Your coup update

Cottage Pie

What are you waiting for Alan Johnson? Deliver that letter to Brown now.

Garth Wiseman

In the USA I believe that all presidents to be are required to have a full medical covering physical, mental and emotional health aspects. In order to avoid another 'psychologically flawed' PM should we not have a similar requirement for PMs?

Frank P

Your coup 'update'? Isn't that spelled 'd'etat' - or was that a deliberate pun?

hfc

On 26 June, Brown will complete two years in post as PM. Could it be that he wants to hang on till then because his pension improves substantially once two years service is recorded?

Jeremy

In retrospect, I think it will be seen that the point at which Brown's authority as Prime Minister failed was the point at which he failed to sack his Chancellor. Having briefed against Darling in advance, Brown's failure to follow-through on the day has left him looking weak and exhausted. When it came to it, Brown simply no longer had enough political capital left to sack him. This was the moment at which Brown lost the authority to any longer re-shape his cabinet in the mould of his own choosing. And I really cannot see any way back from that, for him. He is essentially now the hostage of the figures he sees around him at the Cabinet table. Any one of whom has more cards to play and more credibility with his own party than Brown himself now has. His power to make and break ministers has drained - will drain - away. He has had his last Cabinet re-shuffle. In addition to this, of course, Darling still remains in place and there are now real causes for enmity and mutual recrimination between the two of them. Darling's resignation (if and when it comes) might be the final blow for Brown - the point at which the Cabinet and the Parliamentary Party simply find themselves in agreement that Brown must go.

Tiberius

"It isn't over yet".

I sure hope you're right, Matt. I'm beginning to think Brown is going to slither out of the rat-trap.

Dirty Euro

Why do tories get worked up about who the leader of the party is?
If you think he is a bad leader then surely you would want him to stay.
Do you think he will be replaced Mrs Thatcher. Is it you do not like Scottish people running the government?
Why are you tories so anxious to remove the leader of the party you do not support.
I have never been remotely bothered who runs the tory party. I just do not want them, to win.
The odd thing if he does go you will start shouting for the next leader to go and the one after that and that and that. why?
It should not bother you.
Who do you want to run the labour party, and why? It makes no sense. Do you just want the party to be in dissaray, is it being clever trying to wind us up to change our leader so we are in chaos. Do you really think you are helping the party? .

Ian C

Jeremy,

I agree with you. Darling has the key to the room where all Brown's bodies are in storage awaiting discovery. For such an otherwise insignificant politician he holds immense power and possibly is the key to how the final death throes of Brown are brought about.

It would be a very unusual politican who does not ensure that this power is not used to his own credit - especially one who will otherwise take so much flak in the history books if he does not do something to ensure that the truth be told.

Cogito Ergosum

Come on, people. Supermac would have described it as "a little local difficulty".

TGF UKIP

On the other hand, I am inclined to believe it is not "all over" for one very good reason.

Among all the media comment on the expenses scandal, including in the Speccie and on this site, the one factor I have not seen mentioned is the reason why the level of MP's salaries, staff allowances and the ACA was jacked up to the level it was. That reason, as so much with Blair and Brown, was about control and that lavishing of dosh and goodies is now about to pay off for Brown.

The more people have the more painful it is when it is taken away and, at this point, you must remember who this lobby fodder are and whence they came. Most of them would be lucky to be earning above £25k outside Parliament, so they ain't exactly going to be in a hurry to leave.

Gordon goes now and it's an October election and almost certainly on the streets for many of them. So why not hang on, enjoy another eight months of the good life, hope Gordon can sell the economic upturn in q4 09 and q1 10 as a Brown inspired economic miracle and count on Boy George continuing to be the Tories economic front man.

Similarly with the Cabinet - on 141 grand, danced on hand and foot day in and day out, why not, like Mr Micawber, hang on and hope something turns up. And with Dave's present gang there's always the prospect of a Tory financial sleaze scandal even setting aside what all the revelations about second incomes might bring.

Remember above all, that these are very venal and self interested people so the interest of the Labour Party comes a very long way behind their own interests and when, no never, has the national interest figured at all in their thinking.

Gordon is in all probability safe until an election can reasonably be delayed until well into 2010.

Pete, Scotland

This man has no shame.

On a day like this, standing with true heroes that charged onto the beaches prepared to die for our freedoms when he has been a figurehead for a Government that has been systematically removing these same freedoms is an absolute disgrace.

When he was boooed, it just summed it up.

To think he stands in the same place as Churchill would have occupied.

He is a disgrace to our country.

Bruce, UK

People, the liar and thief Darling will not exercise any sanction against Brown.

The liar and thief Darling is merely collecting our money for selfish reasons.

The liar and thief Darling will suffer any ignominy rather thatn give up penny one.

Darling is a liar and a thief. What do you expect?

Derek

Let's keep in mind that the leaders of both of the two main parties are, or should be, in serious trouble. Mr. Peter Hitchens sums up as follows: "The expenses scandal had reached – as it should have done from the start – the opulent front gates of Mr Cameron.

