If you thought Dave Hill, Tony Blair’s chief spin doctor, was any kind of all-seeing prince of darkness, forget it. A leaked Downing Street letter from him, written the week before last, contains his predictions for some trouble-free days ahead.

The following week, Hill forecasts confidently, would include a number of “key events which will allow the government to highlight the remarkable progress which the government has made in reducing waiting lists”.

Patricia Hewitt, the health secretary, Hill sanguinely relates, “will be speaking to the Royal College of Nursing on . . . the crucial part that nurses are playing in ensuring the improved NHS is centred round the needs of patients . . .” Well, that is one way of describing her ordeal.

Later, Hill continues, “the home secretary will use the publication of the latest quarterly crime figures to emphasise how the government is tackling crime . . .” Now, was it that or something else about Charles Clarke’s week that lodged in your memory? And to which cabinet minister were these assurances of a tranquil week addressed? You guessed it — the love walrus himself.

Cherie not happy about closing home from home

Just what Tony Blair needs as he tackles chaos at the Home Office, the NHS and and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: a domestic tiff over foreign policy.

Cherie Blair has attacked plans to close the Villa Drusiana, official residence of HM ambassador to the Vatican. Cherie stayed at the villa last week during her trip to Rome and audience with the Pope. She will be the last VIP to enjoy its lovingly tended English garden. “It’s a real shame,” she said, “it’s a cock-up by the Foreign Office.”

It only takes a hidden mic to reveal the real BNP

The British National party’s drive for respectability ahead of this week’s local elections has been undermined by its own propaganda chief. Phil Edwards was caught out in a covertly recorded conversation labelling black people “dysfunctional low achievers”, and claiming they are genetically less intelligent than whites.

Nick Griffin, the party leader, claims the BNP is “not racist”. In case you were tempted to take these words with less than a lorryload of salt, Edwards said in the recording: “The black kids are going to grow up dysfunctional . . . and are probably going to mug you.” He adds: “To put it crudely (you said it, chum), there’s no black Mozart, no black Dickens.”

The tape, recorded in January last year, was handed to Sky News last week. Edwards, confronted about his words last week, refused to back down, saying: “If I thought I was going to be recorded . . . I would not have used such intemperate language, but let’s be honest about it, the facts are there.”

Nick Lowles, a spokesman for Searchlight, the human rights group, said: “Edwards’s views clearly show they are a hard-core racist organisation.”

The new pamphlet, Britain After Blair, will feature essays by nine of the 10 original contributors, including Vince Cable, Nick Clegg and even Mark “rent boy” Oaten. Only Chris Huhne, who rose without trace to stand for the leadership, won’t be taking part. One of the authors says: “He obviously wants to make sure he still has the sandal-wearers’ vote at the next leadership election.”