UK voices concern after Gaza raid

Civilians inspect the damage caused after an air strike in Gaza

The UK's Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he is "deeply concerned" after Israeli airstrikes killed more than 150 people in the Gaza Strip.

He called on Palestinian militants to halt all rocket attacks on Israel and said Israel must "do everything in its power to avoid civilian casualties".

Conservative leader David Cameron called the violence "horrific" and said both sides must show "restraint".

Aid agencies in the region have also appealed for calm.

Tit-for-tat

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "Whilst we understand Israeli's obligation to protect its population, we urge maximum restraint to avert further civilian casualties.

"We also call on those in the Gaza Strip to immediately cease all acts against Israel".

The call for the two countries to reach a settlement came amid signs that tit-for-tat clashes were spiralling out of control.

A military offensive will hit ordinary people, the very people we need as partners in building a better future for the region," Jeremy HobbsOxfam International Massive Israeli air raids on Gaza In pictures: Gaza attack aftermath Malnutrition and shortages in Gaza Israel warns Hamas over rockets

The spokesman said: "The only way to achieve lasting peace in Gaza is through peaceful means."

The strikes, the most intense Israeli attacks on Gaza for decades, come days after a truce with Hamas expired.

In a statement, Israel's military said it had been targeting "Hamas terror operatives", training camps and weaponry storage warehouses.

The aid agencies - Oxfam, CARE International, CAFOD, Medico International and Diakonia - said the military action would only result in a "humanitarian catastrophe".

Jeremy Hobbs, director of Oxfam International, said a "genuine and lasting solution" was required and military action would only "alienate Gaza further".

"Gaza has already been paralysed by the Israeli blockade.

"A military attack on Gaza could completely destroy essential infrastructure for sewage treatment, water provision and electricity for hospitals and homes, with devastating impact on civilians.

"A military offensive will hit ordinary people, the very people we need as partners in building a better future for the region," he said.

Martha Myers, of CARE International, said: "There is no military solution to the situation and the upsurge in violence destroys hopes for peace, refuelling the cycle of violence.

"There is simply no alternative to negotiations to address the root causes of the conflict."

Describing the strikes as "disproportionate" and "unacceptable", Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Ed Davey said: "The danger is that this will spark a new spiral of violence and terror, when what is really needed is an international effort to restore the ceasefire.

"Israel knows the international community condemns the attacks by Hamas, but it should also realise from the past that this sort of mass attack will only postpone the peace Israel, and the region, needs."

---

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Cameron defeated in charity run

Mr Cameron was pursued by photographers through a river

Conservative leader David Cameron was beaten by three girls and a semi-naked man as he braved a cold and muddy charity run in Oxfordshire.

Mr Cameron joined competitors on the third Great Brook Run in Chadlington to raise funds for the village school.

The MP for Witney completed the mile-long course in just under 15 minutes, finishing 25th out of over 100 runners.

Afterwards, Mr Cameron joked: "Gordon Brown should come down next year and we could decide the election that way."

The race was won by Ben Chapman, 15, from Chadlington.

Another villager, Ric Yapp, who was wearing only a pair of black briefs, a red waistcoat and a Santa hat, also finished ahead of the Tory leader.

After hugging his wife Samantha and his three children, Mr Cameron said: "It was very cold.

Tunnel 'surprise'

"We had to crawl under a bridge and it was very muddy.

"But, you know, I really enjoyed it."

The race started at the Tite Inn, Chadlington, and wound its way through muddy fields before finishing back at the pub.

Adam Engberg, one of the race organisers, said he was pleased Mr Cameron had taken part.

"No-one told him about the tunnel they had to crawl through," he said.

"He was quite surprised by that."

All the contestants were awarded a medal.

Local tax 'last thing Scots need'

Ministers have said scrapping the council tax would benefit most people

Replacing council tax with a local income tax is the "last thing" Scotland needs in the economic downturn, according to Scottish Labour.

The party claimed costs for introducing the tax could run to

Website age ratings 'an option'

Andy Burnham says people need help navigating the internet

Film-style age ratings could be applied to websites to protect children from harmful and offensive material, Culture Secretary Andy Burnham has said.

Mr Burnham told the Daily Telegraph the government was looking at a number of possible new internet safeguards.

