Brown and the economy

Who needs enemies when they've got friends like this?

The Prime Minister must be thinking this as he surveys the coverage in this weekend's press.

Wall to wall gloom about his performance, lists of potential runners and riders to replace him being lined up, even Labour-supporting papers like the Guardian joining the speculation over Gordon Brown's future.

The problems just keep on coming.

Philip Hammond

The saga over the Olympic torch, rows over 42 day detention, post office closures and the abolition of the 10 pence starting rate of income tax.

When it comes to issues like these Mr Brown appears to be - in the phrase coined by his predecessor John Smith about John Major - "the man with the non-Midas touch".

Let's concentrate on one of those issues for a moment. The 10p rate which, as we'll discuss a little later is continuing to irk Labour backbenchers.

But what about the approach adopted by the Conservatives?

David Cameron has invited discontented MPs to join him in opposing the change when it comes to the vote on the Finance Bill later this month. But how would his party replace the £7-8bn that the change would raise?

Philip Hammond is the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. We asked him to explain why won't the Conservatives tell us?