and so will be elevated to the House of Lords in order that he can take on his new ministerial role, responsible for communications, technology and broadcasting. (As a former head of Ofcom, the appointment makes some sense.)

The new man in the media hot seat at Number 10 is Justin Forsyth, formerly the PM's international development special adviser. A former campaign and policy director at Oxfam, he's also worked with Tony Blair on Africa and climate change issues.

According to Jackie Ashley in the Guardian, "Forsyth's great skill is keeping the huge non-governmental organisation lobby onside to such an extent that after having left Oxfam and working for Blair for a year, the former prime minister is said to have remarked: 'I am still trying to get Justin to come and work for me.'"

But Brown's slender hopes of giving Labour a fourth term in Government rest on the contribution he can get from recreating the partnership that made New Labour such a formidable electoral machine - strategy guru Peter Mandelson and spinmeister Alastair

Campbell.

Mandelson, as we all know, is back as Business Minister and there is no doubt that as the general election draws near he will play a prominent role in shaping Labour's campaign and communications strategy. He remains unbeatable in the art of 'creating a message'.

Although Campbell has told Brown he does not want his old job back officially, he is a committed Party man who played a crucial role this summer in the decision of prominent Blairites to rally behind Brown. Today's Independent reports that he is expected to a play "a key role" in the Labour campaign for the European and county council elections next June.

The bizarre story of Mandelson's Greek taverna lunch with Shadow Chancellor George Osborne proves two things: first, that Osborne is a good spinner - the best spinners use telling phrases like "dripping pure poison" - and second that Mandelson is a man the Tories fear. After all, they have learned many lessons from the Mandelson spin manual.