He said some content, such as clips of beheadings, was unacceptable and new standards of decency were needed.

He also plans to negotiate with the US on drawing up international rules for English language websites.

Mr Burnham, a father of three young children, believes internet-service providers should offer child-friendly web access.

'Public interest'

"Leaving your child for two hours completely unregulated on the internet is not something you can do," he told the Telegraph.

This is not a campaign against free speech... it is simply there is a wider public interest at stake Andy Burnham, Culture Secretary

"This isn't about turning back the clock. The internet has been empowering and democratising in many ways, but we haven't yet got the stakes in the ground to help people navigate their way safely around it."

He went on to say it was time to review the accessibility of certain content on the internet and insisted he was not trying to curb free speech.

"You can still view content on the internet which I would say is unacceptable. You can view a beheading," he said.

"This is not a campaign against free speech, far from it, it is simply there is a wider public interest at stake when it involves harm to other people."

On the issue of giving individual websites film-style classifications, Mr Burnham said: "That would be an option. This is an area that is really now coming into full focus."

Licence fee

In Saturday's wide-ranging newspaper interview, Mr Burnham also suggested he would allocate money raised from the BBC's commercial activities to fund other broadcasters, such as Channel Four.

On the future of the licence fee, he said: "Top-slicing the licence fee [to fund other broadcasters] is an option that is going to have to remain on the table."

But he added: ''I have to say it is not the option that I instinctively reach for first. I think there are other avenues to be explored."

Concerns over children's safety on the internet have already led to calls from the NSPCC for computer manufacturers and retailers to install security to stop children finding violent or sexual content.

A poll carried out by the children's charity in October suggested three out of four children had been disturbed by images they had seen on the internet.

In July this year, the Commons culture, media and sport select committee criticised video-sharing website YouTube, saying it needed to do more to vet its content.

At the time, Google, the firm which owns YouTube, stressed the site had strict rules and a system that allowed users to report inappropriate content.

Ministers back free football call

Ministers said free entry for youngsters would be a win, win situation

The Scottish Government has backed calls to allow thousands of children free entry to football matches.

The campaign was spearheaded by Labour MSP Frank McAveety, who said there were 60,000 empty seats at Scottish Premier League stadiums every fortnight.

Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell has now urged the SPL and Scottish Football League to consider letting youngsters into selected games for free.

He said it would be a "win, win" situation for clubs and children.

Mr Maxwell said the free entry policy - which has already been adopted by some Scots clubs - would promote healthy lifestyles, as well as stoking interest in Scotland's national game.

"Many football stadia don't fully sell out and I would urge clubs to show some goodwill at this time of year and take advantage of the atmosphere and enthusiasm that the extra numbers of young people will generate," he added.

Meanwhile, former Hearts and Scotland star Gary Mackay has also backed the campaign by Mr McAveety, a former Scottish sports minister.

"Supporters are the lifeblood of the game and the earlier youngsters get involved the quicker they get the bug and become lifelong supporters," said Mr Mackay.

2008: A year in words

Politicians always have plenty to say and 2008 at Westminster was no different. BBC political reporter Justin Parkinson looks at some of the words that rose to prominence over the last year.

A******* What a way to start. It's not a new grade for top-performing A-level students but a rather unpleasant anatomical term - asterisked to preserve readers' feelings. Lib Dem MP Greg Mulholland said it to health minister Ivan Lewis for allegedly not giving way to him during a Commons debate.

Carla Bruni added charm to her husband's state visit

Bulimia - After almost a year out of the limelight, former deputy PM John Prescott revealed his eating disorder in his memoirs.

Carla How they all sighed. Even the Duke of Edinburgh was in thrall to Carla Bruni, former model and wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, when the couple took part in a state visit in March. How cruel of the British tabloids to print topless photos of CB at the same time.

Cojones In 2003, Nick Clegg - two years before he became an MP, let alone Lib Dem leader - said not holding a referendum on an EU constitution would show a lack of cojones - Spanish for certain male body parts associated, for some reason, with courage. Shadow foreign secretary William Hague reprised the term in a debate on the EU treaty in March. Things became painful when he noted that the Lib Dems, who did not favour a referendum on the treaty, had "become separated from their cojones". He added: "These unfortunate objects are to be found impaled on a distant fence." Ouch.

