Overexcited Political Commentators

The education Bill votes this evening have sent the UK's political commentators into hyperdrive. Familiar grave pontificating about 'Blair's authority being fatally weakened, his reform programme in tatters etc. etc'. How often has such stuff been heard in the last eight years? I wonder if these 'professional' analysts have remembered that we're probably over three years away from an election or that Mr Blair has said he won't fight it.

Most of them seem to have overlooked the fact that this was a 'safe' rebellion for Labour MPs who knew the Bill would get through. As the Times leader writer puts it (tomorrow) "If this had been a political life-or-death division for Mr Blair, it can be assumed that some of those Labour MPs who revolted against him yesterday evening might well have stayed their hands."

Life has been pretty dull of late for political hacks and there are so many of them now competing for our attention. But, if any of them think that this evening's votes will have the slightest influence over the result of the next general election, they should be sacked!