So what now for Brown?

Sally Chatterjee

One thing's clear, after the election David Milliband won't become leader. He couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag and I suspect he'd have trouble leading a dog on a leash.

Andy Carpark

About 7.35 am, James Naughtie was interviewing Shaun of-the-dead Woodward, wheeled out not for the first time as defender of last resort. I don't recollect the exchange verbatim as I was on the point of leaving but it ran something like,

SW: 'It's about whether the Labour Party wants to continue with Gordon Brown as leader.'

JN: 'And do we?'

Whatever the exact words, 'we' definitely referred back to the Labour Party, not the country at large. Naughtie has form on this, as in 'When WE win the next election …', some time in spring 2005. Either stupid or completely brazen.

chris

We always know it would end this way for Brown. He never gave loyalty to Blair so why should he expect any. Shame on the Labour Party for Brown's " coronation". Will no one in that wretched party have the guts to draw the sword from the scaboard and put the man out of his misery.
He has dragged the Labour Party down and the sooner they rid themselves of him the better for everyone concerned. Can't wait to see him thrown out of office by the voters though!

The Bellman

Slightly O/T, but I notice the way that the die-hard Broonite lick-spittles invoke the authority of the Labour Party's constitution to pronounce on how or why no leadership challenge is possible. The party can run itself as it sees fit, of course, but the constitution has the same legal standing as the charters of the Dennis the Menace fan club and the Lego Master Builders' club.

Yet compare the awe and reverence in which this document is held with the same party's utter contempt for our national constitutional heritage. This shower of horsehit will drive a cart and horse through established principles of English common law that have helped maintain order for centuries; but try suggesting a change to the rules of how you suggest changing the types of biscuit served at party conference coffee breaks, and the pettyfogging shysters come over like Edwardian hostesses who've just found a turd among the petit fours.

The Foxhole Atheist

Andy Carpark: I thought I heard that as well. Shocking, but not surprising, as my grandmother used to say.

Woodward invoked the British public to declare that there was no support for the plotters in the country at large. Hearing this state- and wife-funded parasite attempt to enlist the public to shore up his rapidly-diminishing political prospects is almost as hilarious as hearing the same odious, treacherous little opportunist lecturing his colleagues on the damaging effects of plotting.

Alun Reynolds

Thanks Bellman, you've made my day start with a really good belly laugh :o)

Vulture

It says much for the state of the Liebour Govt that the best they could put up to defnd Bruin on Today today was the squillionaire ex-Tory traitor Dead Shornwood and the only MP in the party who's done military service, Eric Joyce ( who offered equivocation at best).

Now more than ever Bruin's situation resembles the last scenes of 'Downfall' inside the bunker with the Dark Fraud Mandelslime playing the part of Albert Speer : 'I don't want to leave you my Fuhrer, but I must be off. I've got a Diamond Jubilee to organise - and it won't be yours. Auf Wiedersehen, pet.'

Nicholas

Good point by The Bellman. What a pity the MSM never point this sort of hypocrisy out.

And Brown. Urgh! Like one of those sci-fi thriller villains that you think is dead but keeps coming back just before the end. I have champagne and Bon Voyage cards ready for when the wooden stake finally nails The Monster. Sick of Brown, sick of the cause for Brown.

D K MCGREGOR

The Bellman ringeth true.

General Zod

Andy Carpark, I also thought I heard Naughtie's "we".

His name is on the list.

oldtimer

It seems to me that, despite protestations to the contrary, this coup attempt was not a lone attempt by the undeadly duo of Hewitt and Hoon. It is obvious that no-one in the cabinet has the gumption to come out and call for Brown to step down. This ploy was an alternative to get Labour MPs to do the dirty work for cabinet ministers via the device of a secret ballot. That ploy was bungled/did not work because Labour MPs declined the invitation.