Conquests On a completely unrelated subject Mr Clegg appeared to admit in a magazine interview that he had had liaisons with up to 30 women. MPs have long memories for such things. Cue guffaws around the Commons chamber in December when the Lib Dem leader informed them that a single mother with two children had turned up at his constituency office. A cruel wag shouted: "31."

Who wants to wallow in champagne when haggis is on the menu?

Decisions Usually prefixed with the words "right" and "long-term". Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in an effort to emphasise his indefatigability - and testing the audience's to the limit - uttered the "D" word constantly as if a mantra.

Dithering The word used almost as often by Gordon Brown's opponents who had a rather different take on his decision-making style

Downturn Last year it was the credit crunch, but this year - as the full scope of the world's economic woes came to light - it became a downturn. Will there be an upturn next year. Or freefall?

Expenses Taxis, homes, the John Lewis list: they were all at it, those who choose to decry the noble profession of politics argued.

Haggis - Labour peer Lord Desai described Gordon Brown as being rather like this Scottish delicacy. Predecessor Tony Blair was more akin to champagne. Give us mince, onions and oatmeal wrapped in a sheep's stomach - rather than expensive fizz - any day, said Mr Brown's supporters.

Heathcliff Up in the windy rooms of Number 10, a magnificent, brooding, dark-browed Mr Brown was hatching ideas to save the economy. In an embarrassing episode, he appeared to tell the New Statesman he thought he was a little like an "older, wiser" version of Heathcliff, the dastardly anti-hero of Emily Bronte's novel Wuthering Heights. It was not long before the Bronte museum pointed out this character might not be the best role model, given that he was guilty of domestic abuse and was possibly a murderer who had dug up the remains of his dead lover. Well, no-one's perfect.

Jersey boy: The PM became Peter's friend again

Iceland In the 1995 film Canadian Bacon the American government - in desperate need of popularity - starts a cold war with its mild-mannered northern neighbour. Some US citizens take the propaganda a bit seriously and start launching cross-border raids, leaving the Canadians somewhat bemused. The collapse of Iceland's banking sector and subsequent use of anti-terror legislation to freeze the country's UK assets might have left the inhabitants of this small island country feeling similarly scapegoated. It was much easier when all we rowed about was cod.

Jumper Restoring its poll ratings and saving the economy will not be a walkover - but at least the government won't be short of pullovers. Peter Mandeslon breezed back into Downing Street wearing his trademark crimson jersey. How does it compare with ermine, one wonders?

Kebab Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was quoted in a newspaper saying she did not feel safe walking about some parts of London at night. Cue outcry - wasn't it her job to ensure law and order? To limit the political damage, an aide pointed out that Ms Smith had dared to venture where few other sober people do - into a kebab shop. The plot thickened like fat congealing on a discarded doner when it was claimed she had been accompanied by a bodyguard.

Kilroy The Veritas MEP Robert Kilroy Silk, a one-time Labour MP and star of daytime TV, hit our screens again in I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here. The audience obliged, deciding he should be the first person evicted from the jungle camp.

He could have danced all night - but thankfully he didn't

Lapdancing Nightclub owner and prolific lothario Peter Stringfellow told a select committee hearing of the joys of "gentlemen's clubs". All was going well until he somewhat ungallantly said a former dancer, turned anti-lapdance campaigner - also giving evidence - must have worked in the business "some time ago".

Mandelson Even Nostradamus would have missed this one. Didn't Brown hate him? Didn't he hate Brown? Seemingly not. In the biggest rematch since Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor tied the knot for a second time, Peter Mandelson was back, with a gift even those movie legends could not have bestowed on each other - a peerage.

Medals We did rather well in the Olympics, with politicians keen to capitalise. To be fair to sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe, he had the foresight to bet Team GB would beat the Australians and - to the surprise of all but the most optimistic - it did. Other parliamentarians, though, only started showing an interest when the golds began to rack up. Champion cyclist and BBC Sports Personality of the Year Chris Hoy became so irritated, he accused those queuing up to praise him of "cashing in" on his success. Never.

