Peter Hoskin

Brown’s press conference – live blog | 5 June 2009

Brown will be speaking to the press at 1630.  Stay tuned for live coverage:

1609, JGF: There is a strong rumour doing the rounds that the Telegraph are doing another piece on Brown’s expenses. This will make life even more difficult for him.

1612, PH: Just to catch up, Ian Gibson has resigned as an MP – triggering a by-election which you imagine Labour will struggle to win.

1635, PH: Still no Brown.  You’ll can watch it here, by the way.

1639, PH:
While we’re waiting, the latest news is that Tony McNulty is to step down from Government.  No great surprise given his expenses situation.

1647, PH: Brown’s on in a minute, appararently.

1648, PH: Here’s Brown now.  He starts saying that he’s going to be “totally candid.”  Don’t laugh.  He continues to say that the elections have been a “painful defeat” for Labour.

1650, PH: Now he’s setting out his “way forward”: to 1) clean-up politics; b) get the country out of recession, and c) reform public services.

1651, PH: There’s the first “do nothing” jibe of the afternoon.  And now Brown’s talking about three councils that will report to Government – the one to renew our democracy; a new one for “domestic policy” (did I hear that right?); and the pre-existing national economic council.  So: more committees.

1653, PH: Brown’s sounding unapologetic, saying that he “will not waver” and “will get on with the job”.

1654, PH: There’s the dig at James Purnell.  Brown says that he doesn’t seek the “limelight,” and puts the country before himself or “even the Party”.

1656, PH: Nick Robinson is pushing Brown on whether he’s actually being candid.  Brown stands depressingly firm: “The task facing the country is so big that we’ve got to get on with the job.”

1657, PH: PoliticsHome have the full Cabinet list

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