Brown's take on Harman
Peter Hoskin 8:57am
The rest of Labour seems sure that Harriet Harman is on manoeuvres, but Gordon Brown was adamant yesterday that there's no truth to the Westminster gossip. He's lying, I thought; it's not as though he'd admit his deputy is undermining his position. But then this in today's Telegraph:
Whether it's true or not, the Harman story now has an irresistible momentum. Quotes like that above, while designed to draw a line under things, just add to the general pantomine.According to one key adviser, [Brown] does not believe reports that [Harman] is jockeying for position – not because he believes she is devoted to his cause, but because “he just thinks it’s preposterous anyone could even consider Harriet could lead anything”.
Previous
mac
February 19th, 2009 9:23am Report this commentTruly, Punch and Judy.
And, to complete the end of the pier set, Smith the bovine policeman. And the crocodile, absent, cursing at a cocktail party.
Why should Britain tremble!
Gruntson
February 19th, 2009 9:36am Report this comment"Itzig, where are you going? I don't know, ask the horse!"
Similarly Mr Brown - I don't know, ask the polls!
mitch
February 19th, 2009 9:48am Report this commentYou can't argue with his analysis, though.
Letters From A Tory
February 19th, 2009 9:53am Report this commentI think Brown is making a huge mistake.
Harman is popular with the unions, she loves punishing the middle classes and she is female (sorry but it does count in politics these days).
I don't think anyone would stop her in a leadership contest.
Roger Thornhill
February 19th, 2009 9:55am Report this commentDamned by faint praise indeed.
Ronnie
February 19th, 2009 10:02am Report this commentWell, we all think its preposterous so why shouldn't Brown?
Hawkeye
February 19th, 2009 10:18am Report this comment“[Brown] just thinks it’s preposterous anyone could even consider Harriet could lead anything”
*Cough*! *Cough*!!!
Pot. Kettle. Kettle. Pot
*Cough*! *Cough*!!! *Splutter*!!!!
golfwidow
February 19th, 2009 10:31am Report this commentCheck out today's Evening Standard for a story about Yvette Cooper being lined up as an alternative to Harman. Labour's future is imploding by the day!
Juliana
February 19th, 2009 10:53am Report this commentHarperson couldn`t run a primary school.
Mike, Brighton
February 19th, 2009 10:58am Report this commentAmazingly Harman is in with a good chance of becomimg leader, as the cabinet is uniformly so poor in quality. So relatively speaking she could win!
Who are the competitors...
Alistair Darling - won't run, credibility is zero
Alan Johnson - too old, could only be a caretaker leader. May win if the succession is very bloody and Labour needs a unifying figure for the first term in opposition.
Jack Straw - ditto
Nick Brown - won't run, no chance
Andy Burnham - too early for him, will stitch up a deal with Purnell.
John Hutton - a dark horse? Not sure if he has the ambition or base in the PLP
Dougie Alexander - still damaged, won't run
Ed Milliband - on manoeuvres as Harriet, will run and a strong contender
Ed Balls - very damaged by being Brown's financial architect and anointed successor. Will run but has no chance, a figure of hate in the PLP and nationally
John Denham - another dark horse?
Hilary Benn - won't run, no chance
David Milliband - very damaged by the party conference and his lacklustre performance as foreign sec. Will run (but will he run against Ed?) but will not win. No base in the PLP. May stitch up a deal with Ed that might be worth watching?
Jacqui Smith - dodgy expenses and won't keep her seat. Won't run as absolutely no chance
Hazel Blears - a figure of hate on the right but beloved by Labour. Could run? May stitch up a deal with Harriet?
Shaun Woodward - ex Tory, won't run, less chance than Jacqui!
Geoff Hoon - won't run, no chance as a fool
Yvette Cooper - won't run but support Ed
James Purnell - will run, possibly Harriet's main competitor alongside Ed Milliband
Paul & Jim Murphy - who? No chance.
