One of the most memorable characters from the children's book Dr Dolittle is Push-Me-Pull-You, a twin-headed beast whose heads faced in opposite directions. Few would have predicted that prime minister Tony Blair would take this mythical animal as his inspiration for the ODPM. But that is just what has happened. Deputy prime minister John Prescott remains in charge of the ODPM with a seat in the cabinet. Rising Blairite David Miliband has joined the ODPM as minister for communities and local government and also has a cabinet seat. Where Prescott's realm ends and Miliband's begins is a question exercising everyone who deals with the ODPM. And who knows the answer? Probably not even Prescott and Miliband.
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