But the proposal to elect select committee members by secret ballot rather than through the nomination of party whips was blocked by a single cry of "object" from the Labour backbenches and will be debated and voted on next week.

BBC: Commons reform report debate

Labour MPs who object say at least part of Royal Mail's financial problems stem from an earlier attempt to inject competition.

BBC: Shaun Ley's week

To make things even worse, Gillian Duffy, a former council employee from Rochdale and the object of Mr Brown's remark, would appear to be a walking archetype of Labour's core vote.

ECONOMIST: Britain��s election