Mandelson enters the fray
Matthew d'Ancona 11:24am
Peter Mandelson's dig at Gordon Brown for his botched, theatrically half-hearted signature of the Lisbon Treaty is more than the latest chapter in the 13-year-old feud between Blairites and Brownites. It is also (yet another) uncanny echo of the John Major era. The Grey One tried his best to plot a middle course on Europe - and ended up pleasing nobody.
It is often pointed out that Labour is not split over Europe as the Tories were in the Nineties. That is true. But Mr Brown's backbenchers are divided no less fiercely over a much more toxic issue: how soon the PM should step down. One Labour Privy Councillor told me that if Gordon didn't get his act together by the summer that Jack Straw or Alan Johnson would have to step in. Improbable? Maybe. But scarcely the sort of mutinous gossip Mr Brown wants to be circulating less than six months after he took over.
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Austin Barry
December 15th, 2007 12:20pm Report this commentWere McBroon in any other line of work he would not have passed his six-month probationary review. But as soon as mention of his possible successor is mentioned the heart sinks: Straw, Balls, Milibrand, c'mon give us a break.
RW
December 15th, 2007 6:08pm Report this commentOpenly discussing the PM's replacement *already* must indicate mounting despair in Labour ranks. What an extraordinary situation to be in. The Conservatives should capitalise on this ruthlessly until Brown finally cracks. Never mind compassion for underdogs; Brown would gleefully have destroyed Cameron without qualms if the circumstances had been reversed. But let's have no more Labour Party coronations. They foisted him upon the electorate without mandate and he's shown by temperament and capabilities he's inappropriate as PM. He should be removed at an early General Election.
Jordan Wensley
December 16th, 2007 8:47am Report this commentIf Peter Mandleson doesn't like him, then Gordon Brown must be doing something right. I hope Gordon survives the Murdoch and other europhobic media assault on his leadership. Otherwise this country will end up with another poodle at the helm.
ExPat
December 16th, 2007 9:47am Report this commentMandelson is just worried about his EU gravy train. He's got as far as he's ever going to get. His views have no credibility. He couldn't hack it when he was in the UK. He can't hack it now he's out.
ExPat
December 16th, 2007 9:55am Report this commentCome to think of it, I don't know why you're even giving him bandwidth. Nobody else is.
Christopher G.Hudson
December 18th, 2007 10:49am Report this commentWhy is still official Conservative policy to stay within an increasingly dicredited European Union? Giving us a say on the latest so-called amended 'treaty'is like changing cabins on the Titanic;we need an opportunity to vote on leaving the E.U., which was markedted originally as an economic free-trade model!It isn't and we should recognise our imposed deception.
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