Reid Poses as Future PM

If the police have indeed thwarted a plot to blow up numerous aircraft we must all be grateful. But politics is hard-ball and however cynical this may sound, John Reid is clearly using the opportunity to present himself as a future Prime Minister. I am watching his press conference as I write. He is doing his level best to look statesmanlike. He tell us he has chaired two COBRA meetings. He is praising the "skill and professionalism" of the police and security services. He is handling the whole business while Tony is out of the country. He is almost screaming "I'm the man!!" (well, not quite). Gordon must be watching this with a wary eye (I don't think Reid has a chance of beating Brown in a Leadership contest, but he is plainly going to give it a shot). Incidentally, Reid has a sense of humour; he says that when he was still drinking he found out he was allergic to leather: "Because every time I woke up with my shoes on I had a blinding headache".