UK prison officers staged an unofficial strike yesterday. Today came Brown’s response: keeping public sector pay rises low is essential to keep the lid on inflation. OK, that applies to the entire public sector, but will that reassure the prison officers? That might have been an acceptable line while he was Chancellor, but I think the prison officers (and other public sector workers) deserve something a little more conciliatory. With 81000 prisoners in overcrowded jails life as a prison guard must be even more grim that normal at the moment.

Plus ask yourselves this: is a 2.5% increase for prison workers comparable to a record £14 billion of bonuses paid out in the City of London, or 37% increases in boardroom pay? Both those stories have been in the press in the last week. Perhaps Gordon might do something about that? Or dare to raise some concerns about it in public?

[UPDATE]
Seems I agree with John McDonnell on this one. Bit of a surprise.