Morrissey As a good 1980s boy, that charming man David Cameron decided to pay a visit to the iconic Salford Lads Club, as featured on the cover of the Smiths album The Queen is Dead, on a trip to the North West. Local MP Hazel Blears was incensed and sought to stop it all happening.

Nationalisation To the tune of The Red Flag: "What will they do about the banks? They'll buy them up, just like the Yanks."

Nudge Another "N" word, beloved of shadow chancellor George Osborne. Basically, the US-created theory is that we are all idiots who need just a little bit of help to make the right decisions. Er, explain that again.

Obamamania He came; he saw; he was feted. Months before Barack Obama was elected as US president, party leaders were queuing up for a chat and a photoshoot. Then, after he beat John McCain, they claimed to be his spiritual twin.

Prickly This term was used by John Prescott to describe Gordon Brown's attitude to his colleagues. Glass houses? Pots and kettles?

Saved Had Gordon Brown gone too far this time? During PMQs in December, he mistakenly informed MPs his government had "saved the world". Of course he had not meant to say it, but it provided Tory MPs with probably their best moment of the year at Westminster.

Serjeant/Sergeant The serjeant at arms, who allowed officers into Tory MP Damian Green's Commons office without a warrant, was criticised for dancing to the police's tune. Former BBC political correspondent John Sergeant became a national hero for hauling himself and his long-suffering partner about with scant regard for rhythm. His hoofing and goofing on Strictly Come Dancing promised to become an embarrassment for the show's makers, as the public kept voting him through. In the end the Big S fell on his sword.

Unhypothetical The government had a tough old time trying to pass a law allowing terror suspects to be detained for up to 42 days without charge. In fact, peers threw it out and ministers gave up the ghost. But some linguistic good has come from the debacle. When announcing the plans in January, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said they would be in place for when the threat becomes "unhypothetical". The Oxford English Dictionary had never heard of it. Nor had we.

Are zombies able to make the right long-term decisions?

Walkabout After the doubts about Jacqui Smith's bravery (see "Kebabs" above), Labour MPs Keith Vaz and Diane Abbott proved their mettle by strolling around after dark in London's Stoke Newington - where the cappuccinos can scold and no-one dares look an organic food shop owner in the eye. Nothing much happened, much to the disappointment of the entourage of journalists invited along.

Walkout They weren't happy and they didn't care who knew it. In March, Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman Ed Davey raged against the injustice of not being allowed a debate on the wider aspects of the UK's membership of the EU. The Deputy Speaker would not have it and - after one intervention too many - he expelled the normally mild-mannered Kingston and Surbiton MP. His frontbench colleagues all stomped out in support. Parliament was never the same - until the next day.

Yacht Lord Mandelson and shadow chancellor George Osborne had a fine old time off the coast of Corfu over the summer, enjoying the hospitality of seafaring Russian billionaire Oleg Depipaska. But then the Labour man returned from Brussels to the UK and was accused of spreading "poison" about Gordon Brown - rather than eating poisson (consult your French dictionaries) in a taverna. Mr Osborne was blamed for briefing the press, breaking the gentleman's rule that "what goes on tour, stays on tour". Claim followed counter-claim and counter-claim followed claim about who talked about what with the Russian chap before eventually even the most nerdy of politicos lost interest.

Zombie Not a reader of the press on day 3,267 of the Osborne/Mandelson affair, but Nick Clegg's description of the government, given in his closing speech to the Lib Dem conference. But don't zombies devour the living? We may find out in 2009.

Police taped arrest of MP Green

Damian Green's arrest sparked a huge political row

The police officers who arrested Conservative frontbench MP Damian Green were wearing sound recording equipment, the Metropolitan Police has said.

Police said a tape recording was made "without his knowledge" but with the "best of intentions" to provide an accurate record of the arrest.

The Met has referred the issue to the Surveillance Commissioner for advice.

Tories accused police of "heavy-handed tactics" when Mr Green was arrested as part of a Home Office leak inquiry.

The shadow immigration minister was held by police for nine hours after his arrest on 27 November and had his Commons offices searched. He was released on bail without charge.

'Total transparency'

The Met said: "A tape sound recording was made of the MP's arrest and subsequent period in police charge, without his knowledge, prior to arrival at Belgravia Police station from Kent.

"This was authorised at superintendent level to provide an accurate record of anything that may have been said by officers or the MP over a period of nearly two and a half hours.

