Brown gets two new spin doctors!

How many does Brown need?

The Prime Minister that claimed to want to move past the constant spinning of his predecessor is no longer content to just spend more taxpayers money on spin than Blair, but now has two political spin doctors where Blair managed with just one.

This is perhaps understandable given that Brown is hopeless with presentation, especially giving interviews. The poor bloke needs all the help he can get.

Damian McBride - McPoison to his enemies such as Lord Mandy the Dandy - has been replaced with John Woodcock (ex SpAd for John Hutton at the Department for Business) and Michael Dugher (currently a special adviser for Geoff Hoon at Transport).

The news was broken by Rosa Prince earlier.

Justin Forsyth, who had temporarily filled the void left by McBride who assumed a backroom strategic role, has now also returned to his backroom role in international development.

Andrew Sparrow says exact details of their "job share" have yet to be finalised, but there's going to be an increased emphasis on spinning the regional media.

It will be interesting to see how this works out for the PM. The working relationship between the three will need to work well without egos intruding. How will responsibilities be divided? Who will the media turn to for briefings - both equally? One can easily see how an unhealthy rivalry could develop between Woodcock and Dugher with both wanting to be seen as top dog internally (i.e. with PM) and externally (with the Lobby).

Problems could lie ahead...

42 days is dead

I've just heard that a government whip has let it be known that 42 days is dead. The spin being that the government is only focused on the financial crisis and will not let anything else distract the government from its central mission.

This fits with Nick Robinson's post the other day. The BBC political editor said that the PM has been told that he faces a heavy defeat in the Lords (possibly on Monday) and that it would be political suicide to invoke the Parliament Act. Robinson also wrote: "A clear sign that the game's up came in the reshuffle when two of the ministers most closely involved were moved -Tony McNulty's left the home office to go to DWP and Baroness Ashton is leaving the Lords front bench to replace Peter Mandelson in Brussels. "

It is interesting to see how the government is going to spin its humiliating retreat - PM still believes in 42 days detention without charge but the focus is on the economy.

I'm sorry, this is absolute bullsh*t! Brown has argued that 42 days is vital in our fight against terrorism. I disagree with him but let's take him at his word for the moment. If it's so vital, why is he prepared to let it drop? As for the focus on the economy, can our government not multi-task? What is more important than the security of the British people?

The truth is that Brown knows he can't get the legislation through the Lords and does not have the political authority to use the Parliament Act. The "focusing on the economy" line is a load of crap.

I'm looking forward to the Lords giving Brown and the Labour government a bloody nose on this issue... they deserve it!!!