The one thing – apparently – saving Brown’s skin since the start of the “rebellion” last Friday is the fact that he has the backing of the entire Cabinet. But how far have they really backed him? Here’s a list of comments (or – tellingly in some cases – lack thereof) made by all Cabinet members since this all started. I’ll let CoffeeHousers decide how many of them are ringing endorsements of the PM…
Unequivocal support:
Ed Balls: “Everyone in the Labour Party knows that if you don’t stick together and you’re not unified, then you can’t succeed. I don’t think there’s anyone in Cabinet who disagrees with that…No one on the doorstep is arguing for a change of leader. I’m not saying anything that would fuel that.”
Hilary Benn: Mr. Brown is “the right man for the job”
Alistair Darling: “I have every confidence in Gordon Brown. I believe he is the right person to lead this country and to lead our party and I know that at the conference next week he will set out his vision for the future.”
John Denham: Accused the rebels of pursuing “the politics of despair and destruction”
Harriet Harman: “he is the best person when there is difficult international economic circumstances, he is the foremost person with the experience to take us through these difficult times.”
Alan Johnson: Warned against Labour repeating its “history of disunity”
David Miliband: “I don’t support their (the rebels) argument that we should trigger a leadership contest…I’ve said I expect Gordon to lead us into the next general election. I will support him in doing so.”
Jacqui Smith: “Gordon Brown is Prime Minister and he puts his credibility to the test every day in helping people and making this country a better place.”
Equivocal/Vague support:
Douglas Alexander: The idea that Mr Brown should carry on regardless is “not a universal view – a number have spoken out in recent days – but I am not convinced it is the right time”
Geoff Hoon: “I simply don’t think at this stage it’s appropriate. I think it’s a distraction.”
John Hutton: “It is right and proper in a democracy that there should be that debate, within the Labour movement, within the Labour party at the moment about our future direction…I’m not going to criticise any of my colleagues who want Labour to do better… I think my colleagues are right to say that the government need to do better.”
James Purnell: Rebels are “entitled to do anything they want to”
Jack Straw: “When the difficult times come it is destabilising. It does require a rethink…It has become fashionable to have a go at Gordon at the moment but that will burn itself out.”
Silent:
Baroness Ashton
Hazel Blears
Andy Burnham
Des Browne – except to say that Cairns wouldn’t quit
Yvette Cooper
Caroline Flint
Beverley Hughes
Tessa Jowell
Ruth Kelly
Lord Malloch-Brown
Ed Miliband
Paul Murphy
Baroness Royall
Baroness Scotland
Shaun Woodward
Comments