One of the things that has most worried the Blairites in recent weeks was that in 2010 they would be blamed for Labour’s loss. Their fear was that the party would lurch to the left, burying New Labour, as a left-wing challenger blamed them for the factionalism and in-fighting of the last few years.
The return of Peter Mandelson to the Cabinet is, among many other things, an attempt to prevent this scenario from coming to pass. It is a very public statement that the Blairites will do everything they can to get Labour re-elected.
As Peter Oborne notes, this position has been rather forced on them. After David Miliband’s poor few days in Manchester it was clear that there was no Blairitie alternative to Gordon. Indeed, it was evident that any leadership challenge would move the party ideologically away from New Labour. In these circumstances, the Blairites chose to belt up and get behind Gordon rather than risk becoming the scapegoats after his defeat.
PS One of the many fascinating things to watch with Mandelson is which young Blairite he begins to groom for the succession. Does he share the views of those close to him that James Purnell—not David Miliband—is the one with Tony-like potential?
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