"This was done with the best of intentions but to ensure total transparency this mater matter has been voluntarily referred to the Office of the Surveillance Commissioners (OSC) for their advice.

The Met said the Crown Prosecution Service was aware of the information which would be fully disclosable if any proceedings took place.

The arrest sparked a row between the officer in charge of the inquiry, Met Police Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick, and the Conservatives.

Police were originally told in October about alleged leaks from the Home Office.

Victims of crime 'not put first'

Louise Casey said the scheme would have to be "driven very, very hard"

The Probation Service has an "institutional reluctance to put the public first", the government's neighbourhood crime adviser has said.

Louise Casey said probation officers had "a kind of institutional desire to put offenders first, over and over".

She pointed to opposition in the service to criminals wearing high-visibility clothing as a punishment.

Probation officers have warned the clothing could increase the risk of offenders becoming targets for attacks.

Criminals started wearing the jackets while carrying out community punishments on 1 December.

'No brainer'

Ms Casey said the level of opposition to the plan in the Probation Service meant it would have to be "driven very, very hard".

I want people in the criminal justice system to believe that it is not their justice system. It is the public's justice system Louise CaseyHome Office adviser

"But this is just the beginning to opening up the criminal justice system," she added.

"The other thing that will meet huge resistance is sharing information about what happens to criminals."

She said it was a "no brainer" to make criminals wear the jackets, which have the words "Community Payback" on the back.

The Home Office adviser said the scheme showed the public that criminals who were not sent to prison were being punished.

She also supported the idea of people being informed about the outcome of crimes in their area by leaflets put through letterboxes.

Soft option

Ms Casey said there should be more information given to the public about the punishments handed down to the guilty.

"So much crime is not brought to justice because the public do not bother or have no faith in the system or don't want to go into court to give evidence," she said.

"If we do not get some of these things right, that is what will continue."

She added: "I want people in the criminal justice system to believe that it is not their justice system. It is the public's justice system."

The government hopes the high-visibility uniforms will increase confidence in community-based punishments, which are seen by some people as a soft option compared with prison.

However, the National Association of Probation Officers (Napo) and the Probation Chiefs Association have voiced concerns about the scheme.

When it was launched, Napo assistant general secretary Harry Fletcher said "wearing the so-called 'vests of shame' introduces unnecessary risk" because offenders could become easily identifiable targets.

Iraqi MPs back foreign troop deal

British troops are due to be withdrawn from Iraq next year

Iraqi MPs have authorised the government to sign agreements allowing British and other non-US troops to stay on in the country after 2008.

They approved the move after speaker Mahmoud Mashhadani resigned at the demand of Shia and Kurdish parties, ending a political impasse.

The US earlier struck its own security pact to keep troops in Iraq to 2011.

Foreign troops' UN mandate runs out on 31 December after which they require a new legal basis to be in Iraq.

Most of the non-US foreign troops currently deployed in Iraq are British.

The British troops are due to leave Iraq by the end of July next year, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said last week.

Other foreign, non-US troops include Australians and Romanians.

El Salvador announced on Tuesday it would end its military presence in Iraq on 31 December.

Salvadorean President Elias Antonio Saca pointed to the "lack of a UN resolution" as the reason for withdrawing the 200-strong contingent.

British relief

Tuesday's vote ends a week of uncertainty over the legal status of British, Australian and other foreign troops in Iraq, BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt reports from Basra.

NON-US FORCES IN IRAQ UK - 4,100 Australia - 1,000 Romania - 500 El Salvador - 200 Estonia - 40

Reza Jawad Taqi, an MP from the main pro-government Shia bloc, told the BBC the resolution had been passed by an overwhelming majority in the Iraqi parliament.

That should clear the way for the Iraqi government to sign bilateral deals with Britain and the other nations whose troops will be staying on in Iraq into next year, our correspondent says.

She adds that the passing of the resolution will come as a relief to the British government and the UK's armed forces, who would have faced a legal limbo over their right to remain in Iraq to complete their mission had the agreement not been voted in on time.

'World's worst parliament'

Turmoil over the speaker had led to a vote on the extension of the mandate - scheduled for Monday - being postponed.

