Three things keeping Brown pinned down

Three themes dominate the political coverage in The Sunday papers and demonstrate just how big a hole Brown is in. There are another slew of expenses stories, according to Labour’s internal polling this is the most important issue in driving its former supporters away. To go with the expenses stories, there is an excess story: the News of the World reports that David Miliband wants a private jet permanently on call to take him round the world on official business, not very age of austerity. Then, there are tales of Brown’s temper. The Mail on Sunday claims that Peter Mandelson had to calm Brown down in between TV interviews on Thursday after the expenses votes. Finally, there is speculation about a leadership challenge to Brown. Blears’ intervention is quite remarkable; the line ‘YouTube if you want to’ is devastating. I expect that the leadership chatter will grow louder in the coming days. As Jane Merrick points out, Alan Johnson was hardly Shermanesque in his denials today. Indeed, what he seemed to be signalling to the party was if you get rid of Gordon, I’ll step in.