Tonight:
8°c
Gordon Brown was hit by a fierce backlash today over the prospect of promoting Ed Balls to be the new Chancellor.
Senior Blairites warned that it would be “divisive” and make the Cabinet “unbalanced”. Their response threatened to derail the sweeping reshuffle to be held after this week's local and European elections.
With Alistair Darling looking doomed from the expenses scandal, MPs are convinced that the Prime Minister intends to replace him with the Children's Secretary.
Mr Brown has for several weeks been rumoured to want his protégé to take over the Treasury, seeing him as a more strategic and combative Chancellor.
One possibility is that it would be combined with promotion for Lord Mandelson to the Foreign Office, to be presented as a balanced set of promotions.
But both ministers and backbenchers warned him against giving the Treasury to one of his closest and most controversial allies, saying it would be a retreat from his original promise to have a big tent government.
One former minister said: “Gordon obviously rates Ed Balls highly but he must be careful that he does not leave the Cabinet unbalanced. That could be the effect if Ed ran the Treasury in the same way that he behaved when he was there as Gordon's special adviser.”
Another MP said: “He would be a very unpopular choice. It would look like the Brown camp getting narrower and more powerful at the same time.” Mr Brown is known to be planning a bold reshuffle that will see a string of figures caught up in the sleaze scandals leave their posts.
The Children's Secretary is his closest ally but is regarded with horror by Blairites who accuse him of briefing against them during the long battle for power between Mr Brown and Tony Blair.
Mr Balls one derided Mr Blair as “chairman” to Mr Brown's chief executive role. He was also close to disgraced No 10 aide Damian McBride and has been accused of amassing huge influence at Downing Street behind the scenes.
“If Gordon appoints Ed Balls as Chancellor then that's an absolutely terminal act,” one ex-minister told the Times. “All hell will break loose.”
A senior former minster told the Standard that Mr Balls would represent a Brownite “tribalism”, adding: “It would indicate a preference from the Prime Minister for a tribalism and his style of doing things rather than listening to the views of the wider party.
“He is part of a group around Brown who have been intolerant of others, who have only been too ready to take divisive action to pursue their objectives. I personally don't see him as a successful Chancellor who would bring people together.”
The Prime Minister is hoping to mirror the success of his first reshuffle, last October, when his decision to bring back former enemy Lord Mandelson snuffed out a Blairite rebellion and strengthened his position.
Among the expected demotions are expected to be Mr Darling and Communities Secretary Hazel Blears. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has already told Mr Brown privately that she will stand down. Former transport minister Stephen Ladyman said “I would personally prefer to stick with Alistair. It would be better for the country to leave him where he is. He is a steady pair of hands.”
With disastrous defeats looming in the elections, backbenchers are talking about putting up a stalking horse challenger for the leadership.
The expenses scandal continued to damage the Government and opposition parties today. Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon was the latest to admit he admitted he “accidentally” overclaimed and said he would pay back £384. Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman admitted at a meeting of the parliamentary party last night that Labour's position was now “even more difficult” than ever before.
No 10 and Treasury sources denied that Mr Brown had already decided to move Mr Darling out of the Treasury. But the Prime Minister was said to have told a friend he feared the Chancellor was facing death “by a thousand cuts” because of the expenses scrutiny.
Last night Mr Darling gave the impression he was braced for a departure when he “unreservedly apologised” for unwittingly overclaiming money.
Reader views (75)
What the hell is wrong with these people?
And they are just people. The people who WE as a nation are led by. Liars, thieves, scoundrels and perverts.
Honestly, even watching from a totally inexperienced viewpoint, I can see that this government is living on a different planet. They are either oblivious, in which case they are unfit for leadership and should be removed, or they are all too aware of their nonviable political and social status, which denotes a certain malevolence and maliciousness, in which case they should be FORCIBLY removed from power. They have finally been brought glaringly into the public domain. While the entirety of the country, including much of the wealthier elite, have been scrimping and saving, terrified of losing everything they have worked so hard for, fighting with their families and drinking too much in an effort to deal with the state of economy, brought about solely by the machinations of this government, they have reaped rich rewards, and as such should be burnt for it.
Lord Mandelson, that preening, creeping, oozing man.
