A not so fresh start

You have to sympathise with political parties. There's only so many slogans in the political lexicon, most of them promising to put Britain first, take it forward, win, or be positive. Strangely, slogans promising to put Britain last, take it backwards, lose or be negative have yet to catch on.

Even so, why have the Lib Dems ended up with one pioneered during William Hague's (admittedly successful) Tory leadership campaign of 1997?

Having stolen William Hague's campaign slogan, can it be long before Nick Clegg changes his headgear?

Postcard from Srebrenica

The Prime Minister, we're told, is fitting in some voluntary work during his break from Downing Street.

He's not the only senior political figure getting involved in good deeds during the summer, as my photograph shows.

Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague travelled to Srebrenica, Bosnia as part of a Conservative Party social action project. Also pictured are Tobias EllwoodMP, Shazia Awam (party activist from Cardiff) and Baroness Warsi.

You can probably guess the source of two of the the two toys presented to a school for children with special needs.

Shazia Awan told me: "What struck me on the way in were two building right opposite the school that had been completely shelled- the deep scars of civil war still everywhere 15 years on.

"Spending time with the children was invaluable- their spirit was amazing and you cannot fail to be captivated by them."

Clerical corner

William Hague's suggestion that Lord Mandelson could be made an archbishop met this response from former vicar Chris Bryant: "I am sure that he would not suffice with an archbishopric; after all, archbishops can be fallible."

Archbishop Mandelson and William Hague's in-laws

Another former Welsh Secretary is turning into the star of the dissolution debate.

William Hague has been making the most of Gordon Brown's recent difficulties and the unstoppable rise of Peter Mandelson.

The Commons filled noticeably as Mr Hague spoke: "The unelected Prime Minister has managed to produce the most powerful unelected deputy since Henry VIII appointed Cardinal Wolsey except Cardinal Wolsey was more sensitive in his handling of colleagues than Lord Mandelson."

Lord Mandelson, said the former Tory leader, had gone around collecting titles and even whole government departments, with eleven Ministers working under him. Mr Hague read out the full list of titles:

"The right honourable the Baron Mandelson of Foy in the county of Heredfordshire and Hartlepool in the county of Durham, First Secretary of State and and Lord President of the Privy Council and Secretary of State for Business and Secretary of State for Innovation and Skills.

"It would be no surprise to wake up in the morning and find he'dbecome an Archbishop".

Mr Hague also gave another insight into Hague family life, in exchanges with Conwy MP Betty Williams.

"I'm not afraid of any lady from Wales, other than my mother-in-law."

Myra Jenkins's response is not yet known.

When you're in a hole....

One surreal week. Having managed to lose a vote on an opposition day debate (the first time a Government has managed that in 30 years) it was perhaps no surprise that Ministers ducked a confrontation on the issue of MPs' second homes.

It was a week, more than any other, when Gordon Brown was compared to John Major, with memories of Norman Lamont's "in office, but not in power" jibe stirred up by the self-inflicted wounds suffered by the current Prime Minister.

It would not be a total shock to discover Gordon Brown tucks his shirt into his underpants. The moment when the Speaker called the PM to make a statement, only for Mr Brown to try to leave the chamber, will be replayed as often on YouTube as last week's statement on expenses delivered to camera with occasional smiles.

The PM may hail the biggest changes to parliamentary expenses in 25 years, but that will count for nothing if some of the receipts to be issued in July are as incriminating as some MPs fear. The most controversial issue - the way MPs are compensated for having to live and work in two places - has not gone away.

Out in the real world, where voters are worried about swine flu and making ends meet, this week's economic news was not universally bleak, with mixed news about house prices and jobs.

It was pretty bleak if you're one of those being made redundant by JCB in Wrexham. Today's FT points out that the company's boss had called for wage subsidies but rejected direct help from the Welsh Assembly Government.

JCB say it couldn't make the WAG scheme work for them. No news yet on whether the company's latest cuts will make it unable to continue to provide helicopter and private plane travel for David Cameron.

One JCB employee appears to have survived the cull. Shadow Foreign Secretary (and former Secretary of State for Wales) William Hague is paid between £45,000-£50,000 as its parliamentary adviser, according to the Commons Register of Members' Interests.

Thanks to last night's Commons votes, we'll soon know precisely how much Mr Hague earns from JCB and what he does for it.

But when it comes to parliamentary advice you don't need a JCB driving licence to know that when you're in a hole, stop digging.

Today's newspapers report yet more disquiet among past and present Ministers about Gordon Brown's leadership.

But on current form, were Mr Brown to be handed the traditional whisky and pearl-handled revolver the only certain outcome would be a bullet in the metatarsal.

Question Time

Question Time was a pretty sombre affair today, even without the Prime Minister.

Gordon Brown is in Brussels so Harriet Harman stepped in for 30 minutes dominated by today's unemployment figures.

William Hague, deputising for David Cameron, appeared to pull his punches as the Tories decide this is not the time for political knockabout.

He did attempt to link Gordon Brown with the crisis, based on the PM's claim to have avoided a return to boom and bust.

Sharper questions about whether the Government would take responsibility for the state of the economy came from the backbenches.

Plaid Cymru MP Adam Price suggested Harriet Harman apologise over "the failures in policy and the weakness in regulation that have contributed to the current economic crisis".

In response, Harriet Harman read out a (slightly surreal in the circumstances) prepared reply to a different question - about Iraq.

Perhaps Ms H was too embarrased by Britain's economic problems to remind the Commons of those MPs who have trumpeted economies that are currently in an even bigger mess?