains a far from simple process
Alan Jones

Jigsaw points
The National Private Pension Scheme is an integral part of the government’s plans for pension reform but, reports Phillip Inman, the challenge lies in persuading its target audience that it makes sense
Phillip Inman

Brewing a new Beveridge
This government’s Labour forefathers created social security from ‘cradle to grave’, an ambition that the present administration must seek to emulate, writes John Hutton
John Hutton

The six-month slide
Philip Hammond spots a crucial flaw in the recently published Welfare Reform Bill, and stresses that the overriding imperative must be to intervene early and act decisively
Philip Hammond

Saving faces
The recent white paper is promising, but the debate over pension reform goes far beyond its proposals, argues David Laws
David Laws

Regulating kind of guys
The employment law-loving Labour government may have improved the lot of workers in Britain, but it hasn’t done enough about our intellectual capital, warns James Daley
James Daley

The win-win workplace
The extension of workers’ rights has not dented Britain’s productivity – nor upset employers, writes Jim Fitzpatrick
Jim Fitzpatrick

Mind your own business
This Labour government has a worrying obsession with excessive regulation, writes Alan Duncan, who is far more taken with the economic liberalism favoured by his own party
Alan Duncan

Success built on sand
The inward investment that has been attracted to Britain won’t stay if all we do to address the skills gap is draft grand strategies and create quangos, writes Edward Davey
Edward Davey

An imperfect science
Jack Stilgoe makes the case for politicians to hold a serious discussion about science’s public value beyond economic or expert terms
Dr Jack Stilgoe

Grocer misconduct?
Peter Freeman looks ahead to the Competition Commission’s inquiry into whether the UK grocery market operates on a level playing field
Peter Freeman

Sting in the retail
Andy Love paints a bleak picture of the decline of the nation’s high street, but says there are ways to reverse this deeply worrying trend
Andy Love

Business as usual?
To help build businesses on firm foundations, Carol Undy suggests that bite-sized training would be easier for small firms to swallow
Carol Undy

Uncomfortably numb
It has taken the government nearly a decade to work out that money alone cannot solve the ills of the NHS, but even now its reforms are timid, writes Nigel Hawkes
Nigel Hawkes

A positive prognosis
Don’t believe the hype, warns Patricia Hewitt – the National Health Service is far from in crisis, and continues to change for the better
Patricia Hewitt

Remedial measures
Andrew Lansley is left baffled by the key fault lines in Labour’s health policies, and outlines the strategy that the Conservatives would follow to rectify them
Andrew Lansley

An unstable condition
Money that should have gone into patient care is instead being squandered on pointless NHS reorganisation, says Steve Webb
Steve Webb

Nothing but blue skies
Karen Jochelson is looking forward to the smoking ban becoming effective in England, but believes more can still be done to eradicate this health scourge
Karen Jochelson

Motherhood and apple pie?
Mark Hamilton looks at the proposed new health guidelines for IVF treatment
Dr Mark Hamilton

Follow my leader
The government picks up many of its educational ideas abroad, explains Richard Garner, but there’s no guarantee they will chime with British values and norms
Richard Garner

Safety net gain
Reform of further education could help to address the issue of the many young people who leave education without the skills and qualifications to better their lives, writes Bill Rammell
Bill Rammell

Admissions statement
Instead of endless arguments about fair school-admissions criteria, education policy should focus on improving all the nation’s schools, believes David Willetts
David Willetts

Giving choice a new voice
The Liberal Democrats are all for choice in education, says Sarah Teather –but choice for everyone, not just pushy parents
Sarah Teather

Fluid debate
The total confusion about what does or does not constitute a security threat on board a plane is causing serious aggravation for both airlines and passengers, but the DfT is staying out of the row, writes Barrie Clement
Barrie Clement

Just a little turbulence
British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh tells Edward Davie why he believes some politicians are scapegoating the aviation industry over climate-change
Edward Davie

In for the long haul
Douglas Alexander sets out the government’s plans for improving the nation’s transport system, with the future of the railway network set for a makeover
Douglas Alexander

Reinventing the wheel
A lack of ideas and a series of broken promises from the government has left Britain’s transport network in disarray, writes Chris Grayling, who outlines the ways in which the Tories would make a difference
Chris Grayling

Time for eco-transport
Alistair Carmichael calls on the government to abandon its ‘quick-fix’ approach to transport policy and invest in long-term, sustainable options
Alistair Carmichael

Ports in a storm
Richard Clayton expresses cautious optimism about the state of the British shipping industry, but calls for action to support our ports
Richard Clayton

The cost of living
Fiona Harvey calculates that complacency now on the effects of climate-change will incur massively greater costs in the long term
Fiona Harvey

A pact with the planet
National contracts on CO2 emissions with personal ‘carbon allowances’ could be the way to crack global warming, explains David Miliband
David Miliband

