Inside the morning meeting

Last Modified: 08 Jan 2008
By: Newsroom blogger

"New Hampshire might be the most exciting story of the day."

Not often we get to say that about, but it's because the polls for the New Hampshire primaries in the US are occurring as we go to air. But more on that later, as there are plenty of domestic political stories about as well.

Gordon Brown is attacking public sectors workers pay, is the "re-launched tough Gordon"?

The Tories are launching a welfare-to-work campaign, in which people get three strikes to find work or stop receiving their Job Seekers Allowance. It's based on a Wisconsin model, which was trialled in New York. It did have some measure of success apparently, but at great cost too.

Back in the US, there seems to be an appetite for change in the air. Jon Snow is out and Sarah Smith will be asking if Hillary is doomed as Obama is 10 points ahead in the polls. She'll also be checking to see if her and Hillary turn out wearing matching outfits again...

In France, politics has taken a more romantic turn as this could be the day that President Sarkozy announced his plans to marry Carla Bruni in February. It was asked if the reason for the quick announcement might be because he's due to meet the Queen in Feb, and doesn't want to be first the French President to arrive without a first lady...

Julian Rush has got lines on a really interesting story coming out of Germany. Reputable scientists there have been conduction research on the link between nuclear power stations and leukaemia in under fives. They've found that the cases of leukaemia doubled amongst young children who lived near the nuclear power stations, but crucially they couldn't say why.

But as voices were quick to point out, the rise may not be due to the proximity of the power station - it could be a more subtle affect as populations around the stations tends to be fast changing. And one possible theory to leukaemia is that it's a virus, which could explain why it would flourish in a fast changing population.

On lighter things, the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square is due to be filled again - the decision is being taken by the aptly entitled 'Fourth Plinth Committee"; Jeremy Clarkson has received thousands of votes petitioning him to be Prime Minister, and there's an uproar in cricket as the growing superpower of the sport, India, as an umpire is dropped from the third Australia vs India test.