Hello. Very busy today and looking forward to my tweet-up in Leeds after giving the closing speech at Yorkshire and Humber Labour conference. But thought you'd might like to see a peak at what I'm going to see. Here's the press release: Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott will today fire the starting gun of the general election campaign by telling party activists Labour's team of underdogs can come from behind to clinch an historic fourth term. He'll also warn David Cameron "the general election is not for sale" and that Labour will "fight...
Read 'Labour underdogs can beat Tory millionaires' >

We're back on the Prescott Express. Yesterday we went over to support Judith Blake in Leeds North West with a spot of tubthumping and canvassing in Headingly. Very warm reaction we're getting on the streets and the doorsteps though I get asked less about the egg and more about Gavin and Stacey - especially from the many students I met. Thanks to Labour Students for organising the event and looking forward to going back to Leeds tomorrow do the closing speech at Yorkshire and Humber Labour Conference then off to my #leedstweetup - 68 are turning...
Read 'Prescott Express hits the road' >

Looks like the net's closing in on Lord Ashcroft. When he was granted a peerage in 2000 he gave an undertaking that he would be a permanent UK resident. Since then every Tory leader has tried to fudge the issue over whether he's been as good as his word. I tried again today with Ashcroft's line manager but still no joy. Today's Guardian reveals that the Information Commissioner has had enough and wants a straight answer in 35 days. Perhaps Hague asked him on their last jaunt together to Cuba....
Read 'Cashcroft v small donations' >

I can't believe Cameron is repeating the same mistake by taking a well-reported tragic incident and attempting to twist it to his political advantage. You'll remember he was hammered for trying to attack Labour over the Karen Matthews affair. He made out that all people on benefits have the potential to fake their children's abduction to get money! Now he's done the same thing again, seizing on the Edlington, Doncaster attacks as being an example of the 'social recession' in Britain. Never mind that the parents of the attackers, as Ed Balls pointed out, were married....
Read 'Bad advice - or judgement' >

I'm just putting together Go Fourth's campaign plan for the next few months. I'll be at the Labour regional conferences rallying the troops, starting with Yorkshire and Humber in two weeks time. Thanks for everyone who suggested what our strategy should be. You can still make suggestions by clicking here. As you know, Go Fourth campaigned against the RBS £1b bonus payout, to protect the minimum wage from a Tory private members bill and in the European Elections - all funded by small donations. (still a few signed books left!) We've also helped to...
Read 'Don't put your Left Foot in your mouth, Will' >

Just sent this video blog to our Go Fourth supporters on Facebook. Here's the transcript of the interesting bit for hacks with poor shorthand! "I got back to the House of Commons and two colleagues Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt are calling for a secret ballot on Labour's leadership. Their joining the other Bitterites led by Charles Clarke. "Can I just say that I was in their area of the East of England campaigning at their regional conference and none of them turned up. "So can I suggest that they...
Read 'Bitterites should face secret ballot' >

Lot's of discussion about THAT Cameron poster. Is it me or does it look like a hair or make-up ad! There's also a general consensus amongst those on the know that the picture's been 'touched-up.' Anyway, one of our supporters had some fun with it. It's all in good humour but it still makes the point that the Conservatives are still determined to give an inheritance tx cut to benefit the richest 3,000 estates in the country. Enjoy!...
Read 'Because he's worth it' >

Thought I'd share a very revealing response from BBC News about the reporting of the TaxPayers' Alliance. Following the Guardian's investigations into their funding, I wrote to Helen Boaden, the BBC's Director of News asking her journalists to make it clear the TaxPayers' Alliance, because of its many Tory links, shouldn't be described as impartial. You can read my letter to her here. Well her reply shows we've had some real success. She writes: "..whilst it is clear to me that the TPA is a conservative (small "c") organisation I do not think it would be accurate or fair to...
Read 'BBC: TaxPayers' Alliance not impartial' >

Hope you all enjoyed Xmas. But today as we all travel back to work, Boris Johnson has a nasty little surprise for London's less well off. Single bus journies using your Oyster card will rise 20% from £1 to £1.20. An extra 20p - perhaps that's what Cameron meant by the Year for Change! £1.20 might not seem a lot. But London buses are the cheapest form of public transport to get around the capital. That single bus journey was only 90p under Ken. Luckily, I have...
Read 'Why the Tories are a class act' >

I was asked to submit my thoughts on Copenhagen for a round-up of expert views for the Guardian along with Nick Stern and others. It's been heavily edited and missed out the points I wanted to make about the US so I thought I'd post my original version below. I’ve read a lot about so called Brokenhagen and the failure to get a legally binding agreement. Frankly we were never going to get one, just as we didn’t get one at Kyoto, when I was negotiating for the EU. What you need...
Read 'It isn't Brokenhagen' >