A green money machine
What’s good for the environment can also be good for the economy, explains Peter Ainsworth
Peter Ainsworth

Global warning
The environment is central to the debate about the economy, energy and transport, writes Chris Huhne
Chris Huhne

Nobody’s listening
In foreign policy terms, 2006 has been the government’s worst year yet, saysEwen MacAskill
Ewen MacAskill

Working as one
The way Britain conducts its foreign policy has necessarily evolved, explains Margaret Beckett, who stresses the need for the world community to share responsibilities with one another
Margaret Beckett

Playing it by fear
William Hague attacks the Labour government’s failure to develop a coherent foreign policy, and calls for an end to Tony Blair’s ‘sofa-based’ policymaking
William Hague

Special relationship counselling
Instead of following blindly where the USA leads, Britain should reposition itself at the centre of a new European policy consensus, believes Michael Moore
Michael Moore

Biting the bullet
Paul Beaver examines the possible timescales and repercussions of President Bush’s War on Terror and wonders how best to disentangle British troops from Iraq and Afghanistan
Paul Beaver

Overstretch marks
Liam Fox says the government has a simple but crucial choice to make: increase the resources we devote to defence to match our commitments, or reduce our commitments to match those resources
Liam Fox

Soldiering on
While new technologies must be exploited, the British armed forces are suffering due to a lack of manpower, argues Nick Harvey
Nick Harvey

Damaged goods?
Labour’s grand promises of an ethical foreign policy have been undone by the invasion of Iraq, writes Anne Penketh, who wonders if Tony Blair’s reputation in the field of international development is irreparably damaged
Anne Penketh

Copper-bottomed aid
A new white paper picks up on last year’s G8 pledge of increased aid and debt relief to developing countries which tackle corruption, explains Hilary Benn
Hilary Benn

Underselling Africa
Andrew Mitchell explains why a pan-African trading area for all sub-Saharan African nations could help create a peaceful and prosperous continent
Andrew Mitchell

Time to deliver on the deal
Susan Kramer bemoans the failure to turn the positive rhetoric of last year’s G8 summit into reality, and urges world governments to make progress while the world’s economic climate remains benign
Susan Kramer

Strange bedfellows
Scottish politics have been more than usually fractious in the aftermath of the Tommy Sheridan libel trial, explains James Kirkup
James Kirkup

Schools of thought
Rather than excessive navel-gazing over what Scotland’s place in Britain should be, Scottish Labour will be focusing on education and improving the lives of Scotland’s young people, writes Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell

Letting go of London
The Scottish election looks set to be a two-horse race, says Nicola Sturgeon, with a straight choice between a forward-thinking Scottish government or one eternally tied to the apron strings of Westminster
Nicola Sturgeon

Loosening the left wing grip
Annabel Goldie says it’s time for a political rethink north of the border
Annabel Goldie

Scotland’s seismic shift
The Liberal Democrats can establish themselves as Scotland’s biggest party, says Nicol Stephen
Nicol Stephen

A Scottish spin cycle
David Mundell offers his party’s perspective on the Scottish political scene, and predicts a turbulentlead-up to next year’s parliamentary elections
David Mundell

Banner of the Scots
Experiences in Scotland have shown how much can be achieved when the Liberal Democrats are in power, writes Jo Swinson
Jo Swinson

Brand Wales
The achievements notched up by Wales over the last few years are plentiful, says Rhodri Morgan, with devolution helping to create a nation that delivers
Rhodri Morgan

Save the Wales
Nick Bourne insists that the Conservatives are ready to take on the tough challenges that Welsh people face in their communities, and says his party will not shy away from putting the needs and interests of Wales first
Nick Bourne

Keeping it real
Ieuan Wyn Jones is sick of rehashed ideas from the London Labour government being dumped on the people of Wales, and vows that Plaid Cymru will put the Welsh public first
Ieuan Wyn Jones

Building faith in the future
Deeds as well as words are required from paramilitary groups before the Northern Ireland Executive canre-convene, says Ian Paisley
Dr Ian Paisley

Cruel experiment
If the political parties of Northern Ireland are to throw off the curse of direct rule, they must prove that they are capable of looking after themselves, says Sir Reg Empey
Sir Reg Empey

Eyes on the prize
Mark Durkan calls on the DUP and Sinn Féin to stop trying to milk partisan concessions from the two governments and get on with talking to all parties of Northern Ireland
Mark Durkan

Just say yes
Sinn Féin wants the Executive and the Assembly back in place, writes Martin McGuinness, who challenges the DUP to play their part in the process of change in Northern Ireland
Martin McGuinness

Je Ne Regrette: Walter Wolfgang
Walter Wolfgang is a newly elected member of the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee. The octogenarian refugee from Nazi Germany gained prominence last year when he was manhandled from the party conference for heckling Jack Straw’s speech on UK policy in Iraq. He was speaking to Edward Davie
Edward Davie