Parliament has reconvened after months of repair and refurbishment. Nothing new in that – it happens every recess. What is new won t be found in the Place , but around the Cabinet table. New Secretaries of State, new Ministers and a new willingness, app

Parliament has reconvened after months of repair and refurbishment. Nothing new in that - it happens every recess.

What is new won't be found in the 'Place', but around the Cabinet table. New Secretaries of State, new Ministers and a new willingness, apparently, from Her Majesty's loyal opposition, to work with the government during this global financial crisis.

The crisis reminds me of 'Dad's Army', or rather the cry of 'don't panic, don't panic' guaranteed to cause captain Mainwaring to frown in suppressed fury.

Am I alone in thinking that Captain M wouldn't have allowed his bank to lend mortgages of 150 per cent? Of course, the times were very different and this is not the time for blame-gaming, but I've always considered stock exchanges have an air of the betting shops about them.

They are by no means a safe option, and their incredible growth has left me, well, slightly incredulous. I don't think William Hill punters having backed the wrong horse, would expect the taxpayers to bail them out.

Yes, I know this is a flippant assessment and thank heavens I'm not in charge of the national economy. Even more heartfelt is my thanks that the UK has Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling crunching the numbers.

And in addition, they now have a very well known local boy adding his international business expertise to their deliberations. Yes, Peter Mandelson is back in government.

The outcry at his appointment seems to be, from what they have been writing, a personal insult to the political journos.

In my opinion, their sense of injury stems from the fact that even in their wildest speculations, Mr Mandelson's name never occurred to them. Which, given some of their literary inventions regarding the PM over the past few weeks, is surprising.

The new cabinet hasn't even got it's collective feet under the table, but - so we're told by those who didn't know - past disagreements will inevitably lead to disaster.

This is not my view, but then I've never attached any value to the idea that it' only possible to work well with individuals you like. I'm fortunate. The people I work with, day in day out, I do like, but in my time I've experienced the opposite.

Liking is not the issue. The shared goal, the professional approach and experience in achieving it, the sheer hard work and commitment, are what really produces the desired result, a fact which anyone involved in any dynamic project or campaign can testify to the truth of.

The desired result for the Labour Party in these amazing times is the future of our country. As the PM said at out party conference, Britain is not broken. We never have been and we won't be now.

Times are tough, and may get tougher but we are all in this together and together we'll come though.

We've done it before and I have no doubt, we'll do it again.

Glenda Jackson is

the Labour MP for

Hampstead & Highgate