We had, it was revealed, paid for those gates. And paid, and paid. For a weekend home in a constituency 75 miles from London, a distance that many of his own electors (and many others, too) must commute daily, he required from us an interest-free mortgage of £350,000, so as to top up the £300,000 in cash he happened to have handy already. And at the same time he was able to pay off the remaining mortgage on his London house, later sold for more than £1million.

Why is this all right? Why should we pay for this, with taxes gouged from our wage-packets on pain of imprisonment? We’d all love a £350,000 interest-free loan. But we know we’re not entitled to one. Why didn’t he know that?

What is morally different between asking us to subsidise his spacious luxury and paying for a duck house or a clean moat? In many ways, it seems to me worse, especially given the righteous, smarmy way in which he has driven other offenders from Parliament to save his own skin.

But this excellent story somehow died. The BBC, which reckons its beloved Blairism is safe in Mr Cameron’s hands, did its best to ignore it. The ‘centre Left’ and ‘centre Right’ Press wouldn’t pick it up and run with it.

Back we went to the futile tedium of Brown-bashing, with all the thrill of the national finals of a corpse-kicking championship. Mr Cameron’s many volunteer media bodyguards formed a square around him. The Tory crisis never happened."

Verity

Matthew, thank you for my coup update.

hfc - Brown's only been PM (by default) for two years? It seems as though he has been stalking us forever! And how quickly the evil shaft of light that was Tony Blair apparently vacated the building ... and our memories.

But the wickedness of renascent communism stalks our corridors of power with more intent than in those of any other nation, save Cuba, that I know of. The damage done to our democracy was fearsome and Brown, Straw, Harman, Jacqui Smith (RIP, who banned a legally elected representative of the people of our ally Holland because she'd been bullied by Labour-created "Lord" Ahmad and his 10,000 angry Muslim youths and also, inexplicably, banned a normal American citizen who had expressed no interest at all in visiting our country), have faithfully carried on the destruction of British democracy and capitalism long after Blair and the manatee have made tens of millions out of his publicity as a friend of Mr Bush.

It looks as though Gordon Brown will not be enjoying the same endorsements and contacts from President Obama ... There's just no justice, is there?

PS - any chance of cancelling the London Olympics? Or does that stand the same chance as cancelling the same bonkers crashing failure, the Millennium Dome?

King Prawn

I think we have a new Prime Minister.

Brown may have the title but he no longer pulls the levers. The man with the authority is now Peter Mandelson. He is the man who now runs this government.

Therefore, the policy part-privitising the post office will go ahead. Brown cannot afford to make his new master unhappy.

Cardinal Richelieu's mole

Why does the Cabinet not just reshuffle itself? (Consulting the PLP so far as it chooses.) Brown could remain as Party leader (as Neville Chamberlain did when Churchill became PM) whilst serving out his time on the back benches pending a Party leadership election to be held at the Party’s convenience?

Patrick

If Johnson doesn't have the balls to administer the coup de grace to a prime minister whose time is long gone, why does anyone think he would make a good prime minister?

John Page

Remind me how long Blair lasted without being able to decide who his chancellor was?

Chuck Unsworth

@ Dity Euro. Maybe the reason why 'Tories' get so worked up about Brown is they understand just how much damage he is doing to this country. And maybe Labour supporters just don't care. That would be typical of them and their 'leaders' - in it for what they personally can get and devil take the hindmost.

Alfred T Mahan

Dirty Euro - don't judge others by your own standards. Tories want Gordon to go because he's disastrous for the country. It's only lefties who habitually put party before country.

Although I have to add I would feel a slight pang of regret if he did go because it's so riveting watching him fall apart.

Will J

Since when could Tony Blair dictate the identity of his Chancellor either?

Vulture

@ Dirty Euro - The reason why Tories get worked up abt who is leader of the Liebour party, Dirty, is that the present incumbent is also masquerading as Prime Minister of Great Britain. And Tories, (unlike Lefties, so this might be a concept you cannot get your head around), being patriotic, care about who's running - in this case who's ruining - their country.

Tales from the Bunker

I thought Mandelson had the key.

cuffleyburgers

Dirty euro.

I can't speak for anybody else on this thread, but I can tell you that I hate brown for everything he has done to this country and the manner of his doing it.

Personally I hope he stays until the GE so that the scale of his failure will consign labour to an emabarassing footnote in the history books, and also so that he suffers for as long as possible, since the treatment he really deserves is no longer allowed.

I am embittered beyond endurance by the degree of the betrayal of the British people by the architects of the so-called new labour project and I have nothing but contempt and loathing for people like you who support them in their spiteful, corrupt, incompetent and deceitful administration.

I hope I have made my position clear.

Travis Bickle

Dirty Euro - I don't care who runs our country, or the Labour party, I just want the mendacious, deluded fool Brown (who wrecked our economy, stole our pensions and freedoms and overtaxed even the lowest paid workers to subsidise scroungers and cheats) to disappear from any sort of public office for good. Clear enough for you?

