When I wrote last week’s post about Tony Blair’s coalition talks with Paddy Ashdown’s Liberal Democrats after the 1997 general election, I had no idea that within a week we would be shocked to hear that Gordon Brown had offered Ashdown a cabinet place, as reported here by the BBC. History repeating itself? Or the first sign that Brown will be more audacious than Blair? Time will tell. 

The story has certainly added spice to the dull transition from Blair to Brown.