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Last Updated: Friday, 16 May, 2003, 17:46 GMT 18:46 UK
Top US election strategist in talks with UKIP

Dick Morris
Dick Morris
Bill Clinton - otherwise known as the Comeback Kid - bounced back from mid-term unpopularity to win a second term in the White House in 1996. What - or who - turned it around?

Much of the credit is often given to Dick Morris, his key political strategist for that campaign - a controversial man who also helped elect American conservatives.

Since then Dick Morris, once described as 'the most influential private citizen in America', has turned on the man he helped to elect and set up his own high-profile voters' website, Vote.com. Now, though, his life could be about to take a surprising turn.

He has been in London to meet the leaders of the UK Independence Party, which wants Britain to pull out of the European Union. They are preparing for next year's European elections. They got three MEPs elected last time and they think Mr Morris could be the man to greatly improve that performance. He is meeting their executive and candidates this week. But is Dick Morris serious? Could he really be master-minding UKIP's campaign next year?

Click here to listen to our interview


DNA - crystalline x-ray
DNA - crystalline x-ray

It will not be that long before a routine health check involves a lot more than having your blood pressure tested. The doctor will probably check your DNA too. From a quick mouth swab, you could find out what diseases you might contract and what you can do to avoid them.

But where will your genetic information be stored? And who will have access to it? Might it be harder for you to get a job or insurance as a result? Genetic scientists say their research could have the same impact on health care as the discovery of antibiotics. Doctors, they say, will be able to do much more to predict and prevent disease, rather than just diagnosing and treating.

Not everyone is impressed. Some sceptics do not think the Government should be diverting vital resources from traditional medicine into genetic research that might not improve the health of a single person for many years to come. Is this the right priority for the NHS? The government's plans to legislate on the issue will be revealed in a white paper to be published in the next few weeks. As James Landale reports, ministers dream of Britain leading the world in this genetics revolution.

Click here to listen to James Landale's report


Michael Howard
Michael Howard

Dutiful Cabinet Ministers have spent parliament's Spring break curled up with a thriller - Gordon Brown's euro assessment. Though the Chancellor's opus has been kept secret from the rest of us, we broadly know already how it ends - with a 'not yet' to Britain joining the single currency.

The Cabinet will discuss the euro this Thursday. Next week, Mr Brown finally talks to the rest of us about it. The Shadow Chancellor, Michael Howard, is interviewed about where the Tories stand.

Click here to listen to our interview



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