Brown Needs a Big Idea to Lead Fightback

Heading off to hear Gordon Brown's speech very soon - the big news, briefed in advance, includes plans to expand childcare, crack down on anti-social behaviour and protect post offices from closure.

It's all worthy stuff, but doesn't sound likely to grab people's imagination. How often have we heard pledges to tackle anti-social behaviour or expand childcare from Labour? They are important issues, but hardly seem like policies to fight back from the brink and win an election on.

The proposal for a "people's bank" at the Post Office is at least new, and saving post offices will probably be popular. The "people's bank" phrase won't actually appear in the speech (apparently it is owned by an Irish bank and can't be used by Mr Brown for legal reasons).

But I'm told there is another "big story" in the speech that has not been leaked in advance. We'll see.