The curious thing about later events, apart from the delayed and qualified statements of support were:
(1) the BBCs Robinson reading out the names of alleged plotting ministers - who put him up to that? My guess is Mandelson.
(2) Mandelson on Newsnight calmly observing that the coup failed because the MPs did not support the idea of a leadership change now. He then went on to state his version of what Labour`s election manifesto should be.

So I see this also as part of a battle to control Labours election manifesto and campaign - Mandelson and co vs Brown and co. No doubt, when the weather improves, one of them will be buying ice cream for the other. Whoever buys will, obviously, be the loser.

Naomi Muse

Slow burner - the polite term given to the erosion of Broon's influence and power, when a leadership challenge was mounted in 2007.

Slow burner - the term given to the apparently isolated action of James Purnell last summer. That can’t have been isolated or he would not have gone.

Slow burner - the term applied to the efficacy of a secret ballot suggested by Hoon & Hewitt (sound like a firm of solicitors, don't they?) yesterday. 6 Ministers named by Nick Robinson as being those who were thought to be supporting the idea.

Slow burner indeed. But behind the words and terms it becomes more apparent that the securitate of the Broon Cabal hold a ring of steel around Broon based on bullying and fear, not respect.

Fear for themselves as individuals, rather than care for their constituents and respect for the electorate is what governs Labour MPs in this country right now or they would have gone for the ruse offered by Hoon & Hewitt after failing to jump with James Purnell.

That ruse of a secret ballot just for the PLP, which has been rubbished, could have given them all the 'immunity' from individual targeting by the Broon Cabal of bullies. It could have given the Labour party, new or old, a chance to prove they were behind Broon or that they wanted change and then set the change in motion quickly.

The fact that they bottled it at this juncture shows the country clearly that there is a San Andreas fault in the government and that the 2007 non-election of new leader, plus the James Purnell solo leap of faith which should have led to an avalanche were real events and that wallpaper had been hastily applied to the cracks to give the impression of unity.

This erosion will be manifest in further lack of trust in the government when it could have:

1. ensured the parliamentary labour party properly and clearly behind the leadership

2. attracted more funding in to the almost bankrupt party for the war chest needed for the election

3. ensured that the PM would answer PMQs in a manner in which the country would respect him instead of playing it all for laughs when the Panto season is nearly over

4. ensured that all MPs would concentrate on our dire financial situation and the social unrest that is budding in the country

5. secured a more hopeful future for the country and the trust and respect of the electorate.

It was a dumb move by Labour MPs to reject this H&H ruse as far as Labour was concerned.

And as for Broon, like coastal erosion in East Anglia, he cannot trust his cabal any more either so his demise will be on the cards, either soon or at the election or before the next Labour conference.

Perhaps he should read Terry Pratchett’s ‘The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents’ for a study in power and demise.

raffles

Spot On The Bellman! The one shyster who particularly gets my goat is Milibanana. Has there ever been such a gutless and unprincipled member of Cabinet. I desperately hope he is the next leader. That will be great entertainment.

Percy

If I was Brown I'd show some real guts, sack Miliband and replace Darling with Lord Peter.

stephen

I wonder if Lord Mandy got a bit moody over Christmas and H&H misread his sulk?

What a way to run a country but it's more fun than the Nigel Dobbs novel where the PM knew how to survive assasinations at least until the ultimate real one came! But at least he was an old Etonian was'nt he?

Roger Davies

The electorate should be able to vote for or agin the Labour Party led by the man who has been at it's helm since before 1997. Brown needs to hear loudly what we think of him and then he should be banished from our shores.

Yam Yam

"And now, the end is near,

And as I face the final curtain..."

Hysteria

re the Naughtie "we" - is this not on iplayer???

logdon

"And not just any old coup".

More a chicken 'coup'?

Fearless Frank

Hysteria January 7th, 2010 1:57pm
re the Naughtie "we" - is this not on iplayer???
Yes it is, and yes, he did say it.
I have an MP3 for posterity, if anyone's interested.

Paddy

Mandelson is looking very "shifty".

Watch out.