Much to be pondered..
Let's begin with Gordon Brown, and the future of the Labour Party.. Tony held his last Cabinet Meeting today, looking over a group that will likely be vastly different this time next week. Gordon himself made a lengthy speech, praising Tony for his leadership over the past decade, recalling such changes as the minimum wage, the improvements(sic) in the National Health Service, the general rise of Britain as a world power again through it's extended relationships with other governments, and his handling of the EU... then Tony stood and, while it seemed through gritted teeth, said that he had complete confidence in Gordon's takeover of the Party, and the continued success of Labour..
However, it would appear the Gordon himself does not completely share Tonys hopes for Labour.. In what Gordon has called 'drawing together a Cabinet of the Greatest Talent'.. he has made approaches to the Liberal Democrats, offering the former leader of the LibDems, Lord Paddy Ashdown, the position of Northern Ireland Secretary.. a position Lord Ashdown has turned down with the greatest of contempt..
In fact, the LibDems have accused Gordon of conducting 'underhanded and dirty attempts at political amalgamation'.. and has issued a statement that they, as a Party, will not be drawn into what they call a 'bungalow annex' to bolster what Gordon obviously sees as the distinct possibility of Labour either losing the next General Election, or surviving as a minority government..
Sir Menzies Campbell has assured all concerned, that the Liberal Democrats will remain the 'real' opposition to whatever Party forms the next government, and will have no part in a coalition..
Bad news for Gordon..
And what makes it worse, especially in the eyes of the British man on the street, is that it shows a sense of desperation in Gordons outlook for what may be a difficult 18 months ahead, and a pessimistic view of what next may be the outcome at the polls..

Now, Tony's not quite done yet. He has a week to go, and will attend the next General Meeting of the European Parliament, where he has made it quite plain that he will not support a proposed 'European Constitution, if it would infringe on basically four issues.. those being Britains control over it's Judiciary, it's power to Parliamentary control over British Laws.. control over social services and benefits.. and perhaps most importantly, control over foreign policy..
All of these issues are at the heart of the European Constitution, and leaders of countries the likes of France and Germany have expressed dismay that Britain, the home of modern democracy, the originator of a Parliamentary and democratic system, would veto what would distinctly amount to the formation of an United States of Europe..and send any decision on whether Britain would agree to accepting 'full-membership' in this amalgamation of European powers, to a referendum by the British people. They don't seem to understand why Britains Parliament alone, can make the commitment..
Now herein the problem. Representation in this new European Parliament.
Countries the likes of Poland, which has a healthy population, would have less Members, due to representation by population, than some of the newer Eastern European countries which have just joined the EU..
Britain stands under the same umrella..
While it would benefit the Continental countries to a huge extent to have a common system of Social Welfare.. Judicial powers.. foreign policy powers.. economic unanimity.. It could do nothing but reduce Britain to yet another member of a conglomeration of developing and bankrupt countries, which are desperately trying to correct their own internal powers by allowing as many countries to join as possible, in the vain hope that numbers alone will force prosperity..
The British people have seen enough of their own sovereignty passed over to Brussels, and the EU knows this. A referendum in this country, would scuttle completely the plans drawn up by those countries wanting pre-eminence in this unification process, those being mainly France, and Germany.
One of Tonys last hurrahs, will be to turn this down, unless considerable changes are made to the draft 'constitution'..
As for the 'Berlin Agreement'.. Tony has already put paid to that by demanding that the British people themselves will have their vote, on whether or not we will turn over our national governments efficacy, to those across the Channel..
And those in France and Germany, understand the outcome to such a plebecite, all too well..