Don't Stop Me Now

First, this list of fixed-term job vacancies in the Labour Party head office and regions, which was released today. Coincidence?

Secondly, the builders in the Commons are going even slower than usual with the inevitable recess renovations. Word is that they're banking on another four weeks to complete them, instead of having to work late to get them all finished in time for Parliament to return on Monday.

Thirdly, the trade unions have been mobilised and asked if they couldn't possibly give the Party its pocket money in advance - please please please - and count it as a birthday AND Christmas present?

Is this what Brown actually wanted in the final analysis? At first he just seemed to be arsing around hinting that there might be an early election, in order to rattle the Tories and force them into their traditional oh-my-God-we're-going-to-the-polls, let's-start-talking-in-a-way-that-makes-us-look-a-less-inviting -electoral-prospect-than-Attila-the-Hun panic.

Then the polls started coming good over the Labour Conference period and somehow, in that hothouse of politicians, meedja, and red wine that could cut through bank vaults, everyone began talking as if a snap poll was a sure fire bonkers cert.

Cooler heads might have prevailed last weekend, but by the time the Tories had seemingly failed to behave in a manner reminiscent of the end scene of Hamlet, Cameron had spent a day wandering around radio studios demanding an election as soon as possible (didn't have much of a choice really) and there now seems to be no turning back.

And, in answer to this question, we're saying: yes.