"Me? Well, I'm just a backroom boy."

Has anyone else noticed the alarming similarities between Jack Straw and Francis Urquhart?

Out of nowhere the cabinet senior, who knows more about the inner workings of the Labour Party than any other, is poised to take the highest office in the land.

Like Urquhart, Straw has been the inner cog in the machine that oversaw Blair and Brown's leadership campaigns and has been known to "put the stick about" when the need arises.

The cunning operator who put people in power, now has the power to take it away.

Straw however is lacking the subtlety of Urquhart - the midnight briefings are all seemingly linked to him. TB imagines the grey suit is still in the dry-cleaners for the time being but come September will it be put on?

Remember the rule though Jack...

If student politics taught him anything he will know that the one that wields the sword never wears the crown...