So the Prime Minister has got his Education Bill through the House of Commons. Is he a modern-day Ramsay MacDonald, whose name was reviled throughout Labour clubs up and down the land after splitting his party and forming a national coalition with the Tories? Probably not, there's certainly no prospect of David Cameron getting his hands on any share of power any time soon and it's not the first time that a Government has had a Bill passed with the help of the Opposition.

But it does add to the general feeling that pervades no. 10 at the moment that Mr Blair is just finding the whole thing a bit of a hassle. There are rumours of loans for peerages - a throwback to David Lloyd George - and with Iraq descending further into the pit of despair, things are tough indeed for the PM. I don't hate Mr Blair as some do, although there can be no question that he, and many others, let's not forget, got it badly wrong on Iraq, but it does seem a long time now since that sunny day at the beginning of May 1997 when he and Cherie strode beaming up Downing Street and all seemed right with the world.