Brown's Balls-up
James Forsyth 2:25pm
The question of whether Brown makes Balls Chancellor is still generally regarded as the key to what happens next. But it is worth pointing out that there is a huge danger to Brown in backing down now that he has gone so far: talking about Darling’s tenure at the Treasury in the past tense and refusing to confirm that he’ll keep him in post. If Brown fails to follow through, it will be clear that this is because he could not command the support of his Cabinet if he did make the appointment. Churchill’s comment about Suez springs to mind, ‘I wouldn’t have dared start but I certainly wouldn’t have dared stop.’
A display of weakness from Brown in the current circumstances would be provocative. But equally sending Balls to the Treasury, could be enough to tip some waverers into the rebel camp as well as triggering Darling’s resignation and possibly that of a couple of other Cabinet member: Remember Darling knows where the economic bodies are buried, the state of the books when he took on the job from Brown. I’m even hearing that some Treasury civil servants might speak out publicly about the mistakes of the Brown/Balls era at the Treasury if Balls is made Chancellor. (The Treasury is convinced that if Balls is sent there it will be to do another stimulus, something that could have catastrophic consequences for the public finances)
Brown has backed himself into a corner: if he moves Balls to the Treasury, the plotters benefit. If he keeps Darling there, his authority suffers a hammer blow. The one upside for Brown is that if he does get away with making Balls Chancellor it will reassert his authority or at least show that his Cabinet critics are all hat and no cattle.
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Kalvis Jansons
June 4th, 2009 2:41pm Report this commentTime to hit Brown, if you have not yet done so:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/please-go/
Oscar
June 4th, 2009 2:53pm Report this commentFor a man who was supposed to be a strategic genius, Brown seems to have a rare talent for backing himself into corners.
john problem
June 4th, 2009 3:14pm Report this commentLet's all cheer for Ed Balls. He has the necessary qualifications for being Chancellor. He was a journalist before politics - and everything he has touched since has been an expensive disaster. Especially education, where we are somewhere around 27th. in the world league tables. Can't wait to see him in operation as a financial whiz. It'll be more fun that BGT. Maybe.
TomTom
June 4th, 2009 3:15pm Report this commentBrown is on borrowed time. He cannot continue for another year like this and Greasy Balls alongside Brown justs make them look like the Kray twins.
Brown is finished and won't make the next Labour Conference
richardj
June 4th, 2009 3:27pm Report this commentHe is not a genius or even clever - just lucky till the music stopped and his incompetence was visible even to the backbench labour MP's who have now finally seen through the emperor with no clothes. May his removal be quick.
Dirty Euro
June 4th, 2009 3:27pm Report this commentDarling, Balls, more like dangling balls.
CJ Lucey
June 4th, 2009 3:31pm Report this commentBrown could surprise people yet by removing Darling and offering the Treasury to someone other than Balls e.g. Mandelson.
Lee H
June 4th, 2009 3:35pm Report this commentIn office but not in power. The harder you try and hold on to something the more desperate you become. Lord Sugar of Chiswick has a ring to it....
Tiberius
June 4th, 2009 3:43pm Report this commentBrown is at risk of replicating the mistake over the cancelled election, after letting the Balls hare run so far already.
They say people don't learn from others' mistakes; Brown doesn't learn from his own mistakes - to all of our costs.
Fox in a box
June 4th, 2009 3:43pm Report this commentDirty Euro, I do believe you are beginning to like it here. Has the veil been lifted from your eyes?
Vulture
June 4th, 2009 3:47pm Report this commentPoint is BRUIN CANNOT be removed without triggering a messy fight for the succession and a subsequent GE that will be a Liebour massacre. Liebour will hang on to its ghastly nurse for fear of stumbling into something worse.
Verity
June 4th, 2009 3:58pm Report this commentNice to see you pick up on the Texas phrase "All hat and no cattle" that I introduced here, James.
Steve.W
June 4th, 2009 4:00pm Report this commentCJ Lucey - An unelected unloved PM and Chancellor, yeah, love it!
David Ossitt
June 4th, 2009 4:12pm Report this commentI loath the man but he will not stand down nor will he be got rid of.
We have him until he calls the next election.
For my money May 2010.
lyno
June 4th, 2009 4:15pm Report this commentIs it just possible Brown has a third way in mind? Brown says Darling goes because of his expenses and for doing a bad job. He's floated Balls to get everyone worried and then he appoints a mystery third candidate and everyone is so glad it isn't Balls that they're happy. The only problem is - who could the mystery third candidate be?
Hysteria
June 4th, 2009 4:58pm Report this commentwhy do people assume Labour will be massacred at a GE under a new PM?
Simon Stephenson
June 4th, 2009 5:16pm Report this commentlyno : 4.15pm
Yes. A definite possibility.
Didn't George W do something like this with a US Supreme Court appointment? Leak out the name of an absolete no-no, then a fortnight later release tears of disappointment at the reaction, and, with a great show of reluctance and humility, put forward the name of the slightly less-reviled nutcase that he was going to appoint anyway.
Won't get fooled again!
CJH
June 4th, 2009 5:55pm Report this commentHe did advocate independence for the Bank of England back in 1992 in a report for the Fabian society, although tripartite regulation has been a disaster as has his tenure at the DCSF.
Oscar
June 4th, 2009 6:23pm Report this commentHysteria - Labour have the stench of death and decay about them. A new leader won't be a strong enough deodorant.
Flemingcrag
June 4th, 2009 6:40pm Report this commentShaun Woodward will be next Chancellor of the Exchequer with Darling going to the Home office and the rest of the Country going to hell in a handcart.
TomTom
June 4th, 2009 7:23pm Report this commentHe did advocate independence for the Bank of England back in 1992
Labour only nationalised the Bank in 1945 to get rid of Montagu Norman after his disastrous effect on Chancellors from Winston Churchill onwards....but Balls-Brown still kept the MPC under Treasury rather than Parliamentary control
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