Mr Mashhadani had been under pressure to quit since failing to control a shouting match over the journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W Bush earlier this month.

"I announce that I'm resigning from my position as parliament speaker in the interests of the people," he said in a speech to MPs.

The outgoing speaker, a member of the Sunni minority, has long been a controversial figure, blaming many of Iraq's troubles on the US military presence.

But when MPs debated the shoe incident, he enraged Shia and Kurdish lawmakers by using crude language and describing Iraq's assembly as "the worst parliament in the world".

This week he also insulted two female Iraqi MPs.

Meanwhile, the journalist arrested after the attack on Mr Bush is due to go on trial on 31 December, his brother and a judge said.

Muntadar al-Zaidi is accused of "aggression against a foreign head of state" over the 14 December incident.

Poll Watch: Review of 2008

David Cameron's party has been ahead in the polls throughout 2008.

Analysis By David Cowling Editor, BBC political research unit

What a difference a year makes. Or does it? In January, a Populus/Times poll registered a 4% Conservative lead over Labour - precisely the same lead they recorded in December.

However, the bit in the middle has been fairly interesting as can be seen here by the month-by-month averages from major opinion polls in 2008:

No. of polls

Con

Lab

Lib Dem

January

7

38%

33%

18%

February

4

39%

33%

18%

March

5

39%

32%

19%

April

7

40%

31%

19%

May

5

43%

29%

18%

June

6

45%

26%

19%

July

7

44%

27%

17%

August

4

45%

26%

17%

September

5

43%

27%

17%

October

6

42%

30%

17%

November

8

42%

33%

16%

December

5

39%

35%

15%

They show that between May and October, double-digit Conservative leads became the norm, rising to a 28% lead in MORI's September poll.

However, as the credit crunch developed into a ferocious international firestorm the trend in the polls changed and by December Labour found itself a relatively healthier 1% to 5% behind the Conservatives.

Some of this revival seems due to the recovery of Gordon Brown's personal standing in the country. Populus/Times recorded that recovery in the latest findings of their regular question on who is most trusted to handle the economy.

They have regularly asked this question: With Britain's economy facing problems in the months or years ahead, who would you most trust to deal with it in the best interests of Britain?

In November 2007 35% said David Cameron and George Osborne compared with 28% saying Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling.

More volatile

After a Spring recovery for the Labour pair, Cameron/Osborne then established a 10 point (40% vs 30%) lead in May 2008. They held that lead through the summer and were still seven points ahead in October.

But then the Brown/Darling team bounced back to lead by 36% to 33% in November and 40% to 31% when the question about the economy in December.

So, Gordon Brown's personal standing has improved significantly but he has not yet been able to translate that credit into the promise of general election success.

Many respondents regard him as the best person to steer the country through the present economic crisis but not necessarily to lead the country after the next election.

However, it would be wise to view these opinions with some caution. No-one has seen the scale of the current recession for 70 years.

Conventional wisdom about how voters react in 'normal' economic downturns may not be helpful in what could be a truly dire situation for the world economy. And in any event, these days voters are more volatile than ever.

ICM/Guardian (sampled 24-25 September, 2008) asked respondents whether they were strong supporters of the party they said they would vote for, or might consider voting differently at the next election.

ICM had asked this same question in 1996, prior to Labour's 1997 landslide general election victory and the differences are interesting.

Uncertainties

In the 2008 poll 52% of Conservatives, 56% of Labour voters and 37% of Lib Dems described themselves as strong supporters of their party.

In the 1996 poll 67% of Conservatives, 75% of Labour voters and 53% of Lib Dems would consider voting differently.

So there has been a general decline in the proportions of people who describe themselves as strong supporters of their party.

This means that whereas three-quarters of Labour voters in 1996 declared themselves to be strong supporters of the party, only just over half of Conservative voters said the same of their party in 2008.

This is a timely reminder that next year's economic uncertainties are matched by political uncertainties as well.

Will a major recession create a public reaction that sweeps the incumbent government away?

Or will the sheer scale of the economic horrors to come persuade people that change is the last thing they want and that sticking with nurse is the best policy?

There are over 40 million electors in the UK and how they will react in the face of the crisis engulfing us cannot be predicted for certain. But it seems fair to say that 2009 is likely to be a lively political year.