Gordon Brown. What can I say? Total, utter, national destruction. A monumental fool.
Jacqui Smith. Get out, you poor woman.
Harriet Harman. You could not be more obnoxious to a public which was already wary.
Hazel Blears. Yet another disgusting example why Gordon Brown is a terrible judge of character.
Margaret Beckett. Point your nose any higher, and you will be socially guillotined. Disgraceful behavior on television.
- Iskander, University of London
!NURSE!
- Alex., brighton
Brown is still the best man for the Job across all the political parties we dont need talkers but the person that will take responsiblity.
- Ben, uk
Kovich, London
Dream on matey. Have you ever thought of writing a fiction column for Woman's Own?
- Tom W, London
Bad move by Brown. Balls is unpopular, devisive and is essentially a political spiv. After making guests paid for his and Yvette's wedding by adding a sur-charge on their hotel bill, the British people better take cover fast.
- Tom, St. Albans
Now let me get this right, Alistair Darling gets the Heave-Ho for a few hundred quid, and is replaced by the Premium League sponger Ed Balls, who with his significant other Yvette Cooper, has be claiming a double helping of allowance. Well it sounds like putting out a fire with petrol to me. But in this culture of Rewarding Failure it comes as no suprise that Brown should give Ed Boils such a plum job.
- Jeremiah, London
The more the Conservatives spread alarm about Ed Balls the more I am convinced they fear his presence in No.11. He is much admired in the city, his economic and political acumen is second to none, and he will run rings round Boy George.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain
Kovich comments that Brown is a master tactician. Where does he get that from?an on off election when he was appointed PM . Ghurka indifference! Appointments like Jaqui Smith. Behind the game on action on MP,s expenses.U Tube , desperate appearances everwhere to enhance his position etc etc. As to his gulling most of the Public regarding his Financial competance he,s been found out >It was all smoke and mirrors. And now Ed Balls as Chancellor No Kovac you are in fantasy land.
Peter
Spain
- Peter French, Orihuela Costa Spain
Good - the appointment of the appropriately-named Balls as Chancellor will bring the fatal blow to NuLabour.
Watch out for imminent treasonous moves to adopt the €uro (read rEUble) without the promised referendum (no surprise, there, then). They'll spin it as being necessary for our economy (which they deliberately trashed) and for harmonisation across Europe.
Sack them all from the Rotten Parliament and give us a General Election ... NOW.
- Lickyalips, Richmond, Surrey
Kovich.It wasn't Brown that convinced the electorate he was a brilliant Chancellor, it was Blair. The fact is he can't convince people on anything and never could. That's why he's in the mess he's in.
- Sean, London
"Ed Balls reminds me of the late Jade Goody". With the exception that Goody was relatively harmless. Balls can if he becomes Chancellor cause damage on a massive scale. The only similarity I wish they shared was the dead part
- Pete, Leigh on Sea
"It makes you wonder what sort of people inhabit that part of Yorkshire" Nick Holland, glasgow.
Staunch Labour voters. Normanton's been Labour the longest of any constituency in the UK. Both Cooper and Balls have been parachuted into neighbouring seats to which neither of them have the faintest previous association by basically dangling peerages and quango seats to the present incumbents. Neither of them have done anything much except been apparatchiks their entire working lives.
It's really about time we started to select real people with real life experience to truly represent us in office rather than long-term friends of the party seeking the next rung.
Would it be a bad idea to have doctors running the NHS, headteachers running the schools, scientists allocating research budgets, IT guys managing the IT projects and so on rather than some party drone with a degree in economics, a masters in doublespeak and precisely no experience of doing deals and managing people and budgets in the real world.. y'know.. the one that makes a real everyday difference to the quality of our lives.
- Tobe, London, London, UK.
Deck-chairs and Titanic spring to mind.
- Dee Jay, Fleet Hampshire
Dont forget the flip flops Dee jay
- Ge, The free people of Kernow
We don't care what other members or ex ministers think anymor.
Shuffling toadies around is the game and it has no sense.
- Gordon, mexico, mexico
How many houses and flats does Mr. Balls own?
Philip M
- Philip, moscow rf
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe/Lancaster
Reuben mate, what's your address? I am going to send you a new keyboard.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Is there a more smug self satisfied looking couple anywhere in the UK ?"
