Hilariously dry excerpt from A View from the Foothills, a recently-published,

[Joe Chi Minh]

autobiographical tome by Chris Mullins, NuLab MP, published in today's Mail on Sunday:

Jan 25, 2001
I have been reshuffled. As I was getting ready to go for the train, my private office called to say the Prime Minister was looking for me. The Man called and asked if I would like to replace George Foulkes at International Development. I replied: "Nothing would give me more pelasure than helping to redistribute the wealth of the middle classes to the poorest people in the world."

A brief silence and then a chuckle. "Ah, Chris, that's not quite how it works."

"Don't worry, Tony. I'll be discreet."

And that was that. My career as the lowest form of life in John Prescott's empire is over. I am now the lowest form of life in a smaller, but more agreeable department."

[Joe Chi Minh]

1. Here's another interesting excerpt, particularly re the Health Service:

July 4, 2001
"Sitting on the terrace, I was joined by a member of the Blair inner circle. Conversation turned to Gordon. I mentioned that, following my departure from government, I had received a handwritten letter from Gordon saying how much he had enjoyed working with me. It seems very former Minister has received an identical letter. He must have been up half the night writing them. Gordon's machine churns day and night. 'My friend was scathing. "He's mad, quite mad!'"

"What do you mean?"

"Gordon is obsessive, paranoid, secretive and lacking in personal skills. He's been responsible for two absolutely mad privatisations - air-traffic control and the London Underground - and all this talk about privatising the NHS is coming out of the Treasury - I'd probably pack it in if Gordon became leader."