Hard Pressed?

Reporting of the 2001 election victory

August is traditionally a quiet month for political news, but the Tory leader Michael Howard has been trying to make the most of it with a string of policy announcements.

He's won some positive headlines for his crime strategy with a drive against political correctness in the police force and his plans for reducing government waste. But he still has a long way to go if he's to win anything like the sort of support from the press which helped sweep Tony Blair's New Labour to power in 1997.

The backing of a large section of what was once known as Fleet Street was considered crucial to Mr Blair's success. Since then that support has been greatly diluted - and it looks as if the Prime Minister may be up against a largely hostile press when he goes to the polls next year.

Our political correspondent Carole Walker assesses Downing Street's unending battle to keep the fourth estate onside.