Julia Gillard, the prime minister of Australia, scored a political victory when the lower house of parliament passed the controversial Minerals Resource Rent Tax, which will subject mining companies to a higher levy on annual profits.

ECONOMIST: Politics this week

Blair's supporters in his North-East of England constituency, battling crippling levels of unemployment in a former mining area, needed the guarantee of a decent home for their families at a reasonable rent that council housing provided.

BBC: What future for social housing?