Mr Dorrell fears that the consultation paper will become embroiled in a full-scale political row if it is published as planned two days before the local elections, in which the Tories are braced for heavy losses. Postponing it could be embarrassing for the Prime Minister, who made a promise in his keynote speech to the Tory party conference in Harrogate that the paper would be published before the end of the month.The insurance industry, which is likely to gain more business from the plans, is geared up for an announcement next Tuesday. In their haste they have failed to check their facts and in the process repeated the libel."Stephen Groom, a partner in Mr Clarke's solicitors Lewis silkin, said yesterday: "These allegations are highly damaging to our client both personally and professionally and their repetition has caused him considerable distress and embarrassment."The two page document also names John Prescott, Margaret Beckett, Michael Meacher, Mr Clarke and Clare Short as members of "The Supper Club".Conservative Central Office said yesterday that Dr Mawhinney had not yet received the communication from Mr Clarke's solicitors and could not comment in advance of doing so.. Mr Clarke was identified in the release - sent to US commentators in advance of Tony Blair's visit to Washington earlier this month - as a member of the "secretive grouping called The Supper Club". The Tory document said the club was opposed to Allied intervention in the Gulf War. Mr Clarke, who Labour said had already secured damages, full costs and an apology from the Mail on Sunday for making the same allegation in March 1991, said he had been "deeply hurt and angered" by the allegations and his solicitors Lewis Silkin are also considering possible libel action in the US where the allegations have also been published.The Opposition front-bench spokesman added: "This is yet another example of the gross incompetence of Brian Mawhinney and Central Office.

Instead, it relies on local authorities to tackle the problem.. Tom Clarke, Labour's spokesman for the disabled, is demanding "substantial damages" from Brian Mawhinney, chairman of the Conservative Party, on the grounds that he was libelled in a Tory document purportedly describing "Labour's Un-American activities". can be reconciled."But the paper has failed to come up with a strong programme for national government to reduce congestion. The amount of traffic was forecast to go up by between 83 per cent and 142 per cent between 1988 and 2025. The pro-roadbuilding group, the British Roads Federation, calculates that in the past 10 years, traffic has increased by an average of one-third on all roads, with 61 per cent growth on motorways. In the introduction to the Green Paper, Sir George Young put the problem in a nutshell: "Traffic growth highlights the question of whether the aims of widening choice, of improving the competitiveness of our economy and protecting the environment ... The Prime Minister's real problem was that every member of his Cabinet had a future agenda but him. "And until he gets one and asserts it, this country will continue to suffer from the most feeble Government in living memory," he said..

The need to cope with the growing congestion crisis has been the motivating force behind the national transport debate, writes Christian Wolmar. It was fundamentally about the ethos of the Bill and the direction of the Conservative Party."An angry Mr Major was called to order by Speaker Betty Boothroyd as he accused Mr Blair of being "deliberately misleading" - an unparliamentary charge. "I have made it clear that on the issues of fault and other issues of conscience this would be a genuinely free vote."But Mr Blair persisted. Though nominally addressed to the Government, the motion is in reality a shot across the bows of the shadow Chancellor.Tony Blair, however, focused on the Prime Minister's difficulties over the Family Law Bill after 165 Tories, including four Cabinet ministers, voted to extend to 18 months the "cooling off period" before most couples can get a divorce. The revolt showed "the humiliating state to which Mr Major's authority has been reduced"."I think most people have an increasingly clear view of his government," the Labour leader said "This was a government Bill .. and this vote wasn't just about the amendment. Sixteen Labour left-wingers have signed a motion stating that the maintenance of universal child benefit is "an essential part of the welfare state". "This is the direct equivalent of a tax increase of pounds 560 for every family with children taking A-levels."Turning to the shadow Chancellor, he added: "It's no point in Mr Brown shaking his head - it's his policy, it's nonsense and we intend to tell every family in the land about it."However, it is not just Tory scorn that Mr Brown has to worry about.

"It now seems that anyone who is ill-advised enough to encourage their youngster to stay on and take A-levels will lose pounds 560 of child benefit every year."It was not just a question of the withdrawal of child benefit, because the benefit was a tax allowance, he said. Pointing out that the original Cloud- cuckoo-land was "an imaginary city built in the air by the birds", he went on: "Would that not be a suitable destination too, for those who think they can vote Labour without seeing their personal and business taxes going sky high?"Not only personal and business taxes, Mr Major replied. The Prime Minister warned that the Tories would tell every family in the land that Labour planned a tax rise of pounds 560 a year for each child taking A-levels. Mr Brown last week proposed ending child benefit for 16- to 18-year-olds in full-time education qualify and putting the pounds 700m raised directly into their schooling.Mr Major's attack came at Question Time after Tim Renton, a former Tory chief whip, endorsed his declaration that those who thought Britain could be a trading haven outside the European Union were living in "Cloud-cuckoo- land".The Prime Minister's remarks in a speech to the Institute of Directors in London was intended to scotch talk of possible withdrawal from the EU.But Mr Renton had another target. Having consigned his more rabid Euro-sceptics to dreamland on Wednesday, John Major yesterday fingered Gordon Brown, the shadow Chancellor, as another suitable resident. It can lead to people boycotting town centres and becoming prisoners in their own homes."Photograph: Edward Webb. Cloud-cuckoo-land is in danger of becoming overcrowded.

Mr Straw said: "Anti-social behaviour by neighbours, incivility and loutishness in town centres is rarely reflected in recorded crime figures. "Yet it can hugely damage the quality of people's lives. The figures cover a range of incidents from drunkenness and domestic disputes to neighbourhood quarrels and trespass but can also include everyday disturbances. Jack Straw, Labour's home affairs spokesman, yesterday produced unpublished official figures which he said showed a rising tide of disorder and anti-social behaviour, despite falls in the official crime rate, writes John Rentoul. He said the statistics - collected by the police in order to work out government funding - showed a 12 per cent rise in disturbances in 1994-5. It contains virtually no policy."n 'Transport, the Way Forward', HMSO, 138pp, pounds 15 70Road going nowhere, page 15.