Political events in Britain are providing a strange mirror image of the spectacle of Labor and the Greens ripping their own governing alliance to shreds.

With Bob Brown gone, Labor’s relationship with the Greens was bound to come to grief. But given Labor's lack of moral and political capital, distancing itself from the Greens won't be enough against a relentless Tony Abbott.

The ALP suits crammed into the function room of Lygon Street’s legendary La Notte restaurant last Thursday to celebrate the first meeting of the Victorian party’s new think tank ‘Progressive Network’ were restless.

The Labor Right's attack on the Greens misses the point that disgruntled ex-Labor voters are only a part of the Greens' electoral support. Labor can look to the Democrats for that.

Thanks to the Greens' position on asylum seekers and a high carbon price, Tony Abbott is set to cruise into government with a large margin and a mandate to repeal the carbon tax.

The lack of information around the carbon tax is not helpful, and neither is the timing of its introduction. Still, Tony Abbott should not repeal the carbon tax when he wins office next year, as he almost certainly will.

Those who support action to reduce carbon output underestimated the impact of rising power prices on public perceptions. Now they face a Gina Rinehart-led backlash and a government that lacks the support to deliver.

The Ashby saga is unlikely to do much damage to the opposition but it will do plenty to Mal Brough, once touted as a future leader.

Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott are at war with each other, at war with the wishes of their own backbenchers and, one can only hope, at war with themselves. Until one of them blinks on the issue of asylum seekers, parliamentary point scoring will continue to trump human rights.

Time, popularity, history and a dearth of pythons: these are the reasons why Tony Abbott will backtrack on his blood oath to repeal the carbon tax if he ascends to the prime ministership.

Prime Minister Gillard did a decent enough job explaining the carbon tax on the ABC's Q&A last night, though as a thoroughly coached media performer she should have dwelt a little longer on one phrase in particular: in line with Treasury forecasts.

Pyne and Abbott fight it out for the Lower House sprint, Julian Assange will learn his extradition fate tonight and XXXX Gold's hard-earned first.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard finally gets some good news, AEC talks voting numbers and Google's Australia chief wants more local tech innovation.

Speaking under parliamentary privilege, Craig Thomson made a series of allegations against key figures as being complicit in a prostitute conspiracy, and for leading a lynch mob against him. Here's the line-up of who he named:

Former News Limited press gallery heavy hitter Glen Milne has made a long-awaited return to the pages of The Australian, penning an op-ed about the supposed political reincarnation of Peter Costello.

As Treasurer Wayne Swan delivers his fifth budget today, he can take some comfort from the fact it wasn't just Bernard Keane and The Power Index who voted him Canberra's most powerful politician - it was readers of The Power Index too.

Tomorrow, we start counting down the Top 10 most powerful Union Heavies. Here, Matthew Knott presents the shortlist.

As ideas go, Canadian philosopher Barry Allen has a biggie -- and one that might help untangle the 'clash of the pygmies' that has erupted between Treasurer Wayne Swan and mining's greatest ratbag, Clive Palmer.

The Labor government’s lost the authority and audience to deliver a compelling, influential message – and has handed the ability to dictate the national debate to the Opposition in the process.

Most power players have oodles of charm and charisma, so it's no wonder they collect some unlikely allies on their way to the top. Here are six power partnerships that cross the ideological and generational divide.