By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982
* WITH KRAFT TAKING OVER CADBURY, Peter Mandelson says “it’s not my place to say which mergers and takeovers should or should not take place. I’m not pretending that I can block something or stop something when I don’t have the powers to do so.”
* THE ONS IS REPORTING A RECORD SURGE IN INFLATION IN DECEMBER…
* THE NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED IS SET TO HIT 2.5 MILLION THIS MONTH.
* AND MERVYN KING SAYS IT’S TIME TO START MAKING CUTS.
* BRITAIN’S IDEOLOGICAL DIVIDE IS REAL and the election stakes are high, writes Jonathan Freedland.
* BRITAIN REMAINS UNEASY ABOUT DAVID CAMERON, says Kevin Maguire.
* THERE’S A “GORDON BROWN SHAPED HOLE” in the Chilcot Inquiry’s evidence, says Lib Dem Ed Davey.
EXTRA: ONE YEAR ON…
* DEMOCRATS LOSE ONE OF THEIR SAFEST SENATE SEATS.
* REPUBLICANS TAKE KENNEDY’S SEAT 52%-47%.
* THE HUFFINGTON POST CALLS THE DEFEAT A WAKE UP CALL FOR DEMOCRATS.
* PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS MADE A PROMISING START.
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