New controversy has hit the Brown Government amid the speculation that Lord Digby Jones will be leaving his position as Trade Minister before the next election. The former director general of the CBI was brought in apparently in a move toward Brown's big tent politics. Jones is commonly seen as more Tory than Labour, so his departure is certainly better late than never, but the question should not be why is Digby Jones leaving? But, why was he ever allowed in, in the first place?

Polly Toynbee is invariably referred to as one of the most influential commentators of the New Labour era, reviled and revered in equal measure.  This doyenne of the Left was formerly BBC social affairs editor and an associate editor of the Independent before rejoining the Guardian in 1998, where she had spent many years earlier in her career and where she still resides.  In this in depth interview with Polly - the first for many years - Chuka Umunna, editor of TMP (the online political magazine) and Compass management committee member, talks to Polly about life and her views.

Involve invites you to the third seminar in our "Participation Nation" series in association with Ipsos-MORI with keynote speaker Ed Miliband MP, Minister for the Third Sector. ""Better Things To Do With Our Time? A Progressive Vision of Citizenship for Modern Britain" will examine current issues surrounding public participation from a progressive perspective.

Responding will be Polly Toynbee, The Guardian, Tim Horton, Research Director at the Fabian Society, Ben Page of Ipsos-MORI and Stella Creasy, Involve. The event will take place at Local Government House, Smith Square, London at 6.30pm on the 1st May 2007. If you wish to attend this seminar please email miliband@involve.org.uk