STRAW WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT ?

Tories 'resonating', admits Straw

Gordon Brown's fortunes have varied in 2007

The Conservative campaign is resonating with the public and the government must adapt in order to survive, a senior Cabinet minister has warned.

The admission by Justice Secretary Jack Straw comes as Gordon Brown used his New Year message to say 2008 will see "real and serious changes" in the UK.

The government would see through reforms in "vital areas" such as energy, pensions and health, he said.

In his message, Tory leader David Cameron pledged to set the 2008 agenda.

Past difficulties

Mr Straw, who is also Lord Chancellor and one of Mr Brown's closest cabinet colleagues, told the Sunday Times the prime minister had faced difficulties in recent months that must be put right.

And in a rare admission by a senior minister, he acknowledged Mr Cameron may have benefited from the government's recent woes and that his messages appear to be "resonating" with voters.

Ministers have previously sought to dismiss the Tory leader as lacking in substance.

We have got to make clear progress in the next year and everybody understands that Jack Straw Justice Secretary Byers offers olive branch Send us your comments

Mr Straw, who ran the prime minister's leadership campaign, said the key for Labour was showing the public that it was making "decisions that are relevant to their futures and not just resting on our laurels".

"All periods are crucial in government - and up to two-and-a-half years before the next election, which is a long time - but for sure we have got to make clear progress in the next year and everybody understands that," he added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7164461.stm

NOW ALL OF YOU READ THIS IN FULL AT THE BBC

Brown's New Year message in full

The prime minister stressed that there would be changes in 2008

This is the full text of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's New Year message to the country.

For Britain, 2008 will be a year of real and serious changes.

With important legislation making long-term changes in energy, climate change, health, pensions, planning, housing, education and transport, 2008 will be a year of measurable changes in public services.

A year for stepping up major long-term reform to meet challenges ranging from globalisation and global warming to the great unfinished business of social reform in our country.

And we will continue to work with our international partners to counter the ongoing threat of global terrorism, most recently witnessed in the atrocities in Pakistan.

So we will not shirk but see through changes and reforms in the vital areafor our future - secure energy, pensions, transport, welfare, education, health and national security.

We will strengthen the democracy and unity of our country. Our priority at all times, our guiding purpose: One Britain of security and opportunity for all the British people.

The global credit problem that started in America is now the most immediate challenge for every economy and addressing it the most immediate priority

And through the publication of our national security strategy we will set out the scale of both the challenges we face and our response at home and overseas to counter the terror threat.

Our strong economy is the foundation. And with unbending determination, in 2008, we will steer a course of stability through global financial turbulence.

The global credit problem that started in America is now the most immediate challenge for every economy and addressing it the most immediate priority.

But just as we withstood the Asia crisis, the American recession, the end of the IT bubble and the trebling of oil prices and continued to grow, Britain will meet and master this new challenge by our determination to maintain stability and low inflation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7164575.stm

Oh No !!! More losses ,

Anger as NHS patient records lost

Computer discs containing patient details have gone missing.

The government has come under strong criticism after nine English NHS trusts admitted losing patient records in the latest public sector data lapse.

Hundreds of thousands of adults and children are thought to be affected.

Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley condemned the government for its "failure to protect the personal information which we provide".

The Department of Health says patients have been told and there is no evidence data has fallen into the wrong hands.

It follows losses of millions of child benefit claimant and driver details.

Archive records

The Sunday Mirror reports that one of the breaches was thought to involve the loss of names and addresses of 160,000 children by City and Hackney Primary Care Trust, after a disc failed to arrive at an east London hospital.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7158498.stm

Go home if you commit a crime as long as it's not serious !!

Memo sparks foreign prisoner row

Ministers have pledged to deport 4,000 foreign criminals this year

Gordon Brown is under fire over a prison service memo revealing officials have "no interest" in deporting foreign criminals jailed for less than a year.

The UK's head of immigration Lin Homer said staff were committed to sending home all overseas offenders, whether they are dangerous or not.

But the Tories say the memo, sent to prison governors, is at odds with the PM's pledge to expel foreign criminals.

More than 11,000 of the 81,000 prison population are foreign nationals.

The prime minister promised to strengthen measures to deport foreign national criminals in his speech to Labour's annual conference in September.

He told The Times newspaper he wanted a "far tougher line" on foreign offenders.

