Clare Short has finally resigned from the Government - jumping before she was pushed, according to some reports. When two months ago on the eve of war she might have had a tremendous impact had she carried out her threat to resign, now, inevitably, there is an anti-climax.

The Clare Short who has now delivered a fierce attack on Blair is a lot weaker - indeed discredited and widely held in contempt. Two months ago she could have helped discredit a Prime Minister who is now a lot stronger as a result of the easy US-UK victory in Iraq.
Short was always too concerned with furthering her career to be much of a leftist. However, if she continues as she began in her resignation speech, as a bitter critic of Blair in the Commons, it may prove useful to the left.