It would mean we have made a mistake and I don’t believe that is true

It would mean we have made a mistake, and I don’t believe that is true.” And on that judgement, as much as any other, may ride Dorrell’s chances of entering the frame.. Consider this unconsciously revealing remark by Doug Hoyle, chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, on the Today programme yesterday. No, he says, he hasn’t thought of going back for more money – and he doesn’t intend to.”I don’t believe that way of managing anything makes sense. Of course it is true in every organisation in every walk of life at any time in history that if you had a bit more you could do a bit more. But new services are still being developed and he doesn’t anticipate a major expansion in waiting times.

The distinct flush of manager and civil servant in him – traits unusual in politicians – have focused on a few critical NHS issues: emergency cover, intensive- care beds and mental health.There have been blips. Redrawing the sensible drinking guidelines into what critics dubbed “a boozer’s charter” was not the cleverest thing to do in the middle of the Government’s anti-drink-driving campaign at Christmas And there has been BSE. But predictions at the time that mad cow disease would make or break him have proved wide of the mark. It is Douglas Hogg, not Dorrell, who has been wounded by that flak.The big outstanding question is whether in last year’s spending round he won enough money for the NHS in this pre-election year It is, he accepts, not only tight, but “tighter than usual”.

He has neatly finessed a potentially damaging confrontation with GPs into what may just become a constructive dialogue. At health, he’s become more of a star.He has defused some of the heat around the NHS reforms by becoming a “bureau-sceptic” – cutting away at the management costs the reforms have created. Instead, he carefully repeats that the existing commitment “continues to be the commitment we are delivering”.So how about spending? It should come down, Dorrell says. But he won’t indulge in the targets which the right has been bandying about. “I do think we can get it down,” he says, “but I’ve never believed that setting a target as a new nirvana makes sense.” Indeed, he argues: “It may be that the time will come when we conclude we have cut it far enough. But it doesn’t seem to me that is in prospect yet.”The difference between musings and actions seems to come in here. Dorrell may be positioning himself better with the right in order to be a possible standard-bearer for the left – perhaps a 45-year-old Dorrell against a 44-year-old Portillo if John Major loses next May.To be a contender, Dorrell needs another good year, plus the public profile he has so far lacked but is beginning to acquire – both on his own account and at John Major’s instigation.