It's time to Reshuffle Off, Tony!

3.07.03pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 8th May 2006

The local elections this month didn't inspired too many readers to actually go and vote, but the results have certainly set the political world spinning.

I am delighted to say that the Liberal Democrats had their fifth successive year of gains across the country - we even came within 80 votes of taking Bramhall North from the Tories, their 'safest' seat in Stockport. We had some impressive wins elsewhere in the North West, seeing-off the BNP in Burnley, moving up to take effective control of Rochdale, and beating both Labour and Tories out of sight in South Lakeland.

Labour will no doubt take consolation on a bad night from their capture of another Tory seat in Stockport, whilst the Tories are still puzzling over how their high profile attempt to win their first Manchester seat flopped so badly. In fact still without a single seat in Liverpool, Manchester, or Newcastle, the Conservatives weren't able to translate media hype into action when it mattered.

But the real story is the panic reshuffle that the Prime Minister unveiled the next day. Most of Labour's top names found themselves unexpectedly sitting at new desks - or out on the back benches. Tony Blair seemed very keen to make sure the blame for his party's performance, both in government and at the ballot box, was firmly pinned on his subordinates, leaving him to sail on regardless.

So it is hardly a surprise that some of them have kicked up, reminding Mr Blair that he is as much responsible for the mess they are in as they are. Certainly when I was door-knocking in the local elections I found plenty of former Labour voters who agreed with that. It is no good giving the crew new jobs if the captain is still steering straight for the ice-berg.

Britain needs a change of course - internationally, to tackle poverty and climate change, and the big issues of war and famine, and nationally, where our society is more sharply divided now into rich and poor than when Labour came to power, and services like the NHS are near breaking point. And we need more decisions taken locally by people who know what is needed, and fewer taken in Whitehall by officials who still need a map and compass to find Stockport.

Tony Blair should finish the job and reshuffle himself - as he long ago promised to do. He's not just a liability to his party, but to Britain, too.

End