Brown is drinking in the last chance saloon (again)
Peter Hoskin 2:25pm
Oh joy. Alan Simpson's ultimatum to Brown today gives me an opportunity to update this list:
20 April, 2008
"The Prime Minister, who is battling a growing rebellion over his abolition of the 10p tax rate, has been given until the end of the summer to turn things round by backbenchers angry at a string of image and policy failures." (here)
24 May, 2008
"It is that Mr Brown be given until the end of July to prove himself and restore morale. If by then things have not improved, ministers, MPs and influential figures in the unions believe the only solution may be to send a delegation of his closest political friends – perhaps including Ed Balls, the Education Secretary, and Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary – to urge him to go." (here)
20 August, 2000
"Even some of his cabinet critics appear ready to accept that Mr Brown should be allowed a final opportunity to revive his fortunes by unveiling an economic plan next month to help people struggling to cope with rising fuel, food and housing costs in the downturn. But they intend to force him out if his fightback flops and he fails to rally Labour at its Manchester conference." (here)
21 September, 2008
"Gordon Brown has been given until next June by senior Cabinet ministers to prove himself capable of saving Labour from a general election meltdown or face being unseated." (here)
28 August, 2008
"Gordon Brown is to be given until November to save his premiership as Cabinet ministers offer him 'one last chance' to improve Labour's fortunes, it has emerged" (here)
9 June, 2009
"...even though Brown has defied his tormentors yet again he is much more vulnerable than he was even a week ago. He will get the space to continue until the autumn. If he makes no headway in the polls between now and then, he will not lead Labour in to the next election and, I suspect, would not try to do so." (here)
28 September, 2009
"Labour rebel Alan Simpson says that another challenge to Gordon Brown's leadership is 'almost a given .... Unless things change by Christmas it's almost a given that there will be some sort of challenge.'" (here)
And there have been many more "last chances" besides. In which case, here's a question for CoffeeHousers: have there been any months in the past year-and-a-half when Brown hasn't faced an "Improve or you're out" ultimatum? Answers on a postcard to Labour HQ, please.
Previous
Senor Frizby
September 28th, 2009 2:44pm Report this commentHe's tenacious.. I'll give him that. Listens to know one and knows not what people think. The UK is in ruins and Brown's prime concern is launching his next come back initiative. I have one initiative that may interest him: stop stalling, get your crazy crack-pot mind out of the seat of power by calling an election.
Otherwise there'll be a revolution and I'll be Robespierre!
Nicholas
September 28th, 2009 2:52pm Report this commentLaughable. As is New Labour's self-deluding conference.
The small detail they all seem to forget is that they have been in government for almost 13 years and that the current look, feel, sound and smell of Britain is entirely the construct of New Labour. Blaming Margaret Thatcher, the Tories or little green men in flying saucers ain't going to cut it.
Lola
September 28th, 2009 2:56pm Report this commentClassic New Labour. Threats? Just piss and wind.
Phil Coutie
September 28th, 2009 3:03pm Report this commentYou have to start wondering whether they don't actually have anyone better than Brown after all! How many ultimatums can they give him before the electorate do the job for them? They really are a bunch of no hopers
golfwidow
September 28th, 2009 3:08pm Report this commentI was about to comment but excuse me while I go off to vomit as a result of listening to Mandelson.
In2minds
September 28th, 2009 3:25pm Report this commentShould Brown be drinking if he's on medication?
Sunlit Uplands
September 28th, 2009 3:37pm Report this commentThis is terrific fun. I've waited over 12 years to see this doomed union of socialists and Diet Tories implode and eat itself. Sure, it has come at a hell of a price, but at least the ridiculous spectacle of age-old bollocks being half-heartedly ploughed into an empty, comatosed ballroom goes some way to exposing this bunch of duplicitous shysters for what they are. Stupid, angry, charmless fools. I only pray that they play the class card big time from here on in and then Mr Kavanagh will indeed be right; meltdown awaits.
Oliver Cromwell
September 28th, 2009 3:44pm Report this commentBrown has to go, and sounding tough is not putting the British people first, but once again putting himself and his party first.
But I have to say, I am not the least bit stimulated by Cameroon or Clegg.
I just don't want to hear any more ideological rubbish concerning the public sector.
Simon Stephenson
September 28th, 2009 3:44pm Report this commentI'm no psychologist, but I have to wonder whether the "last-chance saloon" merchants are really telling us more about themselves than about Brown. It seems to me that repeatedly giving someone their "last chance" is really little more than "have cake and eat it". These people are backing both horses while appearing to be dynamic and decisive. If Brown/Labour's fortunes recover, they'll claim credit for giving him another chance, and if they continue in freefall they'll claim that they've always been clear about their reservations.
What they won't do, ever, is to admit that they were part of the process that pushed Brown into the Prime Ministership, and that for this, if nothing else, their judgment deserves to be questioned for the rest of their lives.
Rosa
September 28th, 2009 3:55pm Report this commentBrown is a classic pathological narcissist.
Google can give a complete character analysis. For how much longer can we accept politicians without any capability assessment?
Schlieffen Plan
September 28th, 2009 4:02pm Report this commentRemember Bill Hayden!!!!
R King
September 28th, 2009 4:05pm Report this commentListened to the messiah preaching the sermon on the mount..... Christ? No it was the just the slimebag letting off wind.
What's really sickening there was a hall filled with grown-ups(?) hanging on to his last word. They must be a really desperate party!
Tiberius
September 28th, 2009 4:16pm Report this commentThe reason Brown is still in post is because the PLP consists of cowardly, self-interested invertebrates.
Chuck Unsworth
September 28th, 2009 4:22pm Report this comment"Answers on a postcard to Labour HQ, please."
Can't find one big enough. Can I send a book instead?
Brocoli quiche
September 28th, 2009 4:27pm Report this commentThe Times Leader had something this morning about conference cliches, or was it quiche?
Anyway, last chance saloon, re-arranging the deckchairs on the pier, nice beach shame about the pebbles, all rock and no candy, is it not perhaps the problem that Brown and Labour have metamorphosed into the cliche-beyond-all-redemption of a doomed government nose-diving into oblivion?
Ian W
September 28th, 2009 4:32pm Report this commentThis list just demonstrates the pointlessness of lobby journalists reporting unnamed "senior" sources. If the sources were named they would either have to put up, or shut up.
john miller
September 28th, 2009 5:04pm Report this commentIvor Ponting of the South Wales Labour (Temporary) Branch says Gordon Brown has until hell freezes over to find Barack Obama. After that they will probably definitely think about possibly doing something about his leadership, if anyone can think of anything.
And that's final.
BTW is it not insensitive to have as a sponsored link in the sidebar an advert for laser eye surgery? No, thought not...
logdon
September 28th, 2009 5:06pm Report this commentHello? Is there a Doc Holiday in the house? Brown's medication needs renewing.
John Ant
September 29th, 2009 1:13am Report this commentJohn Miller - Aye, and an ad addressed to those 'struggling with debt' isn't without its funny side either.
Not that Brown thinks of it as debt - simply as 'leveraged investment'.
Major Plonquer
September 29th, 2009 4:48am Report this commentDrinking at the last chance saloon? Brown should know better than to mix alcohol with pills.
Olaf
September 29th, 2009 9:29am Report this commentOutside of Westminster who cares any more?
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