Trouble at the top

The tensions at the top of government have been well documented this week. David Blunkett has been battling on all fronts, both political and personal, as the ‘nannygate’ affair still dominates the papers. Gordon Brown is under fire for basing his pre-budget report on over-optimistic predictions of Britain’s economic growth. And Armed Forces minister Adam Ingram is on the defensive over fresh allegations about the Deepcut barracks. Perhaps all of them could take advice from our columnist Patience Wheatcroft, who looks at how the beleaguered Jonathan Bloomer, head of the Pru, is fighting back.