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 Cabinet rankings: Shabana Mahmood least popular minister among members Shabana Mahmood has overtaken Liz Kendall as the least popular Cabinet minister among Labour members, exclusive polling for… Daniel Green 25th April, 2026, 10:30 pm News Labour members say PM mishandled Mandelson saga, but split over need for new leadership An overwhelming majority of Labour members think Keir Starmer has handled the Mandelson affair badly, according to exclusive… Daniel Green 25th April, 2026, 10:30 pm Interview ‘Take the anger… and add some hope and a plan’: Does Rowenna Davis have the recipe for success in Croydon? Rowenna Davis has managed to cultivate hundreds of thousands of views across her social media channels while campaigning… James Tibbitts 25th April, 2026, 11:00 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
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