Paul B

Dirty Euro, your words give lie to all that is wrong about Labour. You put party loyalty above what is good for the country. Why should Tories about who leads the Labour? Why, you ask why? Cause hes the bloody leader of the country as well, and of course we have an interest, it should go without saying. Hes a incompetent moro, who has shafted the country on the spear of his own ego. As David Ossitt says in another thread, he is not clever, he is not competent, hes not the best man for the job. He may have experience, but all that experience counts for nothing if he keeps making wrong decisions, and every decision he has ever taken has been wrong. WRONG,WRONG,WRONG. Let me also tell you, those who like Brown and his fan boys, who say personalities do not count, again are wrong. Personalities count big time. Your personality shapes you views ,your politics, everything about you. I didn`t marry Mrs B for her policies or even her politics, I married her for her vivacious, interesting, highly intelligent, steadfast, personalities. It also helped she was (is) gorgeous and highly amusing. Brown has none of those characters, he is a lumpen troll, who has been found out. Its very telling that he harps on about his upbringing, about his father telling him to be honest. Like me ask, which responsible Father does not say that to his children? Hes lacking, he has issues-he needs to go and soon. He will not be missed

Frank Goddard

Matthew,I remember what Prescott said after the 1997 election,he said,"Now we have democracy according to the Labour Party.We are now witnessing that democracy,seven non elected peers to run thro' legislation without a commons vote,and now two non elected PM's to see that all EU regulations are adhered to.This is what happens when you have a goverment of lawers, by lawers,for lawers,and not the people.It is time the people rose in protest as this goverment, if allowed to carry on now, will become a dictatorship under EU Socialism.
Frank Goddrd..English pensioner

Rhoda Klapp

So, the PM is telling the truth about Darling not going.
So all the briefers were lying.

I think it behooves those members of the lobby who received those mendacious briefing to name the 'liars' who were attempting (for their own reasons, and therefore outside of lobby practices) to besmirch the realtionship between the PM and his loyal trusted Chancellor, in whom he has the utmost confidence. If the PM can deny the rumours, we ought to be told who spread them. If we could use this crisis to bust open the anti-democratic lobby, that would get some good out of this farce.

The Laughing Cavalier

The Chancellor shoud have been sacked in 2001. Unfortunately, Blair lacked the courage do do so.

JONNY

Let's start lifting a few big other rocks to peer inquisitively beneath.

For example: BBC Big Name expenses as subsidized by us licence payers...

Messrs Paxman et Dimbleby - high time to come clean. You've made hay with the sins of MPs -now let's examine yours.
We're all agog.
Fingers crossed you haven't been naughty greedy boys.

Jason Scorne

The Downfall of Brown

An unstoppable mass of angry voters and jeering veterans have finally burst through the gates of Downing Street. Police and television crews flee in terror.

In the cellars of Number Ten, a grim-faced Harriet Harmon hands out cyanide capsules to young party workers. David Milliband glances around nervously while he types an email to David Cameron. The sounds of shovelling can be heard from next door as Alistair Darling frantically digs a tunnel.

Gordon Brown shuffles along the line of remaining cabinet ministers, mumbling his goodbyes. With a final twitch of the jaw, he shuts the study door behind him.

A gunshot echoes through the cellar. The cabinet ministers exchange glances. Sarah Brown appears in the study doorway, her face deathly pale. Propaganda Minister Mandelson picks up his jerrycan of petrol and strides towards her.

“No,” she cries, “he’s only managed to shoot himself in the foot!”

Harold Vest

Blair couldn't dictate the identity of his chancellor either...

Marcher Baron

Westminster currently appears to be a mixture of 18th century politics and Hitler's last days in the bunker. WHEN will someone think of the country?

Derek

Vernon Bogdanor notes in a review in this weekend's FT of "Churchill's Bunker" by Richard Holmes that Churchill's plan for the cabinet in the event of a successful German invasion was that they should all adjourn with him to a pill box in Parliament Square which was disguised as a W.H. Smith, and there die fighting. Is it still there - and available?

Verity

Patrick asks: "If Johnson doesn't have the balls to administer the coup de grace to a prime minister whose time is long gone, why does anyone think he would make a good prime minister?"

Doubtless because, Patrick, unlike you, he knows the truism "he who wields the dagger never wears the crown".

patricia

Independent research shows that people only read the first three responses to a blog.

Paul B

Patricia, this post proves your post and the independant research wrong.

toni

Patricia. I've read every comment searching for a response to the criticism of Cameron by Derek June 7th, 2009 1:04am.
Even the formidable Verity is silent.

Simon Stephenson

It's undoubtedly in the party interest of the Conservatives to brand the resigners as people of upright principle, and the non-resigners as deplorable cowards, but I'm afraid that if you give it a moment's thought it becomes clear that it's no more than empty rhetoric.

Have any of the resigners given as a reason that they made a mistake in joining the Cabinet in the first place? No, of course not! Make a mistake? Them? Perish the thought!

Have any of them highlighted any event, impossible to have foreseen, where Brown's policy is unconscionable to them? Along the lines of Robin Cook's resignation over Iraq. No.

As they all now regard Brown's leadership not to be in the best interests of the country, have any of them apologised to the public for having worked so hard in recent years to perpetuate it? Have they hell as much!

Maybe the "deplorable cowards" who have remained in the Cabinet have a plus point in so much as they have decided not to engage in the display of humbug given by the resigners.