He wore a headset and his pen was poised over a list of questions for the latest

He wore a headset, and his pen was poised over a list of questions for the latest informant anxious, in the Government's words, to "Beat-a-Cheat"."OK," he said. There is a real danger of us upsetting our core support which could lose the election. [But] it is not a question of the advisers - it is the direction in which Tony Blair is trying to take the party."Conservative Party chairman Dr Brian Mawhinney said Ms Short's comments proved that she thought New Labour was dangerous. He said: "Clare Short has made it clear that the leadership of the Labour Party hate each other and do not trust each other or Mr Blair."Short's contempt, page 2. The machinery whirred and clicked into action and another life was about to be changed.

"Thank you for calling the National Benefits Fraud Hot Line This service is absolutely confidential. shot at dawn, the answer is 'no'," said a Labour source.However, her frank remarks will be seen as a do-or-die attempt to challenge the power base of the advisers around Mr Blair. And last night it drew support from the left wing of the Labour Party.Jeremy Corbyn, another outspoken critic of the leadership, said: "Clare is quite right to draw attention to the appalling power of the spin doctors and the way that politics is dominated by totally unrepresentative focus groups. He came along as a fresh, young, principled and decent man and some people are trying to turn him into a macho man, not seeming decent and principled. I know they are doing it because they think it's the way to win, but I think they're making the wrong judgement and they endanger our victory."With Mr Blair on holiday in Tuscany, and unaware of the content of the interview, John Prescott, the Deputy Leader of the Labour party acted quickly last night to scotch speculation that she would be sacked as a result of the interview.Mr Prescott privately expressed sadness at the tone of the interview, but made it clear that he didn't regard it as a sacking offence His priority was to limit the damage it is likely to cause "To those who are asking whether she will be ...

She says: "I think the obsession with the media and the focus groups is making us look as if we want power at any price and that we don't stand for anything. And the people who think Tony has got to look very strong are making him less attractive than he is This is a very stupid thing to do. Labour front-bencher Clare Short put her Shadow Cabinet job on the line last night in an outspoken interview attacking the forces "in the dark" behind Tony Blair and warning that Labour could lose the election if their power was not checked. Ms Short flouted the order given only a week ago by the leadership for party unity, by openly criticising Mr Blair's leadership style and appealing for Labour supporters to join a "conspiracy" to bring out the best in the Labour leader. In an interview in the New Statesman, published today, Ms Short launches a thinly veiled attack on the Labour leader's closest advisers. Police chiefs in Scotland said a reduction to 50mg would have prevented 213 serious accidents between 1988 and 1993.Last month, the British Medical Association, the all-party Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, and Alcohol Concern produced a report calling for the limit to be lowered to the 50mg level.It said a reduction in the blood-alcohol limit in Australia from 80mg to 50mg, combined with random breath-testing, had dramatically reduced drink-driving among both moderate and heavy drinkers and had cut the number of accidents.Surveys have shown there is public support for a lower drink-driving limit, the report said. Seven of the 15 countries in the European Union have limits of 50mg or less.However, the Department of Transport has rejected any change and argues that research suggests a drop to 50mg would prevent only about 2.5 per cent of fatal drink-drive accidents.A DoT spokesman said: "We have a system which people understand and accept."Ministers believe we have had enormous success in reducing accidents and we do not want to break up a winning formula." But he added that the issue was under constant review.The first breath tests with the current 80mg level were introduced in 1967.Leading article, page 11Europe's laws on drinking and drivingPermitted blood alcohol in brackets (MG/100 ml):Belgium (50): Maximum fine pounds 1,913; disqualification for 5 years; imprisonment up to 6 years.Denmark (80): Maximum fine 4 per cent of driver's income; maximum disqualification one year; imprisonment up to 2 years.France (50): Maximum fine pounds 386; disqualifications three months to life; imprisonment up to 2 years.Italy (80): Maximum fine pounds 215; disqualifications up to 3 months; maximum imprisonment one month.Spain (80): Maximum fine from pounds 1,292 to pounds 5,170; disqualifications up to 5 years; imprisonment only in cases where bodily harm has been caused.Sweden (20): Maximum fine 120 days' wages; disqualification proportional to concentration of alcohol in the driver's blood.Ireland (80): Maximum fine pounds 1,044; mandatory driving ban for 12 months.. But it will not affect the real problem drinkers who ignore all warnings."Earlier this year, forces in England and Wales began automatic breath tests in all traffic accidents to which a police officer was called.

There is also growing support for similar road-side drug tests.The number of drink-related road deaths fell dramatically in England and Wales from 1,650 in 1979 to 540 in 1993 But now it has started to rise again. There were 540 in 1994 and 580 last year.There were 15,000 road deaths and injuries in 1994 in which at least one driver was over the limit. We still believe that, but we are now looking at what effect a 50mg limit could have."There's convincing evidence that a reduction would reduce accidents and the number of people who drink and drive. Any decision will need to be ratified at a full council meeting.Chief Inspector Paul McElroy, staff officer of David Williams, Surrey's Chief Constable and chairman of the Acpo traffic committee, said: "We feel it is time to reconsider the levels Our stance has always been you should not drink and drive.

The Independent understands that while there is strong support for lowering the level to 50mg, an alternative suggestion to lower the limit to zero has been ruled out.The committee will hear that lowering the level from 80mg to 50mg reduces the likelihood of an accident by up to 40 per cent. A police source said: "Many in the police service believe the time has come for a change, and that if just one life is saved, it is worthwhile."The Labour Party has pledged to review the drink- drive limit and yesterday criticised the Government's "failure to reconsider the issue".The traffic committee of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) has surveyed all forces in England and Wales on whether the limit should be reduced It will debate the issue next Wednesday. Offenders would face a minimum one-year ban and heavy fines.Last year about 600 people were killed on British roads by motorists over the limit.Until now, the Government has resisted calls for a reduction, arguing that a change would have little effect, even though their own figures suggest about 14 lives a year could be saved.Police chiefs in Scotland backed the lower 50mg limit in November, but ministers will find it harder to shrug off the views of the 43 forces in England and Wales.Their officers see the damage caused by alcohol and they would have to enforce any change in the law. The move will increase the pressure on the Government, which is already facing campaigns from doctors and the anti-alcohol lobby to lower the amount that motorists can legally drink. The Independent understands that next week the chief constables of England and Wales will give the campaign fresh momentum by supporting a reduction from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg.For most drivers, 50mg would mean a maximum of only one pint of beer, or two glasses of wine or whisky. The study finds that the more demanding the client, the higher the performance ratings they give to their advisers.. Police chiefs are poised to call for tougher laws on drink- driving, bringing a new "one-pint" limit a step closer. As their name would suggest, they generally ranked the selection criteria far lower than those in the other two groups.