This is rich coming from such a modest man as Richard the Lionheart, in the proud city of Division 3 football
- Keith Price, Luton, England
Everyone underestimates Brown for two reasons: he is a masterful political tactician and he has an ability to define the narrative about him. Looking at the latter: he persudaded us that he was the greatest Chancellor ever and he is in the process of persuading us that only he can get us out of the economic mess of the credit crunch and the polictical mess of the expenses. Looking at the former, his cabinet reshuffle last time was heralded a great success and it will be again this time: when it comes to managing Labour party politics Gordon knows a lot more about that than us! Whatever the election results Brown will definitely survive this week and will lead the party into the next election. If he loses the election he will be back in four years as the Conservatives will get the blame for the hyperinflation that Labour's policies will create in the next few years.
- Kovich, London
Deck-chairs and Titanic spring to mind.
- Dee Jay, Fleet Hampshire
Look at his smug chubby little face. He looks like Hitler's fat elder brother. The only reshuffle that the country wants and needs is an election to clear out this useless government before it does any mroe damage.
- Bruce, London
Bring it on! It may just do the trick and spark a leadership contest within labour. Labour MPs no longer have anything to fear from Brown. He is dead in the water and as he will be departing soon, one way or the other, he no longer has any influence over the long term careers of his party`s MPs.
I know if I were a Labour MP, occupying a marginal constituency, I would want to get rid of the biggest impediment to my possible re-election i.e. Gordon Brown.
Labour MPs have nothing to lose and I am sure there are many with old scores to settle.
Watch your back Gordon - me thinks you are going to get your comeupance after Thursday.
- B Gare, Norfolk Gorleston
For some appreciable time it has been my belief that Premier Brown wanted to get his beloved Ed Balls into No.11 regardless of the economic state of the nation or the intended's (questionable) ability.
We are seeing the excrutiatingly slow death of a government and in particular its Leader, who having waited in the wings for power for so long is now so desperate to cling to power, regardless of the damage it will do to the country. It is like a wounded animal which should be put down to save it from further pain and in so doing rid us of our own pain watching its death throes. It is a beast that has ceased to be able to function.
The reality is, though, that come this Friday morning, Premier Brown will adopt the mantle of Wilkins Micawber and hope something will turn up between now and next May.
Gordon Brown, please, for the love of God, for the good of the country go, and go now.
- Steven Dale, London, England
Beatriz, London Do not forget alias Smith and Brown are firing blanks within the cabinet. At least Balls would be a dream for cartoonists and headline writers. We might as well chortle at the chimp's expense claims while they hang on for their final year of parties and plunder. Change always starts at the top and that job is clearly ours the people to remove this mad dictator.
John Keating is correct they should find real jobs not just Mr and Mrs Balls but ALL OF THEM
- Gary, brentwood
Come on you people down at the Telegraph. You must have something bigger and better on the Balls duo. Saving the best till last maybe? Make our day. Make it a good one.
- Jilly, London
Promote Mandy? - The last deal rattle of a negligent and failing government . Well done Tony - Still a saint and never a sinner. By the way - just for clafification of sainthood - can we see your expenses claims?
- Terry, Hennebont France
Without being party politic, I feel that all major politicians generally sinmply haven't understood how annoyed people are. Bringing Balls into replace Darling will make no difference whatsoever. If Brown really wants to improve his image he would ;
1. Call for an Autumn General Election
2. Publish all MPs expenses for that last 10 years
3. Punish all those who have been abusing the expenses system. (It's not good enough to say that 'it didn't break the rules'. We rely on our political reps to know the difference between right and wrong).
I doubt any of the above three points will be adhered to, which means that our politics will be further devalued which leaves the whole system open to abuse and extremists.
- Coys Switz, switzerland
Ed Balls reminds me of the late Jade Goody. True, he is already married, but he just wants to land his dream job before he expires, even if it is for ever so short a time. Surely it would be simply churlish of the Prime Minister not to fix it for him.
