Blimey. Things are getting serious. I've been out of politics for 3 days, switch Newsnight on to see what's going on, and there's Polly Toynbee on TV telling us that "Gordon Brown has to go - for the sake of the Labour Party". The Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, Tony Lloyd was on defending the Prime Minister (couldn't they find anyone more senior than that?) and he tried to say that there were only 3 MPs who wanted Gordon Brown to go. He might as well have been talking Chinese for all the credibility that carried. After saying something so daft, he was rightly ignored by Gavin Estler. Polly Toynbee just said that "Everybody thinks he's done. Inside the Party, there's a real crisis". Labour's most avid supporting journalist (after Polly that is), Steve Richards could offer only one reason for not getting rid of Gordon Brown, and that was that there is no alternative. Talk about damning with faint praise. Steve, there is always an alternative.
The position has advanced so much since last Friday, that the resignation of Gordon Brown must now be a real possibility. And everybody accepts that a General Election must follow within months of a new Prime Minister taking over. I'm going to arrange an 'emergency' campaign meeting tomorrow.
And now I've just read the front page of today's Telegraph. The headline reads 'Give us vote on Brown, MPs to tell Cabinet'. Well that really would be a stupid idea. Mind you, the spectacle could be entertaining for everyone outside of the Labour Party. If there is a vote on Gordon Brown's leadership, he's finished. Doesn't seem much doubt that there's going to be a drip, drip, drip of undermining through the next month. Mrs D and I are intending to take a few days off, perhaps starting tomorrow - to recover from the last few days which have really exhausted us. I wonder what will have happened when I'm next at my keyboard. I'm beginning to feel a sense of anticipated tension.
11 comments:
You are missing it all Glyn!
Our Gordon is in deep doo-doo!
Under fire all around.
Could he be ousted soon?
Only time will tell!
Cant believe what's happening.
Knives are out for him!
Glasgow East served up Delightful Candy! Must feel exciting for you and your family Glyn!
If the absurd Polly Toynbee thinks he should go,then perhaps he shouldn't.
She is consistently wrong about everything.
Poly Toynbee is so out of touch she's off the planet.
Of course he wont go ,Labour dont want an election , its too scarey.
Your David Cameron is also far from ready to go Glyn , he needs still to be a convincing alternative, comments like he made on Obama -- oh he's thinner than me --- do not impress.
I sit back and wait to see what will change as the economy recovers, as it will sooner than we think.
All - Boris Johnson has written a decent analysis today. He reckons there no chance of Brown resigning. Not often that I disagree with Boris, but I do think there's a fair chance - probably Octoberish, with an Election next June/October. The reason I was giving credance to Polly Toynbee is that she was reporting what others are saying, she being well connected in the Labour party.
VM - You're more optimistic about the economy than anyone I've been talking to. I didn't hear what David Cameron said about Obama, but he's done a very good job in making the Conservative Party electable.
Bearing in mind how naff the part-time MP for Montgomeryshire has been behaving recently, a June/October election should suit you just fine. Is there ANYONE taking him seriously up there anymore??
Prepare for parliament, Glyn. Just hope the Tories in Mid Wales have got their act together, bearing in mind the sheer nastiness of the Lib Dems.....
anon - The Conservative Party in Montgomeryshire have never been in better nick than it is today - but we know there is a strong tradition of voting Lib Dem in Montgomeryshire, and many will vote that way, irrespective of who their candidate is, or of how hard I work. We'll do our best to win.
Imho, it's probable that there will be a new leader elected to lead Labour, but I don't see why the new Leader should call an early national election absent a legal/constitutional requirement to hold a national election. Perhaps the British Parliamentary system of allowing PMs to hold so much sway on what date to call a national election should be replaced with a fixed date.
Gordon Brown could threaten the nuke option - threaten to call a national election if anyone In the Labour Party seriously challenges him for the PM spot.
"May you live in interesting times." Chinese saying.
There's a time to sow and a time to reap. Harvest time in Wales will be a joyous occasion for all
who worked for it.
no chance on a resignation or chalenge, if that hapens what does that show for the pary who let GB win unchallenged? would it enhance their leadeship and decision making skills or undermine them?
I predict a late as possible election with a hung parliamnet the result with a lib lab government the result. Great blog and personality Glyn and hope you win your seat, but your party. The country still won't fall for it totally. Too many painful memories and labour will attack the past again. Just listening to radio 5 saying how todays gas increases can be traced back to the cons energy policy of the 80's, oh how we have mismanaged our resources and not prepared for the future!
Christopher - There is no constitutional requirement for a new Prime Minister to call an early General Election, but it would be very surprising if he or she didn't. The British people would demand it, and there would probably be an opinion poll 'bounce' which could be very short lived.
Eric - I agree that if Gordon Brown retains his position, the General election will be as late as possible. But I really do think that there is a good chance of a change of leader around September/October. But I don't agree with your assessment of the people's opinion of the Conservative Party. After about 15 years of public opinion being against the Conservative Party, David Cameron has changed people's perception of us. And I don't think you can assume that Clegg would be more likely to lean towards the left than the right in a hung Parliament situation.
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