Tribune – Comment, news and reviews from Britain's democratic left

Climate change special
Social justice must be at the heart of deliberations in Copenhagen, says John Prescott

Climate change special
Measures to ensure people use their cars much less are essential, argues Richard Hebditch

Climate change special
The left must embrace planning as central to the achievement of its goals, says John Healey

I don’t think I am entirely alone in being uncertain what to do about the war in Afghanistan. I bet there are many thousands, including MPs and perhaps even a few ministers and shadow ministers, who can’t make up their minds whether we should soldier on or cut our losses and pull out. Who knows – perhaps even President Barack Obama is one of us. He is certainly taking his time about deciding on his future strategy.

The media frenzy over the Prime Minister’s scrawl and the queasy manipulation of a grieving mother by the Wapping machine tell me that Rupert Murdoch will demand a high price from David Cameron for doing the Conservative leader’s dirty work.

Things I used to believe as unassailable facts are fast slipping into the hazy land of “maybe”. I am no longer certain of anything. I’m feeling very disorientated, as if I’ve been overdoing those drugs the Government says are more dangerous than horse-riding. Which, incidentally, is nonsense. I know no one who has suffered a broken leg from falling off a spliff. Or lost fifty quid on a reefer at Lingfield Park.

Ian Hernon says experienced Labour MPs are lining up to quit and more are likely to follow their lead