Gordon Brown: Part Jim Callaghan, part Bob Hoskins

Writing on the Guardian website, Michael White draws a parallel that has been occurring to me all day:

what the past few days has reminded me of was Jim Callaghan's rearguard action in the turbulent late 1970s, no majority at all and often dependent on what could be squeezed from the then-dominant Ulster Unionists to get his legislation through.

And the suggestion that the government will pay to compensation to anyone detained past 28 days but not subsequently charged puts me in of a scene from the 1980 British gangster film The Long Good Friday.

Bob Hoskins is trying to find out who is attacking his criminal empire and has a number of suspects trussed up on meat hooks in an abbatoir. Later he has learns that they are not to blame and orders their release with the words: "Give them a grand each. Expenses."

Later: I love YouTube. The scene is in this clip just after the two-minute mark. And, yes, that is Charlie from Casualty.