"THIS IS not the time for politics. We must show our unity against the terrorists, regardless of class or party." So proclaimed all the mainstream politicians in Spain and Britain after last week's bombings. But the governments supporting last year's war did not lose one minute in trying to squeeze the political advantage for themselves.
BLAIR HAS effectively abandoned his attempt to say international law supported the invasion of Iraq. Speaking to a hand-picked business audience last week, he said "it may be that under international law" the US and Britain are not authorised to topple regimes they don't like.
'THE ENEMY within." That chilling phrase sums up how top establishment figures see people who dare to reveal the truth about the war. They dragged GCHQ worker Katharine Gun through the courts for 12 months to terrify others out of speaking out. The government was forced to drop the case against her only because it would have had to reveal the legal basis for attacking Iraq in court.
BLAIR WANTS to draw a line under the war and move on. He wants us to forget about the 10,000 civilians who have died in Iraq since the war began. He wants us to forget that, far from bringing democracy to the country, the US plans to impose a government on Iraq.
THE QUICKSANDS of Morecambe Bay became a grave for 19 Chinese workers last week. Their job was to pick cockles for low wages, working all hours in dangerous conditions, with no rights. Some of the last tabloid articles they would have seen were about how people from abroad "are heading to Britain to leech on us" and branded them all "benefit tourists".
TONY BLAIR is following one fake inquiry with another. He thought that Hutton's report would let him off the hook. But within hours of its publication the whitewash had provoked a huge backlash. Now Blair has announced another inquiry-this time into "intelligence" on Iraqi weapons.
THE TOP-UP fees vote on Tuesday was a disaster for working class people hoping to go to university. But it was more than that.
IF TONY Blair survives the next week as prime minister it will be down to one thing-the spinelessness of Labour MPs.
NEW LABOUR has lost the argument over the war on Iraq. Blair admitted that last week when he said weapons of mass destruction may never be found.
BUSH AND Blair were crowing this week following the capture of Saddam Hussein. They claim it justifies their war on Iraq. It does nothing of the kind. That war killed at least 20,000 Iraqis.
THEY ARE only students-but could they bring down Blair?" asked the Independent on Sunday last week. It spoke of "the growth of a rebellion that really does threaten to force the prime minister from power".
THE EXPLOSION of anger over New Labour's proposals for top-up fees has thrown the government into crisis. Blair has been forced to abandon plans to hold a vote in parliament over the fees before Christmas. He fears he would lose that vote. Labour MPs, whose loyalty he has been able to count on, have lined up to speak out against the fees.
