Neatly timed for the publication of the 127th book about the first instalment (Jonathan Powell's), the Labour Civil War Mark II began at the weekend. Leading the neo-Blairite cavaliers was Peter Hyman, the Mr Tony adviser turned inner-city Mr Chips and Newsnight sage, who deflected any suspicions about his friend David Miliband's sense of entitlement by accusing Little Ed of "stealing his brother's crown". Ed's victory was a "catastrophe" for Labour, says Peter.

Labour's new leader will be able to hire and fire his or her shadow cabinet under radical reforms drawn up by the former foreign secretary Margaret Beckett.

Gordon Brown was "aware of what was happening" as Britain edged closer to war with Iraq but was kept in the dark about some key developments, the inquiry heard today.

Former foreign secretary Jack Straw today denied blocking detailed cabinet discussion on the attorney general's advice on the legality of military action against Iraq.

Tax increases need to form part of Gordon Brown's strategy for dealing with Britain's deficit if he wants voters to believe that he will repair the economy, a former cabinet minister said last night.

If this is a "lessons learnt" inquiry, there were lessons galore from Clare Short. Yes, yes, I know, it was "Clare". We all knew what she was going to say. Old scores were to be settled. She'd ramble. She'd forget the question. She'd stick the knife into Alastair. "Oh, Clare!"

Tony Blair deceived Parliament about the grounds for invading Iraq because he believed it was right to go to war, the inquiry into the conflict heard today.

Britain's senior military chiefs threatened to resign in protest at defence cuts a year after the Iraq invasion, the inquiry into the war heard today.