Brown's back

IN attempting to maximise Gordon Brown's discomfort when he returns to the political fray today, Tory MPs would be advised to concentrate on the issues rather than the personalities. Former Prime Ministers are entitled to be treated with respect, irrespective of their shortcomings. They should also remember that Margaret Thatcher resisted Labour calls for an apology when she resigned 20 years ago this month.

That said, there are serious questions to be asked about the cost of building two new aircraft carriers, the issue that Mr Brown intends to address in Parliament. His demand that these vessels should be maintained in Rosyth, close to his Scottish constituency, rather than in France will inevitably see Labour's former leader

face accusations of self-interest.

Yet, given yesterday's intervention by the former head of the armed forces, Labour still needs to explain why it signed up to such an expensive deal when the public finances were in such a ruinous state – and why the contractual obligations were so water-tight that the new Government cannot scrap one of the ships at the pre-construction

stage. Mr Brown should not shy away from explaining this decision-making – and how it will leave UK taxpayers footing the bill for an aircraft carrier that will have to be sold, as soon as it comes into

service, in order to balance the books.

This illogical and profligate approach to policy was Mr Brown's hallmark as both Chancellor and the Prime Minister. Hopefully, his period of self-imposed introspection, following May's election defeat, will allow him to be far more candid, and show far more humility, than previously.

If he does, his interventions can only enrich, and better inform, the political debate so that such costly mistakes are never repeated.