Explaining the decision not to let Phil Woolas go on Question Time this week, the Home Office said: "The government decided that the economy and jobs were very live issues and wanted a minister at cabinet level who could deal with these issues."
Tony McNulty, the employment minister, was offered as a replacement.
But the BBC chooses its Question Time guests and the government's decision has backfired. Question Time has chosen Lord Hattersley instead – McNulty has been on quite a few times already, I was told – and so there won't a minister on the panel at all.
Until recently it would have been fair to say that, with Hattersley as the leftwing guest, there would have been no one at all to defend New Labour. But since Tony Blair has gone he's been more supportive and so Labour shouldn't have to worry too much.
