A renewed sense of purpose

The Government has renewed its sense of purpose over the last few days. Of course, the lower tax thresholds should have been lifted in the first place. But doing so now is both right and fair, and given the base hypocrisy of the Tories, who had no answer to the question about how they would have responded, their protestations sound hollow. As importantly, by setting out a legislative programme for the autumn, Gordon Brown is showing that he means business for the year ahead. Labour has had a serious jolt in recent weeks. But it must not allow such setbacks to prevent it enabling the continuing improvements in health and education, and the social justice, that it was elected for a third time to deliver.