He said: "I want a message to go out - if you come here to work you learn the language; if you commit a crime you will deported from our country."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7155002.stm

The poor Saps will soon forget all about this !!

Crises will be forgotten - Brown

Mr Brown is hoping to regain the initiative in the New Year

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said recent scandals to have hit the government, such as data loss and proxy donations, will be "quickly forgotten".

He pledged to concentrate in the New Year on long-term goals and issues that really mattered to people such as housing, health and education.

He also rejected claims British troops had been driven out of Basra and said violence was decreasing in the region.

Mr Brown was speaking at his monthly press conference in Downing Street.

The government has seen its opinion poll ratings fall in recent weeks following a string of problems.

Asked about political donations and the loss of personal data, Mr Brown said: "I think people know that when a problem arises we will deal with it."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7151634.stm

Quickly forgotten , yes please !!!!!

Crises will be forgotten - Brown

Mr Brown is hoping to regain the initiative in the New Year

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said recent scandals to have hit the government, such as data loss and proxy donations, will be "quickly forgotten".

He pledged to concentrate in the New Year on long-term goals and issues that really mattered to people such as housing, health and education.

He also rejected claims British troops had been driven out of Basra and said violence was decreasing in the region.

Mr Brown was speaking at his monthly press conference in Downing Street.

The government has seen its opinion poll ratings fall in recent weeks following a string of problems.

Asked about political donations and the loss of personal data, Mr Brown said: "I think people know that when a problem arises we will deal with it."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7151634.stm

Lost again ,!! Oh my God , why can't we hide these losses !!!

Revenue loses 6,500 people's data

The data cartridge had been sent by courier to the offices in Cardiff

The personal details of 6,500 customers belonging to a pension firm have been lost at an office of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in Cardiff.

Names, addresses, date of births, national insurance numbers and pension contributions were included on a data cartridge which has been lost.

It had been sent by courier in September from Countrywide Assured.

The HMRC has apologised about its seventh such loss of data and has told the Information Commissioner.

A spokesman said it was "unlikely" the information could be accessed by anyone unauthorised and said it was treating the incident "extremely seriously".

It is understood that Countrywide Assured, which is based in Preston in Lancashire, has written letters to the 6,548 affected customers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7149767.stm

Sleaze , me never ever ever !!

Major accuses Labour of 'sleaze'

John Major wants Labour to apologise for its sleaze campaign John Major interview

Former Prime Minister Sir John Major has accused Labour of presiding over "systemic sleaze" during its 10 years in government.

Sir John said the government had become "institutionally careless", citing as examples the Bernie Ecclestone affair and the David Abrahams funding row.

He said Tories had misbehaved when he was PM as individuals not members of government.

Labour accused Sir John of "backward-looking mud-slinging

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7146744.stm

Lost , Lost , Lost Lost !! I'm Lost again !!

Millions of L-drivers' data lost

Ms Kelly apologised but said risks were not substantial

The details of three million candidates for the driving theory test have gone missing, Ruth Kelly has told MPs.

Names, addresses and phone numbers - but not financial data - were among details on a computer hard drive which went missing in the US in May.

It belonged to a contractor to the Driving Standards Agency, the transport secretary told MPs.

It is the latest in a series of data losses since discs with 25m people's details on were lost by HM Revenue.

Ms Kelly said the details of learner drivers had been formatted specifically for the contractor, Pearson's, and was not readily accessible or usable by third parties.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7147715.stm

I didn't go earlier because I don't like crowds !!

Brown belatedly signs EU treaty

Critics claim the treaty means Britain surrenders power to Brussels

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has belatedly signed the EU reform treaty, having missed a ceremony attended by leaders of the 26 other member states.

Mr Brown delayed his trip to Lisbon so he could appear before a Commons select committee scrutinising his government.

He promised the committee there would be a full debate in Parliament on the 250-page text but no referendum.

The Conservatives said Mr Brown's "diary clash" did not reflect well on him, making him appear "gutless".

"If he believes this treaty is the right thing for the country then he ought to have the guts to go to the actual signing ceremony," Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague told BBC News 24.

He's behaving rather childishly Kenneth Clarke Former Conservative chancellor EU leaders sign treaty

"We had this chronic indecision in Downing Street about what the prime minister would do. I don't think that's a very good advertisement for prime ministerial decision-making."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7141279.stm