- Bloke, London
HA HA HA HA HA
SHUT THAT DOOR
- J Durnford, plymouth
Comments suggesting that there will be fewer Labour MPs after an election are spot on .....but wit & see the dross who will be promoted via Brown's "lavender list"to the House of Lords.I fear the "no promotion for failure"mantra will be forgotten by the Presbyterian ex PM
- P Doff, audierne france
Ahh, Keith Price, I haven't stumbled across you since the good old Scrum V message board days. Good to see you are still haplessly trolling.
But if you really believe that Balls is best for us a Chancellor, then you fall into the same category as the Dear Leader himself; seriously deluded.
- Bigmacsub, Ether, UK
Why haven't they resigned yet over their gargantuan claims?
- Wen, Oxfordshire
Is there a more smug self satisfied looking couple anywhere in the UK? One can almost see the swill dripping from their snouts after a good go in the trough....
- Richard The Lion Heart, City of Leeds and proud of it
Martin, Clerkenwell
Join the debate or don't bother ! or are you Val in disguise !
- William, London
Blair always realised that Brown would be a disaster as PM. He has major personality problems which need some sort of therapy, but not including occupying 10 Downing Street.
- Mikes, London
Can someone please tell Gordon that he has an alternative choice for the position of Chancellor - Keith Price of Luton. He must be a platinum member of the Gordon Brown fan club! Bring on Keith! Keith, Keith, Keith!
- Artfuldodger128, London
Nick from Glasgow. You must be joking if you're having a pop at people from Yorkshire. We may have given the world Yvette Cooper and John Prescott, though we didn't give it Fred the Shred, Gordon Brown, Alistair Darling and Tony Bliar. That joy falls on your corner of the UK , so please pipe down. Bring on independence for England.
- Da, london
It is a lovely hot sunny day in London!
I BET IT IS EVEN HOTTER IN 10 DOWNING STREET - GORMLESS BROWN MUST BE BREATHING HOTTER AIR BY THE SECOND.
WHAT A GAGGLE OF FIDDLING INCOMPETENTS WE HAVE IN POWER IN THE UK.
JOE PUBLIC NEEDS A GENERAL ELECTION NOW.
BROWN IS A POLITICAL MONSTER WHO DOES NOT GIVE A HOOT ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE.
EVERY DOG HAS ITS DAY.
WHERE ARE THE POLICE?
WHERE ARE THE HANDCUFFS?
ONE LAW FOR JOE PUBLIC AND A DIFFERENT LAW FOR MP's.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe/Lancaster
Balls and his wife need to get out from under the labour misfits and crooks and find a job where they have to do real work. Only then will they understand how people feel about their huge expense double claims. They are pretty useless at their ministerial jobs, and Balls has made a complete balls of his 'childrens' minister. Look at the SATS and exams shambles, Which he seems to think is all OK!!! 'Nother planet loons, both of them.
- John Keating, romsey hampshire uk
Nothing more lame than combating with a Spanish troll.
Take KP nut and ask yourself one question What right minded free thinking person whom is not related to an mp could be so nutty to say what he has? Labour have stolen from us, spent all our money, lied and ignored our every wish, then beat us up in a kettle when we protested. They are doomed I tell ya
- Ge, The free people of Kernow
Ed Balls must be one of the most disliked members of the cabinet, so... let Gordon re-arrange his chairs. The more he surrounds himself with unpleasant people, the smaller his chances of getting anybody to vote Labour.
- Beatriz, London
Yet another deckchairs on the Titanic move by Brown. Nothing is going to save him and his government from an inglorious exit at the next election. If he wants to salvage one sliver of credibility, he should do the decent thing and announce the date of the next election now.
The longer he holds on to power, the more he will lose his party votes and seats.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland
The country is heading for the 'Doomsday scenario' where they are being dictated to by 'head boy' Balls and his horrible little wife the 'head girl' Yvette. It makes you wonder what sort of people inhabit that part of Yorkshire when they elect these two prize Lower 4th idiots. It must be a part of the country that is growing cannabis for a living !!!
- Nick Holland, glasgow
To replace one Nu Liebor criminal with another piece of Stalinist garbage will not change anything at all.
BROON OOT!
- Weddigen, London SW3
Balls by name and balls by nature !
- Brian Hughes, Llandudno. North Wales. U.K.
