Blears weighs in
Fraser Nelson 10:08am
Enter the iron chipmunk. Hazel Blears has given it straight to Gordon Brown in the Observer, including the immortal line "YouTube if you want to" - this lady is not for tubing. She's for campaigning, operating on a wavelength broadly approaching that of the British public. This shook up No10 which forced her to put out words of loyalty which (bless her) had all the sincerity of a hostage statement. "I want to make it clear that the Prime Minister has my 100 percent support," etc.
So, what's cooking? With Charles Clarke sending a coded message that Ed Balls should quit, and Kate Hooey sounding off, all this can be mistaken for a coordinated attack. But if it were, Hazel would wait until after the June elections and do in in tandem with other higher-ranking rebels. The force of a rebellion lies in its co-ordination. Brown survived last year by flushing rebels out one by one, denying them the chance to quit together.
I suspect the purpose of this is more to say to Labour activists: "if you're dismayed by this idiot and his would-be Mafioso thuggery, you're not alone. But Labour is bigger than Brown, and we have an election next month. I share your concerns, but we have a wider cause to fight for. So don't let Brown keep you away from the stump".
I rate Blears highly, especially the way she dealt with the so-called Muslim Council of Britain. Brown specialises in cutting down Labour talent, so it will be interesting to see how he responds in the June reshuffle. And Jack Straw is on Boulton later on, and I suspect he agrees 100 percent with Blears. So let's see how he plays it.
UPDATE: Margaret Beckett has just been on BBC One's Politics Show to say "What Hazel basically said in that article is something that she's said repeatedly at Cabinet". So ten marks to Blears. Anyone who hasn't read Matthew Parris's column yesterday should see this is the point he makes: why does no one tell Brown what's going wrong? Well, Blears does. Time for Iain Dale to get his "Nuts about Hazel" campaign going again.
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Rhoda Klapp
May 3rd, 2009 10:36am Report this commentStraw put in a pretty poor performance to Boulton's gotcha questioning. Johnson on Marr did even worse. Neither would stand as leader, of course, there is no vacancy da di da di da. It's possible that they are so gutless they would drag this out until next may. Or around June 8th*, when there will be more good reasons to ditch GB.
*I think the euros count on monday.
David Ossitt
May 3rd, 2009 11:00am Report this commentIs it not a pure joy to see the current and to anticipate all of the future bloodletting.
The back stabbers will be out in droves.
For me the next twelve months will provide wonderful entertainment; with highlights such as the June elections and the labour party conference, and the sheer delight of the general election.
Dirty Euro
May 3rd, 2009 11:25am Report this commentObama won with a far more brave and left wing agenda, than Blair. Plus that was in a right wing nation. Why do the blairites think we can only win with a right wing agenda with tax cuts for millionaires it is bizzare, what does that have to do with the middle 40% of the population of middle class voters who earn nothing like 150,000 a year. :
Tiberius
May 3rd, 2009 11:29am Report this commentAlthough Purnell is your favoured Labour bod, Fraser, it is clear our Haze is your femme fatale.
To be fair, she did do an unexpectedly good job over the MCB, but it is such a shame she can't ditch the swivel-eyed "what about the werkers" dogma that Harman practises to such perfection.
I still can't see a mechanism that will allow Brown to be removed before a GE in 2010, unless a doctor and a social worker take it upon themselves to save the country.
Oscar
May 3rd, 2009 11:35am Report this commentIf Labour's share falls below 20%in the June elections (and some Labour people are betting on it according to PB)then what are calls to rally the faithful at the moment will turn into full-scale rebellion. Brown's ability to pick off his opponents has been seriously weakened. It's not just McBride that's gone but much media support as well. The ability to mount the full blown smear campaigns of the past now run the risk of exposure and blowback. I reckon Brown is under sentence of execution. If the June elections bring in the verdict predicted, then it will be curtains for Brown.
Mark Pack
May 3rd, 2009 11:54am Report this commentI think the "YouTube if you want to" line might be a bit more effective if Hazel Blears hadn't been such a keen user of YouTube herself!
David K
May 3rd, 2009 12:02pm Report this commentBlears smiles with forked tongue. YouTube has a load of Blears. I wouldn't encourage anyone actually to watch any of it.
