According to the BBC: Never someone I agreed with politically, I nevertheless have a huge amount of respect for John Reid, and it will be sad to see him go.

Shock news on the Politics Show as Reid announces he will stand down as Home Secretary and become a backbencher under a Brown government.

John Reid supposedly will stand in a contest against Brown if Miliband refuses. I, for one, think Reid should be appluaded for such a move.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/08/nlab08.xml

Date: Wednesday 18th April

Time: 7:30pm

Venue: Clifford Chance, 10 Upper Bank Street, London E14 5JJ

SmartJustice are a campaign group seeking to bring a bit of reason to the kind of hysterical headlines we can see today on the 'crime crisis'.

Lucie Russell of SmartJustice speaks out on whether the prisons crisis is caused by or is a cause of rising crime.

You are honoured by my presence. I can tell. That's why you will find me irresistible. Here I give you just a taste, just to whet your appetite. Reidmylips, things can only get better. Reid on and find out for yourselves...

An interesting article on the AOL site today. John Reid is to begin a consultation process and publish draft proposals to stop convicted criminals writing their memoirs (and presumably profiting from them).
http://news.aol.co.uk/criminals-face-ban-on-book-writing/article/20061027084809990001

So what is the issue here? Whilst I can see how emotive factors such as the Ian Huntley murders could be a prime mover, as progressives should Labour members and MPs be supporting this action?

Reid has drastic solutions to a drastic problem, but is he right?

But it's not all bad news from Frank Luntz's poll.

to edge closer to a proper assesment of their chances, it would be interesting to get a feel for the level of support that potential candidates would be able to garner amongst the key constituencies - MPs, CLPs, Trade Unions

The process will also be a key factor.  As the Tories demonstrate, if there is a long contest, and a real platform for the candidates to project themselves to the members, this can be critical for a less well known candidate to come from behind.

Todays revelations about the alleged terror plot to blow up transatlantic flights is a scary reminder of a world where the indiscriminate slaughter of innocent men, women and children is a tactic all too readily used by extremists.
Police have already said that it was an attempt to cause "mass murder on an unimaginable scale".