16th March, 2010, 8:19 am Cabinet contenders: departmental debates confirmed – 8 in the morning, March 16th Alex Smith Share this article: By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 * Peter Mandelson will debate Ken Clarke on business, and other cabinet ministers will also discuss policy on live TV debates with Andrew Neil in the weeks before the election. * The number of ministers should be cut by a third, reports parliament’s public administration committee. * The European Commission has warned that the UK is not on course to cut its deficit in line with EU rules by a deadline of 2015. * Last minute talks between Unite and BA are unlikely to have led to the strike being called off. * Ladbroke’s outgoing boss has tipped Labour to have most seats in parliament after the general election. * “Politician, scholar, football fan, reader, writer, storyteller, husband, stepfather and loyal friend”: Michael foot is laid to rest in London. * Liberal Conspiracy says the “splintering of Stoke’s working class eventually found expression in its politics” and reports on Labour’s collapse there. * The Guardian asks: Why isn’t every company like John Lewis? Alex Smith Alex is the founder and CEO of The Cares Family. He was editor and first director of LabourList in 2009-2010, during which time he established the site as the number one Labour blog, and later an aide to Ed Miliband. @alexsmith1982 View all articles by Alex Smith Subscribe to our daily email More from LabourList News Peter Mandelson should lose peerage, Downing Street spokesperson says Peter Mandelson should no longer be a member of the House of Lords following his links to the… Daniel Green 2nd February, 2026, 1:18 pm Analysis ‘The fate of the assisted dying bill: a quiet end or a painful struggle?’ Earlier this week, Lord Falconer, the promoter of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, said that… George Peretz KC 2nd February, 2026, 6:00 am Comment ‘Alcohol harm is a public health crisis — and industry lobbying is blocking action’ We may not want to talk about it, but our country has a serious problem with alcohol. Alcohol… Cat Smith MP 2nd February, 2026, 6:00 am
Alex Smith Alex is the founder and CEO of The Cares Family. He was editor and first director of LabourList in 2009-2010, during which time he established the site as the number one Labour blog, and later an aide to Ed Miliband. @alexsmith1982 View all articles by Alex Smith
News Peter Mandelson should lose peerage, Downing Street spokesperson says Peter Mandelson should no longer be a member of the House of Lords following his links to the… Daniel Green 2nd February, 2026, 1:18 pm
Analysis ‘The fate of the assisted dying bill: a quiet end or a painful struggle?’ Earlier this week, Lord Falconer, the promoter of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, said that… George Peretz KC 2nd February, 2026, 6:00 am
Comment ‘Alcohol harm is a public health crisis — and industry lobbying is blocking action’ We may not want to talk about it, but our country has a serious problem with alcohol. Alcohol… Cat Smith MP 2nd February, 2026, 6:00 am
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