CARD’S A WINNING HAND

One of Tony Blair’s most successful electoral gimmicks to win his 1997 landslide was Labour’s pledge card handed out by canvassers on the doorstep.

It summarised promises Blair’s government would keep in its first year in power.

These included cutting NHS waiting lists, reducing school class sizes and not hiking income tax, as the Conservatives had predicted Labour would.

As it was the size of a credit card it slipped easily into wallets or purses so voters could check that promises were delivered. With another General Election looming

Labour’s Deputy Leader Tom Watson wants to revive the card with a pledge to Remain and Transform.

That means a second referendum to remain in the EU and investment to transform Britain by addressing the reasons for the nation narrowly voting to leave – deprivation, inequality and lack of opportunity.

The threat of a LibDem revival is real and it would hammer Labour’s vote share.

This is an idea whose time has come. Again. This year marks the 60th anniversary of Margaret Thatcher becoming an MP and 40 years since she became Britain’s first woman PM in 1979.

But I’m not sure if the Iron Lady was alive she would appreciate the way the House of Commons is celebrating these events... with an exhibition featuring her unflattering Spitting Image puppet, above.

And another exhibit of her head fashioned as a teapot with the spout a long, lying Pinocchio nose.