What is Balls good for? Deregulating the banks and removing all controls on the financial sector which lead to the biggest economic crisis in history. What else is he good for? Oh, yes, nearly forgot - getting into bed with that odious toad who sent nasty poisonous lying emails about people he doesn't like to various media groups, and claiming all sorts of allowances and expenses, and, in particular, becoming the master of "flipping" his homes to maximise the increase in their value while avoiding actually paying tax on any of them.
A brilliant choice of Chancellor, then.
- Kate, London
Vive le revolution Comrade Price.
- Scotty, london
I love all these comments asking for Val from Spain to write in...It just creates this image in my mind of a bunch of people just wanting an argument everyday as some sort of therapy...
Keep it up Val you are obviously helping a lot of people....
- Martin_Clerkenwell, london
Keith Price have you just arrived from another planet. Balls has made a mess of education. Him and his wife have been fiddling expenses. At best he is an incompetent idot who has never had a real job in his life, which speaks for the whole Labour cabinet. He will only be in the job for a few months before he collects his P45, but that is still long enough for him to wreck an already wrecked economy
- Trevn, Abu Dhabi
i cant imagine anyone worse! replace a totally inept, greedy, expense swindling chancellor with another of exactly the same pedigree. What a total waste of time (and money, think of the stationary costs!?)
Brown needs to think outside the NULab circle. What we need now is a chancellor who actually knows and understands economics. Someone that doesnt have to pay someone else to sort out tax reciepts. A cross party agreement maybe? pop Vince Cable in there? Im no fan of the Lib Dems but he at least appears to know what hes talking about and hasnt been embroiled in all this expenses rubbish. Brown and Mandy are sticking together, both unelected, both totally inept, both need to go!
- Alanj, London
The mere act of considering Balls for the post of Chancellor, demonstrates the extent to which Brown has not only gone off the rails, but is also scraping the bottom of the barrel. Not only has Balls been an abysmal failure on the schools front, he, along with Geoffrey Robinson MP (ex associate of Maxwell during the Mirror pension fraud), the architect of today's demise of the UK economy. Before it is said the UK is not alone in suffering this demise, readers should note that the forthcoming catastrophe will be relative and the UK's will be much worse, because of Labour's ineptitude and incompetence, along with policies that for the past 12 years that have completely eroded people's ability to entertain entrepreneurship.
Labour has been an unmitigated disaster for the UK, in every respect and calls for an immediate election are well founded.
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hampshire
- Keith Price, Luton, England
".. who has no reputation for anything but good."
You have got to be kidding. This is the man who's current mess is the Education system. A complete and utter fiasco. Just another politician messing with kids lives and future without knowing anything about them in teh first place. His wife and him have no kids but are quite happy to ruin the lives of those who do because they know best. Apparantely.
And that's just in a long line of disasters from this muppet.
Only good news is that as Chancellor he will be picked apart for his previous GBH and that can only hasten the downfall of this lousy government.
- Sarit, Hong Kong
Hang on a minute - wasn't it Balls who persuaded Brown to ease back on regulating the banks and therefore partially to blame for the current mess? What other fine mess can he get us into? Come to think of it - he does look a bit like Oliver Hardy. If Yvette wore a bowler hat she'd be a dead ringer for Stan Laurel.
- Charlie, London
Keith Price,
How many time have people on here told you to go to the doctors and get some stronger tablets !
Brown will be just re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic ! I wonder how long will it be before we hear your friend "Sangria Val" from Spain spurting out the same rubbish !
Go and have a lie down man your deluded and obviously not very well ! Such a shame .....
- William, London
The Balls's have been just as 'good' at playing the expenses game. Claiming their London gaff to be their 'second' home whilst living in it and sending their children to school from it. Typical NuLabour twisters. He is NOT a suitable candidate for Chancellor, look at the guff he has spouted on children!
God help us if he has a year to cock it up even more before we get shot of this lot!
IDBI !
- I-Don'T-Belive-It, England
- Keith Price, Luton, England
".. who has no reputation for anything but good."
Um Keith, Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper "flipped" the designation of their second home to three different properties within the space of two years.
I think sunshine you die hard Labour voters really need to take of your tinted sun glasses and have a good hard look at the facts.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
How can Balls, who has made so many "unintentional errors" (I jest!) with his own personal accounting, be considered a safe pair of hands to run the UK economy! Maybe the title should be changed to “Chancer of the Exchequer! If Simon Cowell organised a political version of "Britain’s Got Talent", He and the vast majority of his parliamentary colleagues wouldn’t get past the first round! The Priory would be bursting at the seams!
