IT'S Saturday afternoon, the day after my professional debut - and I haven't been to bed for over 24 hours.

North East Minister Nick Brown has told me that Business Secretary Lord Mandelson is in "listening mode" over bringing in a private partner for the Royal Mail.

Mr Brown, also the Government's chief whip, stressed action was needed to address serious problems facing the Royal Mail and said people should come forward if they had "alternative" proposals.

His comments come as more Government figures have joined a Parliamentary protect against Lord Mandelson's proposals to sell-off part of the Royal Mail.

At least seven ministerial aides have now put their names to a Commons motion opposing the controversial policy - including North MPs Sharon Hodgson, Dave Anderson and Ashok Kumar.

Watch out this weekend for Gordon Brown in Bristol at Labour's national policy forum.

I think it may actually end up being Labour's national post forum, with Business Secretary Lord Mandelson's plans to part-privatise the Royal Mail likely to be the hot topic for discussion.

There is already massive opposition to the plans from Labour MPs, including ministerial aides, and suggestions that Cabinet ministers are unhappy as well.

Added to that I have been told that unions could leave the Labour party - taking away their desperately needed cash.

A weekend to keep posted on developments!

I had an interesting chat with the boss of National Express, the company that runs the East Coast rail franchise, this week.

And while Richard Bowker was doing his best to be upbeat, he acknowledged there was issues and hinted at the need for the Department for Transport to amend franchises because of the unexpected "shock" in the economy.

He seemed pretty adament that the franchise will not be handed back anytime soon, but don't be surprised to see some discretionary services - not wrapped up in the franchise - disappear or change.

Here are Mr Bowker's comments:

He said the economic climate was "challenging" for everybody, but insisted the company had "clear and deliverable" plans.

But he acknowledged specific issues of "how we make sure that East Coast is put in a position, which it can be resilient and flourishing

"And we do have some future plans, primarily bassed around furtuer cost reductions and if we have to do that alone, we will because we have to make sure that that business is in good strength."

THERE are some new rules in the Smiles household. After reading the hundred thousandth story about recommended weekly alcohol intakes - and realising that we drink about ten times more than that in one night - we have decided (I have decided) that new guidelines are needed.

WHAT a difference a financial crisis makes. It's very much a case of hero to zero for Sir Fred Goodwin in the case of Gordon Brown.

Sir Fred, the former boss of RBS, was among "senior representatives from across the financial sector" invited to advise Mr Brown on enhancing the City of London's status as a leading global banking centre.

Announced by Mr Brown when he was Chancellor, the "high level" group held its first meeting at No 11 on 18 October 2006 when discussions seemed to focus on lightening the regulatory burden on bankers!

No doubt, tea and biscuits were doubtless on offer courtesy of HM Government.

MY professional boxing career starts for real today at the weigh-in for my debut fight against Aliaksandr Vayavoda.

I'm heading to Barnsley to go through the usual preliminaries and the thing I'm most looking forward to is looking my opponent in the eye.

DAVE Anderson's efforts to ensure we retain our universal post service has caught the eye of popular right-wing blogger Guido Fawkes.

In another of Guido's famous leaked memos, the Blaydon MP is revealed to have been secretly trying to gather together enough support to bring about a 10p-inspired U-turn on Royal Mail privatisation.

Good work that man.

Thought this might be interesting from an interview I did with Nick Brown in today's paper.

LABOUR MPs are united despite the economic downturn but a hardcore of rebels will be dealt with, the Government's Chief Whip has signalled.

Nick Brown, also MP for Newcastle East and Wallsend, said: "I would say there is a very strong cohesive feeling in the Labour party across the majority of it.

"There are a handful of people who are determined to find fault, about 25 people. They are self-selecting.

"The propensity to rebel has increased in recent years, so it is not just the size of rebellions which are more or less much where they always were.

"There is a small crowd, a group of people doing it more frequently. I will have something to say about it later on this year but things cannot go on as they are."

He added: "The ability to cooperate together is fundamental to Labour politics in a way that it is not fundamental to the politics of the Liberal Democrats and it is not fundamental to the politics of the Conservative party, although it is much practised by the Conservative party.

"I have tremendous respect for the organisational abilities of the Conservative party's business managers."

Not everything is all it seems. That is so true in politics.

And I reckon this dispute over the part-privatisation of the Royal Mail may have something of the smoke and mirrors about it.

Legislation being introduced into Parliament a day early was a crafty move by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.

But just maybe the ranks of Labour MPs opposed to the scheme have a few tricks up their sleeve.

Sorry to be cryptic, but that's how it must be just at the minute. Keep a close eye on this one for developments.