The Department for Transport (DfT) announced in June last year that it had chosen a consortium led by Siemens to build around 1,200 new carriages on the Thameslink commuter route in the South East of England.

The deal is set to create up to 2,000 jobs with around 600 highly-skilled roles involved in making train components. The first trains are expected to be delivered for testing on the network in summer 2015 with the full fleet introduced towards the end of 2018.

AS the wife of a cabinet minister, the niece of another, the daughter of a viscount and the sister of one of the world's most eminent science writers, Rose Paterson could be known better for the lives she is associated with rather than her own.

But her own story - which involves horse racing in Mongolia, a £250,000 painting in the back of a Renault 5, helping farmers during the foot-and-mouth crisis to seeing the results of the peace process in Northern Ireland close up - is remarkable too. Mrs Paterson, wife of the new Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, is the daughter of the late Lord Ridley, who owned the Blagdon Estate and was, for many years, chairman of Northumberland County Council.

This week, I caught up with the Miliband brother and we got talking about what the two senior politicians were talking about. They're been talking about youth unemployment - with both taking a keen interest in the issue.

And he was pretty forthright when it came to claims about his views on his brother Ed's leadership of the Labour party. In fact he seemed pretty annoyed or even angry by it.

There was a report today David was overheard telling a member of his inner circle: "Ed will crash and burn".

"It's absolute nonsense, absolute nonsense. Let whoever who claims it, put their name to it," said David who represents South Shields and is a former foreign secretary.

Keep an eye for the fuller interview tomorrow.

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But the Deputy Prime Minister expressed relief that Tim Leunig would not be advising the Government on the country's Northern cities.

And Mr Clegg, who leads the Lib Dems, suggested the newly appointed advisor to the Department for Education knew his previous views were wrong.

It shows that Tory voters are worried. And pollster Survation says introducing regional or local pay could harm the electoral chances of the Tories and Liberal Democrats in large swathes of the country.

It says it is "weak" within Whitehall - mentioning the Treasury as also having a key role in delivering Britain's main climate change policies.

Here's the key section from the "transition to a zero-carbon Britain" consultation paper:
"The creation of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in October 2008, combining responsibility for energy policy with the delivery of the UK's principal climate change policies, was a step forward in ensuring the coordination of policy.

"However, DECC remains relatively weak within Whitehall and various other departments continue to be responsible for policies that are essential in delivering a zero-carbon Britain.

"These include the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for Transport, Department for Communities and Local Government, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and HM Treasury."

For the full document click here

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Well, Hexham MP Guy Opperman says he has received complaints from constituents that fuel prices have not fallen as oil prices have reduced.

And he is preparing to speak in a Commons debate today urging competition chiefs to launch a full investigation.

John Shipley, who used to lead Newcastle City Council, said: "The reshuffle is clear evidence of a Conservative shift to the right. There seems to be an internal battle taking place for control of the party.

For me, this is a key line about David Cameron in the article.

"Over the summer, his confidants say, he realised that he could be a one-term PM. This has created a much-needed sense of urgency in Downing Street."

Interestingly, it comes after Tory MP Guy Opperman warned earlier this year that Mr Cameron could be a one-term PM unless he connected with the North - to win more seats in this part of the country.

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She replaced Philip Hammond who had been in the role since the coalition was formed in May 2010.

That's not long for a minister to put their feet under the desk to get to grips with a complex brief.

And it has been an issue in the Department for Transport (DfT) for years, according to AA president Edmund King.

Gateshead councillor Ron Beadle, who helped found the Liberal Left pressure group, said there was every chance that Mr Clegg could find himself forced out as Lib Dem leader before the next general election scheduled for 2015.

But he declared it would make no difference because of the error of going into coalition with the Tories.

Rumblings about a challenge to Mr Clegg's leadership of the Lib Dems have grown since House of Lords reform was abandoned over the summer.

Lord Oakeshott, an ally of Business Secretary Vince Cable, suggested this week that the party consider a change of leadership before the next election.

The Games are going to be a brilliant and, I think, in some ways better than the Olympics.

It will be a celebration of sport and athletes who, if we're totally honest, would most likely beat the rest of us hands down at their chosen event.

Surely, there cannot be a better advert for the Olympic ideal of such men and women - who have disabilities - to achieve such heights?

He says the new station would offer local news that other broadcasters are missing as their focus switches to regional and national subjects.

The creation of the new local television stations across the country is a key policy of Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt - and broadcasting regulator Ofcom recently released details of the bids it has received.