BRITISH PRIME minister Gordon Brown is once more in a political mess of his own making. This time it is about compensating pensioners, low paid workers and young people affected by his decision in last year's budget (when he was still chancellor) to cut the basic taxation rate and abolish the 10p starter tax rate.
Some 5.3 million people are directly affected, far more than he believed until recent days. Wednesday's U-turn, in which Mr Brown agreed to backdate compensation, exposes him to convincing charges of going through another cycle of stubborn resistance, weakening resolve, dithering and eventual capitulation in the face of certain political retribution from within his own parliamentary party and then probably from an increasingly disillusioned electorate.
Next week's local elections in England and Wales and the mayoral vote in London loomed over the negotiations with Frank Field MP in which Mr Brown agreed to back down rather than being humiliated by a backbench revolt against a Finance Bill for which he himself was responsible. Better to compromise than persevere with a losing case in a possible election year, he concluded. The political art of justifying a U-turn has not come easily to him, however. He insists it was right to listen and then to move; but that would be more telling if he had seen this problem coming sooner, rather than resisting backbench pressure up to the last minute.
He comes out of this episode weaker as a result. It seems to repeat the story of how he allowed a general election to be talked up by close associates last October only to decide against it, and then similar problems over the Northern Rock bank and political funding. Specifically, this row raises questions about Labour's basic strategy and purpose. Mr Brown has frequently emphasised his commitment to reduce poverty and inequality, yet is tarred as caring little about them by this row. If he wants to keep open his options on political timing of the next general election he should surely have been more careful to avoid such a debacle just one week before the local elections.
Several forthcoming issues will test backbench Labour attitudes towards unpopular government policies, notably on how long terrorist suspects can be held in custody. There is much disquiet in the parliamentary party about extending the period from 28 to 42 days - on valid human rights and libertarian grounds. Mr Brown's insistence on doing so in the interests of state security now looks more vulnerable to another revolt.