- Ij, Wisbech, UK
Can Brown really sink any lower in his quest to hang on to power. To appoint another sleazeball pal of Damien Mcbride to one of the most inflential jobs in Government must be the last throw of a desparate gambler. Brown is on another planet.Surely he must realise that the Country is crying out for him to go and to take his rotten government and party with him.
How he has the gall to say he is the best man to deal with the economy and to oversee the reform of Parliament beggars belief.
Does anyone believe he has the interest of the Country at heart?. The only thing he wants is to hang on to the trappings of power.
- Ian Glen., Durham. England.
Is this the same ed balls who, with gordon brown, helped set up the Financial Services Authority which has just been branded a failure by the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee? 'Jaw dropping incompetence' was one term used. Over to you Val from Spain...
- Chris, Brighton, England.
Keep re-arranging those deck chairs, Gordon! The ship's going down, and you're going with it. There's nothing that can save you or the rudderless ship, Labour. Soon you'll just be a memory -- part of a nightmare that the British people will be trying desperately to forget.
- Phil Jones, London UK
Does this "leader" not realise that the daily furore simply serves to make him look increasingly redundant - let's show this loser what we think on Thursday in the elections. NuLabour have to get trounced
- David, SOUTHAMPTON
Alan of Essex, Surely you're not suggesting that an NHS hospital, which is plenty good enough for the tax paying public, is not good enough for a true socialist politician? VERY NuLabour indeed. And perhaps he could have a lobotomy while he's there to prepare him to WORK for his crust.
- .Hoi Polloi, London / ENGLAND
Balls will make a fine chancellor. Why do people think it is good to criticise a man who has no reputation for anything but good. Give the guy a chance
- Keith Price, Luton, England
Tell me Brown has got the message. Nothing he does will change his future; most of us think the only reshuffle should be the MP’s liberty
- Ge, The free people of Kernow
The government has clearly run out of ideas, new initiatives, ground breaking schemes and any other newspaper grabbing headlines it can manufacture. Its been 12 years and you've made a real mess of this once proud country. The level of arrogance, obstenance and blindness that is being displayed, speaks more of a private club with no touch on reality, than elected government. Brown we're not asking you to appologise, heavne forbid, just do the decent thing and call an election.
This is just an idea but you might be able to find yourself a little job after the election. Get the devolution debate going and you might be able to take a new position as PM of Scotland!
- Carl, London
Fitting, sums up the current administration Balls up
- Ge, The free people of Kernow
This is nothing compared to the fierce backlash this band of crooks will get when the people have their say. "
Don't you mean the Tory, Liberal and Labour MP's who will get defeated? Don't pretend that those duck-ponds, moats and mortgage scams were not Conservative MPs. They were and we, the people won't forget that come the next election
- Keith Price, Luton, England
When is the vote of "no confidence" coming?
- Bj, London
Balls by name ...
What is that 'Brown' stuff on the end of his nose?!
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Chris, the flip side of your comment is that you have no idea how much damage this inept buffoon could cause between now and the next election, frankly I wouldn't let him loose with a pair of scissors let alone an economy.
- Bob, Cheam
EDITED by admin @ 14.50 on June 2 2009
Profanity
- Lezli, London / ENGLAND
The sooner plonker Brown is scooped up and taken to The Priory where he can keep company with Susan Boyle - and take advantage of the treatment he so sorely needs will be a blessed day for all of us.
- Alan, Essex
This is nothing compared to the fierce backlash this band of crooks will get when the people have their say. Blairites and Brownites AKA failures, theifs and liars
- Gary, brentwood
Yeah Balls for Chancellor! Gotta be worth a few more Tory seats at the next election!
- Chris, Brighton, England
Senior Blairites warned that it would be “divisive” and make the Cabinet “unbalanced”.
Ha ha ha . Just wait till after the election. It will be 'unbalanced' all right! No Labour MPs!
- Haskey, London SE1
Balls was Browns closest advisor whilst he was chancellor. Do we really want him to move in to the hot seat?
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
