The Labour rebels have withdrawn their budget amendement following Alistair Darling's climb down announcement
Nick Robinson calls it an humiliation for the Prime Minister reminding us that
Gordon Brown had shouted down those who told him there were many, many losers from his last Budget as chancellor and those who told him he faced a real political crisis as a result.
Today he has admitted that they were right and been forced to promise backdated measures to help 60 to 65-year-olds, childless couples and the young who don't benefit from the full minimum wage.
Meanwhile an interesting post from John McDonnell one of the rebels over at comment is free who says
It exemplifies one of the core weaknesses at the heart of Brown's administration at the Treasury, which he has now transferred to No 10. Last year, Labour MPs, the party and policy advisers were not consulted over this proposal and we now know that it came out of the blue to Brown's cabinet colleagues and even Tony Blair.
He compares it to the 75p rise in pensions which Tony Blair had to climb down over and despite all Gordon's messages at the despatch box
After 11 years of New Labour, there are still 3.8 million children living in poverty by the government's own calculation.
I have a feeling that we haven't heard the last
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