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Sunday 27 May 2012

Harriet now more dangerous for Gordon

Friday, 16th October 2009

The once-daft (but now rather good) Labour List has a very interesting story about Harriet Harman. Apparently, she will tell Andrew Neil on this weekend's BBC Straight Talk that she won't stand for the leadership in any circumstances and has no leadership ambitions.

This is very bad news for Gordon Brown.

This may seem like a strange thing to say, but in several conversations with Labour MPs and activists I have heard a version of the following: "We can't get rid of Gordon because Harriet would win the election to replace him."

With Harriet gone, the way is now clear for a genuine challenge.

The likelihood is that this won't happen. Although almost anyone would improve Labour's chances, the party is just exhausted (and this applies especially to the parliamentary party).

One Labour minister even told me this week that he hoped the Tories won the election definitively so that Labour could have the time to rebuild in opposition rather than fighting to undermine a tiny Conservative minority.

Filed under: Gordon Brown (918 more articles) , Harriet Harman (87 more articles) , Labour in Crisis (77 more articles) , Labour leadership (387 more articles)

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Jon Rosenberg

October 17th, 2009 12:35am Report this comment

While I agree with your reasoning about the weakening of Brown's position, which seems entirely sound, I'm less than convinced with Harriet Harman's protestations. Yes, she agreed to Andrew Neil's use of the strongest possible terms for not serving as leader, (if we can trust the quotes given) never-the-less, given her stellar levels of ambition I reasonably certain that when the moment of truth comes she will end up throwing her hat into the ring, despite any statements of lack of intent before hand.

She might even at this point be utterly sincere when she says she would not stand, if nominated she would decline etc..., but come Brown's inevitable resignation, be it before or after the general election, she will have a change of heart. She will tell us how various member of the party have come to her and begged her to lead Labour back to power and put right all that has gone wrong. I honestly think she wont be able to help herself, or refuse the call to power.

Beer Moth

October 17th, 2009 8:05am Report this comment

And while all this panto runs on in its 'exhausted' state, the lives of the people of the country are left to struggle with the very real and urgent problems which 12 years of this hideous regime have put in place.

Time to rebuild in opposition? Count on it.

Occasional Ostrich

October 17th, 2009 10:08am Report this comment

La donna e mobile.

Nicholas

October 17th, 2009 1:51pm Report this comment

Ha ha ha!

Noa Zrk

October 17th, 2009 3:52pm Report this comment

I don't believe we need be too concerned at the prospect of Mrs Dromedary in Downing St. The Labour party will disintegrate in chaos and factional in-fighting if she, the Millipedes and Alan (I won't lose sleep over immigration)Johnson are left to fight over the cooling corpse of the Labour government after an early departure by Gordon.

Dirrty Euro

October 18th, 2009 10:06am Report this comment

We do not need to lose. We need to win. That minister should go away. Probably wants low taxes for rich people. Probably an MI5 spy.

mac

October 18th, 2009 8:44pm Report this comment

@ Nicholas: "Ha Ha Ha".

Tips hat in admiration for commenting on DES' gibberish long before it was posted!

Dirty Euro

October 19th, 2009 12:36pm Report this comment

OK dirty Mac.

Dorothy Wilson

October 22nd, 2009 5:03pm Report this comment

*Mrs Dromey as leader would condemn Labour to another Michael/a Foot period.

Actually, they seem to be running out of potential candidates to take over from Brown. Johnson has shown himself to be fundamentally weak. The Millipedes are profoundly peculiar. Balls appears to be heartedly disliked by the Parliamentary party. Purnell makes DC and GO look like wise old sages. Burnham - he of the dyed hair - is a joke. So who does that leave? Maybe Straw or Beckett will come to the rescue.

* Let's start calling her that. She'll just love it!

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