The former Cabinet Minister spoke for millions when he pointed out the absurdity of MPs spending another five weeks on their extended summer holidays when many of their constituents face the prospect of redundancy, their home being repossessed or, in some cases, both.

The case for Parliament's recall is overwhelming – especially given the admission that Ministers will not now help the poor with their energy bills.

In March, Darling said that the economy would grow between 1.75 per cent and three per cent every year until 2010. He denied accusations that this assessment had been over-optimistic.

Yet, by admitting that the country's prospects are at their lowest point for six decades, Darling effectively said that the country is heading for a bigger fall in GDP than, for example, the 1979-81 period when it fell by 1.76 per cent – and unemployment topped the three million barrier.

"It is high time the Government recalled Parliament, made an honest statement and produced some new figures," declares Redwood. "Mr Darling's careless language may be just that – but as it has been his only attempt to revise his optimistic March forecasts we have to take it seriously until he corrects the record again. The man who told us not to talk ourselves into recession has now conjured a far worse picture for us than any mainstream commentator!"

I agree. This is the type of wisdom that prompted me to question a couple of months ago on these pages whether Tory leader David Cameron could afford to allow Parliamentarians as experienced as Redwood to languish on the backbenches.

But, on reflection, Parliament probably needs more independent-minded MPs, accountable to no one other than their constituencies, to hold Ministers to account. For this intervention is far more effective than any statement articulated by the Conservative front bench this week.

John Redwood's time has finally come – he must be allowed to continue to speaking his mind.


THE scrutiny shown by John Redwood is, perhaps, only matched by York-born Vince Cable – the Liberal Democrats' Treasury spokesman who likened the Prime Minister to "Mr Bean" when the nation's finances started unravelling.

But it is a measure of Dr Cable's stature that he harbours some regrets whenever he is reminded of the exchange that made him a household name. "It makes me wince a bit whenever anyone brings it up because Gordon Brown has obviously become a rather tragic character and it doesn't seem appropriate to make fun of him any more," he said.


PERHAPS the most damaging comments of Chancellor Alistair Darling's confessional came when he discussed the presentation of policy.

"Politics is the art of communication," said Darling. "If you can't communicate, then it doesn't matter if you are truly brilliant as a technocrat."

The Treasury says that the Chancellor stands by these comments. Fine. But they won't tell me whether Darling was referring to himself – or one Gordon Brown.

Spoilsports.


THERE is a logical explanation why Margaret Beckett yesterday gave both Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling eight out of 10 marks for their running of the country.

Compared to her own record at Defra – exposed this week by one the most condemnatory select committee reports of recent times – they probably haven't done too badly.


NOW we know why David Cameron was so keen to parachute Dewsbury lawyer Sayeeda Warsi into the Shadow Cabinet by making her a peer, thereby denying her the chance to stand for election to the Commons on merit.

According to an interview that the Tory leader gave to Dylan Jones for the new book, Cameron on Cameron, it was his predecessor, Michael Howard, that spotted the Asian businesswoman's own leadership potential when he headed the party prior to the 2005 election.

Howard reportedly told Cameron and his sidekick George Osborne: "You boys are completely finished, you have got no chance of leading our party because I have met the star of the future and her name is Sayeeda Warsi."

Cameron laughs at the exchange as he reflects on the progress made by his Shadow Community Cohesion Minister. "That's why I put her in the House of Lords!" he explains.


ON the issue of community cohesion, few politicians, however, can match Ann Cryer's expertise.

It's why the Commons will be poorer when the Keighley MP stands down at the next election. Parliament will be deprived of one of the few MPs who is accountable to no one other than her own conscience.

This week she said Muslim community leaders were not doing enough to encourage integration. But, just as pertinently, she also accused many of her colleagues of being frightened to speak out against forced marriages in case they lose Muslim votes at the next election.

How refreshing for an MP to be articulating the views of the ordinary person in the street.


APART from his foreign affairs expertise, Joe Biden appears to have three roles as Barack Obama's running mate in the US Presidential election.

He must stand attentively next to his young, charismatic leader; reach out to blue collar voters and, finally, try and avoid making gaffes.

Does this remind of you anyone? Ah, yes. John Prescott. And there was me thinking that Obama had sound political judgment.