Paul B
May 3rd, 2009 1:32pm Report this commentI`m with David O, its great to see the comrades being all fraternal with one another. In the words of Mrs T "I`m enjoying this"- in reply to Skinner in her resignation speak.
John Page
May 3rd, 2009 1:52pm Report this commentWe all know what "youtube if you want to" is a pale echo of.
You rate Hazel Blears? I don't doubt the robotic chipmunk considers herself well-intentioned.
But she governs as a centraliser. It's her department which issues strategy papers to local authorities inviting them to make laborious applications for grants to be spend in exact compliance with central norms.
Rather than being a chipmunk, she is an old fashioned puffed up Labour parrot well past her squawking date.
Nicholas
May 3rd, 2009 2:00pm Report this commentLet's not forget Blears is the mastermind behind community spies and other Neo-Nazi tosh. These people are hanging out their "Blairite" credentials for self-serving purposes. They have been happy to spend the best part of 12 months within the Brown bunker with not a squeak of conscience or concern about the terrible ideas unfolding.
And as for Straw, the thief of freedoms, he is a slippery eel who will do whatever it takes to maintain his position.
Much as I dislike Brown, and I really do, the fact remains that all those around him, even those now seeking to distance or position themselves are equally repulsive and cosntitute an equal threat to Britons. The Labour delusion (amongst some) may be that with Brown out of the way they can turn things around. It ain't going to work. People are sick and tired of Labour - Brown is just the focus of ire.
By focussing on speculative internal Labour politics instead of the tangible damage their wretched party is collectively doing to this country you are, once again, letting them off the hook.
john miller
May 3rd, 2009 2:52pm Report this comment"This lady is not for tubing"
Wonderful turn of phrase.
Unfortunately, most of the cast of the Carry on films are dead and Robin Asquith is otherwise engaged.
TrevorsDen
May 3rd, 2009 4:47pm Report this commentBut now she has recanted (she supports Brown 100%)- no doubt the Jesuits in Nr10 showed her the instruments of torture.
All of which just diminishes her.
Apostate Guardianista
May 3rd, 2009 5:05pm Report this commentLet us not forget that this is the same nannying, authoritarian wannabe social engineer who suggested that 'it is not a question of 'if' government should get involved with family life but 'when''. Any true lover of freedom and dynamism should be very concerned by her ascendancy.
TGF UKIP
May 3rd, 2009 6:28pm Report this commentOn today of all days, where is our hot, sweaty and panting Fergus?
Ken
May 3rd, 2009 7:17pm Report this commenthttp://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/3585276/the-lady-is-for-tubing.thtml - You may care to reconsider on your high rating of chipmunk after watching this lot, Mr Fraser.
You Tube is a real election changer.
Fraser Nelson
May 3rd, 2009 9:14pm Report this commentKen, can you go say something nice about Etan on his comment thread? Everyone else is being mean to the poor guy. I agree, it did make me think again: delicious though that line was, she probably shouldn't have used it.
jimmy
May 3rd, 2009 11:01pm Report this commentI am no political pundit, but I presume she will be booted out in the June reshuffle. Her actions over the Muslim Council of Britain has alienated 2 million muslims in an election year and her remarks have re-opened old wounds for Gordon Brown. If GB has any sense she should go.
Florence Nightingale
May 4th, 2009 3:00pm Report this commentSo she has alienated 2 million Muslims eh? The lady is not quite as useless as I thought!
nick
May 4th, 2009 8:46pm Report this commentJimmy, I know you're a Brown ultra-loyalist, and probably working for Balls and his gang in trying to discredit a perceived rival, but maybe not all of those "2 million Muslims" consider themselves to be represented by the MCB. It's just possible that some may be able to make up their own minds and cast their own votes, rather than allowing self-appointed "community leaders" to push their agenda.
hadrian
May 4th, 2009 10:13pm Report this commentHas it not occurred to anyone on here confidently predicting Aramagedon for Labour that there is still, despite all appearences to the contrary, every chance they could do passably at the EU elections and so stumble on till the General Election and even scrape in again, Broon notwithstanding?
WE MUST be far far more alert to exposing their policies in every way we can.
That said, it is reassuring to know even those in the Bunker recognise Broon is a loon and potential loser!!
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