Outside the cabinet - John Cruddas, good candidate and nicely left wing for the PLP. Will scare middle england though. A strong candidate.
So its Harriet vs. Ed Milliband vs. James Purnell vs. John Cruddas.
My money is still on Cruddas - I got 50/1 some months ago!
seb
February 19th, 2009 10:59am Report this commentThe Telegraph article credits Harman with having the skin of a rhinoceros. Clearly, this is a typo and the sentence should have read 'brains of a rhinoceros'. Only a lady rhino could be guaranteed not to notice how ridiculous others find her.
Ray
February 19th, 2009 11:15am Report this comment"(Brown) just thinks it’s preposterous anyone could even consider Harriet could lead anything".
So our Prime Minister's judgement is correct on one thing then.
Thomas Rai
February 19th, 2009 11:23am Report this commentFirst sensible comment I've heard attributed to Brown in ages...
Susan Hill
February 19th, 2009 11:51am Report this commentSeb.. the self-important never, ever do. They simply cannot learn the lesson they should have been taught at their mother`s knee -'always try to see yourself as others see you.' If nothing else it helps you keep your sense of humour and shows you how not to take yourself too seriously. But people like Harperson have had a by-pass on all of that.
Augustus
February 19th, 2009 12:00pm Report this commentLa donna e mobile.
Aidan
February 19th, 2009 12:12pm Report this commentMike at 10.58, you've forgotten Tessa Jowell. If she can get Silvio to back her she could be in with a chance
HFC
February 19th, 2009 12:29pm Report this commentGood game, eh? But it won't change the reality of Lab defeat in early GE.
Verity
February 19th, 2009 1:22pm Report this commentLetters from A Tory: "... and she is female (sorry but it does count in politics these days)." With whom? Do you sincerely believe that anyone would vote for a prime minister because she was a woman? If you think this resonates with other women, you are tone deaf. Did you notice that Hillary Clinton didn't get the votes? People vote for one thing: self-interest, and no one in Britain is going to see Harriet Harman as the answer to their problems.
Tokenism is dead. Didn't work.
Wily Trout
February 19th, 2009 1:32pm Report this commentSome light relief, at last. I think Mz Harman could be a wonderful leader. She could be like a modern-day Michael Foot and lead Labour into the long grass.
dogface
February 19th, 2009 1:51pm Report this commentWhat about McNumpty? He's been all over the Beeb in recent weeks!
Alan Phillips
February 19th, 2009 1:56pm Report this commentThat picture is begging for a caption, so I'll give it.
Harman " Like a puppet on a string......"
Through gritted teeth (goccle of geer) Brown replies "And with the glove puppet Darling on the other side, we can finally get down to Punch and Judy politics..."
Liz Brown
February 19th, 2009 2:01pm Report this commentWho, in full possession of their faculties, would want to run the Labour Party?
C
February 19th, 2009 2:28pm Report this commentFor what it's worth, my mother floored Harriet with one punch when they were school (she deserved it)
Once a lightweight, always...
Frank Goddard
February 19th, 2009 2:47pm Report this commentWho cares?? After the next election Labour will be history for the next thirty years thank the lord.
ELECTION NOW Before its too late.
Frank G..english pensioner.
Jane
February 19th, 2009 4:42pm Report this commentI'd just love it if Spitting Image made a comeback!
Trafalgar
February 19th, 2009 5:16pm Report this commentWhat about Red Ken? At least he's won two elections.
He just needs to be parachuted into a safe Labour seat first - assuming there are any left!
Stranger things have happened.
teledu
February 19th, 2009 7:13pm Report this commentMike, Brighton. Thanks for your list; the political equivalent of a maiden selling-plate at Southwell.
Harman - leader! Gordon Bennett!!!
In a cabinet of utter gobshites she stands out as the biggest (after Brown).
nutty
February 19th, 2009 8:09pm Report this commentall labour need to stop harriet is to get gorden to back her
Back to top