If the constitutional treaty is rejected it will be back to square one, just at a time when we want Europe to be a more effective force for good in the world, when we need to buttress ourselves against the pressures and insecurities of globalization.

I have moved on from being a British parliamentarian, I have moved on from being a New Labour politician, I have moved on from being the supporter in the active day-to-day sense of Tony Blair.

I believe that if you treat China as an enemy, then it is likely to become one.

In my experience of these things, parties which shout about dirty tricks and the like tend to do so because they fear a direct hit in some vulnerable part of their political anatomy.

I understand why the Tories will be gunning for Alastair Campbell because they fear his campaigning skills.

We are intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich.

Few politicians are good at taking the high ground and throwing themselves off it.