John Prescott was always known for being, well, less academic than was average among Labour MPs. Not able to grasp complex issues, unable to put a sentence together and always blaming his far superior wife for everything from taking short car journeys to accepting peerages – those were his good points. However being the clown has worked for most Liberal leaders in my lifetime, and unlike them Prescott was a clear eyed thug – which you need in politics.

The problem with the clown act is that it starts to become real and the problem with clear eyed thugs is that they become destructive when they stop seeing as clearly. Calling Alan Milburn a “collaborator” is not doing the Labour Party any good, which I have no doubt that John Prescott loves deeply.

Britain needs a sensible opposition to the coalition, otherwise they will do what all unchallenged governments do and grow arrogant. This does not mean comparing them to occupying Germans. Particularly if you are the pro-Lisbon party – do you now see how silly it sounds?

There are sensible voices out there in Labour’s benches. Will Straw is calling for a Labour narrative on the structural deficit, Lord Myners has made an after the event speech in the House of Lords attacking the overspending and Ipswich’s own Kevan Lim attacked his party for the orgy of untruth that they were engaging in regarding the UK’s economic situation.

Do Ipswich Labour Party follow this self destructive course? If so many of them weren’t backing Ed Balls then we’d have less cause to worry.