Retirement options

Span speculates on whether today's retirements from Cabinet will also equal retirements from Parliament at the next election, and predicts a glut of retirements in 2008. But thanks to MMP there's another option for bringing new blood on board: some of those MPs who lost their seats but were re-elected on the list ([cough] Jim Sutton [cough]) could retire mid-term, and simply be replaced by the next candidate on the list. This would allow Labour to begin that vital process of renewal, and go into the 2008 election with a few more fresh faces, rather than relying on the same tired old ones.