Weakness, back downs and rolling over.

The announcement earlier this morning, by the government about their compensation package for the scrapping of the 10% tax break, is one of the most humilating episodes in recent times. Gordon Brown's leadership credentials are in tatters, he has no credibility left.

This whole row of the budget was his making, and his alone. It was gordon that scrapped the 10p rate in his last budget as Chancellor. It was Gordon that stood firm and said that there would be no change in policy. It was Gordon who had to plead with the PLP not to vote against the Finance Bill. It was Gordon that was forced to announce a compensation package to help the people that HIS budget would have left worse off.

The last week has shown that he is truely weak. When faced with a vote that he would have lost he backed down, he capitulated, and now looks vulnerable. Tony Blair never faced anything of this nature, because he wasn't a stubborn old "clunking fist" that didn't listen.

But it does stop there his leadership example of capitulation to try and avoid losing vote is followed by his subordinates. Gordon promised compensation to prevent a vote going against him, and Ken Livingstone this week handed a compensation package with little compensation to Metronet employees to prevent a tube strike costing him votes. The trend is there, and that is how Labour is governing under Brown's leadership.

What does worry me is that this show of weakness could be repeated yet again, this time in Europe. Remember those red lines in the Lisbon Treaty? Well, he said he would not back down over those, but then he also said he would not back down on the scrapping of the 10% tax rate.

However, it was Brown's PMQ's performance that was really telling. He tried to come out on the attack and make a back track sound like leadership. But David Cameron tore him to shreads, with Brown only being able to respond with claims of successes, all of which where in Blair's era. Gordon accused of not sticking to the central issues, but this is a major issue. Whether you support the government, or not, the one thing you want from a PM is strong leadership. I didn't like Blair, but even I will admit that he controlled a tight ship, Gordon's ship leak more than the Titanic.

So for now, the rebels have been bought off, but does anybody make out of that? Well, no. Yet again the only way the people affected by the tax increases will be able to see any money will be to beg for the money back through tax credits! What is it with this government and tax credits. they make the system so bueraucratic that the people affected don't apply, or by some technicality, get less than they deserve. How demeaning, instead of lower paid people instantly getting the money in their pay packets they will now have to go cap in hand, and beg for the money back.

Party of the people, my arse.