Brown turns to the Blairites
Peter Hoskin 9:03am
“It worked for Tony, so it might just work for me.” That's what must be going through Gordon Brown's head at the moment, as – according to this story in the Independent – he's turning to leading Blairite figures, such as Alistair Campbell and Peter Mandelson, for advice.
If true, it's fairly astonishing – after all, these are people whom Brown undermined and attacked, for the best part of a decade, in his effort to reach the very top. But it's perhaps even more surprising that the Blairites are going along with it all. Campbell, for example, is said to be “talking regularly” with Brown, and may even take up some informal position in government. One guess is that he's so concerned about the fate of the party that old enmities have been pushed aside. Another is that the Blairites want to seize centre stage - once again.
I'm sure the second possibility will be causing a few headaches in Downing Street. The current operation there is already fractured enough, with a tense divide between 'The Old Guard' of Sue Nye and Damian McBride, and 'The New Guard' of Stephen Carter and Jeremy Haywood. Throwing figures like Campbell into that already-volatile mix could be more trouble than it's worth for our Prime Minister.
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Faceless Bureaucrat
July 4th, 2008 9:22amOh how the circle turns...
Chuck Unsworth
July 4th, 2008 9:37am"But it's perhaps even more surprising that the Blairites are going along with it all."
Seriously? You're surprised? Good Grief. Why?
This is merely another manifestation that leopards do not change their spots.
Perhaps the only thing that might be have changed is that many of the public have wised up to this culture of spin, deceit and general mediocrity. But I doubt that Brown will be able to resist the urge to tinker around with any plans or proposals for salvaging the Titanic disaster that is New Labour.
Then again, Brown knows his days are numbered in one way or another. Maybe he's looking to the future - his, of course. A nice little sinecure at the EU or even the UN would be quite pleasant, or possibly he's sufficiently deluded to think that he can strut around on the world stage and make a packet like his mendacious predecessor.
Let's face it, he's finished. And with him will go the Labour Party, probably for a generation.
BrianSJ
July 4th, 2008 10:05amFor the Blairites, it is revenge served cold. No policy will result of course, because their 1970's union paymasters won't allow it. They have probably already put a price on restoring Clause 4.
Nicholas
July 4th, 2008 10:11amJust goes to show how utterly without scruples the New Labour lot are, whether Blairites or Brownites. Power at any price. Personal ambition before public good (look at the expenses voting - 33 government ministers?!). Party politics before good government. Deception before truth.
And all under the watch of a self-serving conniving misfit who promised an end to spin and sofa government.
Ian C
July 4th, 2008 10:20amI have the sense that I am watching dirty bath water spin its way out of the plughole. Every now and then another piece of identifiable scum is sucked into the downward vortex, goes round a couple of times - long enough for one to wonder if it really will go - and suddenly it is gone.
Brown and his teams - old, new, in place whe he arrived, all ready to be sucked down to the depths after a couple of moments of survival gives them temporary hope, and us heightened anticipation, spinning around the black hole they have created.
Please can we speed this up as soon as possible?
David C
July 4th, 2008 10:37amBrown is not Blair.
As Chuck puts it: NuLabour is responsible for the culture of spin, deceit and general mediocrity.
Blair was just the pretty paper that wrapped the package.
Do the Blairites really think people will buy the same parcel wrapped in Brown paper?
dave, surrey
July 4th, 2008 11:49amha ha, Brown and Campbell; two nasty, scheming, self serving sods who really deserve each other..
like the plughole analogy Ian C
Austin Barry
July 4th, 2008 12:40pmIan C, bath plughole? I sense you're being polite.
Verity
July 4th, 2008 1:23pmSo Blair's back, in effect, as they will discuss policy with Tony and, essentially, do his bidding and pretend it's Gordon's. The only price they have to pay is to pretend to Gordon that he is the PM.
Austin Barry,I am not going to be as subtle as Ian C, who you noted may have been soft-pedalling his language. For 10 years, I have described Blair as the unflushable turd.
Mrs Erdleigh
July 4th, 2008 2:31pmIan C - what a great analogy, too funny.
London Calling
July 4th, 2008 2:58pmWhen Birds do flutter
They do so stutter
But Birds of Feather
Always Stick Together
Whether the Nest
Be high or low
Everyone gathers
For fear of the Crows
Whether it be Larks
Or Swallows or swans
They all do drink from
One great pond.
Silent Hunter
July 4th, 2008 3:15pmIan - Great analogy, but you really must bathe more if 'that's what you see going down your plughole. ;O)
Eeeeoooouuwww!
Trumpeter Lanfried
July 4th, 2008 4:47pmWhen he was at No.10 Alistair Campbell bullied, threatened, abused and humiliated any political journalist who had the impertinence to disagree with him. Just what the government needs to improve its public relations at this difficult time.
Verity
July 4th, 2008 5:54pmTrumpeter - They allowed him to. It simply amazed me. They were frightened of him.
Silent Hunter
July 4th, 2008 11:01pmClearly Gordon has reached the 'clutching at straws' stage in his denouement, if he thinks that this will help him.
Tony the Liar must be lapping this up.
Ian C
July 5th, 2008 12:08amI'm just off for a bath - haven't had one in years!
Verity
July 5th, 2008 1:07amIan C - Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Most amusing!
Silent Hunter
July 5th, 2008 10:58amIan C:
:O)
Mitch
July 5th, 2008 1:20pmTo continue the toilet theme surely cameron is the "blue block" that will flush these horrid little turds round the U bend of history.Brown has proven himself to be a worse PM than Blair and not half as smart.