It is thought that James Purnell’s announcement yesterday that the government had decided to scrap the bidding process for the Post Office Card Account (POCA), which distributes benefits to more than 4 million people, and in effect saves 3000 local post-offices was actually the work of the government’s new business secretary, Peter Mandleson.

Apparently it is one of several measures that Mandy has advised Brown on in order to secure Number 10s targeted 35% approval rating by spring.

So it would appear there was method in Brown’s madness at reinstating Mandy in the cabinet after all and it wasn’t just to give Cameron and Osborne nightmares.

However, it does sort of illustrate just how bad things have gotten for the government and how wrong they have got their policies if the twice disgraced minister is now the person behind measures to increase Labour’s popularity.