Stop running

Running is not a part of my repertoire - nobody with a bosom of even a sliver above the average size would dream of subjecting it to such horrendously jolting treatment - and I am disposed to be suspicious of anyone over the age of 12 who considers it a good way of getting around except in a case of dire emergency. I am therefore a touch dubious about Martin Creed's new work at Tate Britain, which involves runners sprinting through the Duveen Galleries - where such an activity is usually and thankfully...

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The beginning of the end for eco-towns?

It's hard not to applaud those who marched on Parliament today to protest the Government's eco-town policy. Whatever their motivations, they've got quite a case. As I've blogged before, there are several reasons to think that these towns will be neither good for the environment nor helpful for first-time buyers. Which completely defeats their purpose.

The protest could even mark the beginning of end for this risky – and expensive – social experiment. The Tories have today withdrawn their support from it – meaning eco-towns are unlikely to survive the next election. As it stands, Brown may not even have time to put the foundations in place.

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A question of timing

Over at Three Line Whip, Rob Winnett points out that David Cameron really needs to decide what to do about Caroline Spellman before the Haltemprice & Howden by-election. If Spellman is forced out once David Davis has been returned to Parliament, it will be hard for Cameron not to take the opportunity to bring Davis back to the top table.

If Cameron does decide that he needs to ask Spellman for her resignation, then there is a simple mini-reshuffle available to him: move Eric Pickles to party chairman and Paul Goodman...

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And now Davis responds...

Here's the text of David Davis' response to Gordon Brown's letter:

Dear Gordon,

Thank you for your letter of 26 June. This is the second time you have responded to me directly, since my resignation from the House of Commons in protest at your relentless assault on British liberty.

First, you gave a speech on 17 June at the IPPR, a favoured Labour think-tank, hardly an environment that allows for the vigorous and open debate we so sorely need. Now, you insist that any questions I wish to ask on

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Al Qaeda's base

The New York Times’ big splash today on the hunt for Osama bin Laden is well worth reading in full as it deals with the more important question of what Al Qaeda is capable of now.  Here are the two key paragraphs on this point:

Just as it had on the day before 9/11, Al Qaeda now has a band of terrorist camps from which to plan and train for attacks against Western targets, including the United States. Officials say the new camps are smaller than the ones the group used prior

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