Martha Kearney's week

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By Martha Kearney Presenter, BBC Radio 4's World at One

"In the dying days of a government, everything turns to dust."

Gordon Brown avoids pesky journalists on YouTube

The view of a Cabinet minister in the Major government who believes that Gordon Brown cannot turn the economy round because Labour has been power for so long.

Unlike Barack Obama, he can not promise a fresh start.

So given the terrible figures revealed in this week's Budget, isn't the next election one to lose?

Whoever gets in will have to slash public spending.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies told us that given all the bills which the government has to pay anyway (like rising amounts of unemployment revenue; debt interest payments) and the big drop in tax revenues, individual departments will face real cuts of 2.3%.

Green shoots

It is hard to see how that much money can be found in efficiency savings although some will argue that given how much the state has grown under Labour (to a projected 48% of national income in 2010/11), it is time to shrink the size of public spending anyway - an issue Shaun will be discussing on The World This Weekend.

But the Conservatives maintain that of course they want to win the election.

If a sizeable number of Labour backbenchers decide to vote against, this will be a blow to Gordon Brown's authority even thought it is not being whipped

"That's what we do" said one.

"We come in and clear up Labour's mess. We did it in 1951. We did it in 1979."

So is a Conservative victory a done deal? Another frontbencher spelled out the only scenario in which he thinks they could lose.

"Labour ditches Gordon and then forms a pact with the Liberal Democrats before the election to present themselves as a new force in politics."

That does not seem too likely to me.

The idea of changing leader a year before the election with the ensuing bloodshed does not appeal to many Labour MPs.

Some are hoping that there will be green shoots of a political recovery in a year's time and take cheer from the welcome given in the polls to the new 50 pence tax rate.

Video message

But it will be interesting to see what happens in next Thursday's free vote on MPs' expenses.

Gordon Brown surprised Westminster by announcing plans for a new interim system of a daily allowance to replace the controversial cash for second homes. Immediately it was denounced.

The Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg told me that it would bring the gravy train of European Parliament to Westminster.

The Conservatives too are opposed and will probably vote against.

If a sizeable number of Labour backbenchers decide to vote against, this will be a blow to Gordon Brown's authority even thought it is not being whipped.

He took the unusual step of announcing his plans on the Downing Street website for use on Youtube, far away from pesky journalists.

He did however record another video message this week - and it was in honour of a pesky journalist, my old colleague Jeremy Paxman.

The prime minister said he has decided to record the message so there was a chance to getting to the end without being interrupted and then praised Jeremy as the greatest inquisitor in the history of……University Challenge.

The other highlight of my week was that my programme about bees was broadcast on BBC 4 (being repeated on Saturday if you missed it). Eddie Mair has very kindly been trailing it for me.

I firmly reject any suggestion that I threatened to cover him in honey and set my bees on him if he did not publicise it.