Who planted the Blair to retire story? Blair[ites] would be wary of casting Tony as a lame duck. Brownies seem to be happy that their man will get the job – a job he certainly does not want to get until after the Tories install their new leader – Brown can then be the fresh face.

After Cherie’s recent anti-Tony, pro-civil liberties speech, it couldn’t be a bit of a domestic could it… ?