There's no super-sub for Brown to call on
James Forsyth 12:50pm
Martin Kettle reports in The Guardian today that:
This is understandable given that, as Jackie Ashley wrote yesterday:“There is a lot of talk now about yet another shakeout at No 10. Lord Mandelson is pressing for a senior politician – not necessarily himself – to fill the righthand man role that Chris Patten played for John Major in 1992.”
But all this raises the question of who Brown could bring back—there aren’t any other Mandelsons waiting in the wings. There’s also the issue of whether Brown’s praetorians would be prepared to work with this person or set about undermining them, as they did Stephen Carter.“Brown seems to have performed the brilliant hat-trick of failing to grasp where his parliamentary party is coming from, failing to recognise what will provoke ridicule in the press and failing to acknowledge the public mood. Much of this comes back to the out-of-touch inner circle on which he has relied for so long.”
To be sure, bringing John Reid in as a Patten-style figure would sharpen up Labour’s political instincts and provide someone who can make the case aggressively for the government. But all this is about damage limitation not changing the game.
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Demetrius
May 1st, 2009 1:10pm Report this commentGood grief, not Triclosan Reid, Labours untamed Poison Dart Frog? Given the way things are he would only securitise the collateral damage.
Peter Wilson
May 1st, 2009 1:12pm Report this commentBizarre Gordon again today, apparently a possible flu pandemic is reason to smile randomly
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8028775.stm
Rhoda Klapp
May 1st, 2009 1:30pm Report this commentIt's amusing to see Guardian journos catching up with the rest of us, but surely Kettle could have completed his journey with the realisation that GB has to go, that's the only way for Labour to turn disaster into mere defeat.
Did he really write that article, and did his commenters really fill three pages, without any mention of the possible effect of the BNP on the next couple of elections? Or is that moderated out?
Come to think of it, the Spectator never mentions them either. Is there really a conspiracy among the media and the three main parties to smother any mention of them? How are we going to cope if they get 20% in June?
Grytpype-thynne
May 1st, 2009 1:36pm Report this commentChris Patten, who in '92 managed to lose his Bath seat, and later so successfuly contributed to the outstanding Major government, who is a Eurofanatic and general Heathite. As a hater of the current government, I certainly do hope a Patten type figure emerges, but don't let us keep the idea that he was a great figure.If Martin Kettle thinks he was that alone is a good reason to disagree
strapworld
May 1st, 2009 1:44pm Report this commentRedi is a spent force. All the other parties need to do is bombard him with questions on Afghanistan. WHO said not a shot would be fired? How many young men and women have you sent to their deaths?
Sorry HE has to be pilloried for the lies he told and so he will very soon disappear from view.
The man to help Brown does not exist, as Brown believes he does not need help!
Nicholas
May 1st, 2009 2:08pm Report this commentNo more McMafia please.
Ronnie
May 1st, 2009 2:30pm Report this commentRhoda Klapp, that is an excellent point.
Mike, Brighton
May 1st, 2009 2:36pm Report this commentIt's inconceivable that Labour could put up yet-another PM in a hopeless attempt to save their skins. The electorate would slaughter them.
All Cameron would need to do is hold up the Labour 2010 manifesto alongside the 2005 one and say "Where in this 2005 document does it say that the PM Tony Blair will be shortly deposed in a coup and his successor Brown will be deposed in another coup prior to this election. On top of the EU referendum and tax rates broke promises, you can't believe a single word in Labour's 2010 manifesto."
mitch
May 1st, 2009 3:04pm Report this commentThere is one man who brown might call it would need some serious humble pie but arise............... lord Blair of winning elections. minister for saving gordons sorry ass.
Roger Thornhill
May 1st, 2009 3:41pm Report this commentAs I mentioned on Iain Dale's site, Brown does not have a Willie, as in Whitelaw.
Diversity
May 1st, 2009 5:19pm Report this commentThe precedent is not encouraging. Patten put a lot of high quality and successful effort into helping Major. But he lost his own seat and the Conservative Party lost the best leader in his generation.
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