Imagine a policy that could reverse the decline of Labour's fortunes, a policy that is not only politically brave but also politically achievable. A policy that is symbolic of what a Labour government should stand for, which is both long and short term, and would help people who are struggling under tumultuous economic conditions.

Our campaign for a sensible one-off windfall tax is gaining huge momentum - with rising energy costs set to become the political issue. Over 80 Labour MPs have now given their backing, more importantly our YouGov poll shows 67% support amongst the UK population. Press latest: Brown faces party revolt over energy windfall tax, The Observer; Gordon Brown faces high-level revolt over windfall tax, The Times; MPs call for energy windfall tax, BBC News Online; 70 MPs sign petition for windfall tax on energy and utility firms to help fuel poor, The Guardian; Brown blamed for economic downturn, The Guardian; MPs battle for windfall tax, The Mirror; MPs call for energy windfall tax, ITV.com; Brown faces backbench rebellion if he fails to slap windfall tax, Daily Mail; Windfall tax to help poor is still on cards, Evening Standard; PM faces revolt over energy tax, The Sun; Windfall profits?, BBC News Online.

As reported exclusively in The Observer, as energy giants continued to announce record price rises this week, a YouGov poll commissioned by Compass has demonstrated overwhelming public support for a one-off tax on the windfall profits of the energy and oil companies.

In 1918, after the suffragette campaign, the fourth reform act was introduced, famously granting suffrage to women over the age of 30. In 1928 the fifth great reform act was passed, another revolutionary act which made female suffrage equal to male suffrage at the age of 21.

We're delighted that Compass members and supporters have now raised over £3500 for our windfall tax campaign fund - it enables us to commission some professional polling on this important issue and do much more. We're also pleased to announce that 70 Labour MPs now back a windfall tax. Please keep the donations coming and carry on lobbying MPs and the Chancellor!  

The recent intervention by David Miliband and the resulting manoeuvrings reveals much about the febrile state within the Labour Party. Beyond the Blairite-Brownite soap opera, which goes on even after one of the protagonists leaves the stage - rather like Ernie Wise continuing to define himself after poor Eric passed away - this is an existential crisis for Labour.

Over the last decade, the stratospheric rise in the UK's housing market, together with the associated climb in levels of personal debt to levels likely to affect the orbit of the International Space Station, will come to be seen as the true legacy of Labour's period in office.

Short of opting for self-catering at Butlins, Gordon Brown couldn't have chosen a dafter holiday destination than Southwold in Suffolk. It might be good for his carbon footprint and demonstrate the contrast with his predecessor who preferred luxurious foreign jaunts at someone else's expense, but it provides no escape, no rest and no protection from the pounding pressures of government and none of the other things the Prime Minister desperately needs

Reason, if that can possibly be the right word in the circumstances, appeared to intervene unexpectedly in the Russian excursion into Georgia. With expectations that Moscow was about to commit a reckless blunder, or a calculated provocation, by pushing the tanks on to Tbilisi, a halt was called.

Reports that the government is looking to hand out ‘fuel vouchers' to those in fuel poverty this winter, at a glance at least, looked like the government had started to listen.