There’s something quite refreshing about David Cameron’s plan to offer a tax break to married couples. It says, simply: this is what I believe. And it does so in spite of polling data and strategic arguments to the contrary. This is one area where you certainly couldn’t accuse the Tory leader of caring too much
Guess who’s back. Yes, James Purnell, the man who tried his best to topple Gordon Brown last year, has emerged from the relative obscurity of the backbenches and Think-Tank World to set out a new prospectus for the Labour party in today’s Guardian. David nodded towards it earlier, but it’s worth looking at in a
The road to Damascus has nothing on this. Ed Balls – in interview with the FT – has condemned the class war strategy, called for an end to Labour figures briefing against each other, and suggested that the government should be more “upfront” about spending cuts. Hallelujah! What a difference an attempted coup makes! And
There’s that prism I mentioned: Ed Miliband writes an article for the Observer, which ostensibly backs Gordon Brown in the first paragraph, and it’s written up as the first, tentative step on his own leadership campaign. Thing is, that’s probably also true. The clue is in how far he steps off his ministerial beat*, to
So, at the end of a hyperactive week in politics, we’ve got a pair of interviews with Brown and Cameron. The PM chats with the News of the World, while Cameron appeared on the Marr sofa earlier. One general similarity between the two interviews stands out: neither is particularly confrontational. Rather than chiding Labour after
Well, well, well – Darling’s Times interview, which James reported earlier, sure is a significant moment, and one which more than deserves a place on the spending cut timeline which I put together last week. In fact, let’s see what it would look like alongside a few of the most recent entries: 9 December 2009:
Ok, I know Labour circulars will always fly the party flag – but the email that’s just gone out in Gordon Brown’s name has to win some sort of prize for sheer party political effrontery. With the subject line “When we fight we win,” here’s how it begins: “If there’s one thing that our recent
A cracking post from Paul Waugh on the prospect of shadow cabinet elections for Labour. For those who can’t remember the last time they took place (14 years ago), they’re the annual elections which Labour MPs hold, when in Opposition, to help determine who gets to sit on the front bench. The party leader and
So who got what? Today’s Times has a great summary of the concessions and promises that Brown has had to make to keep his Cabinet colleagues on side, including: “In a series of negotiations: — Harriet Harman demanded and received a promise to have more day-to-day control over the election campaign. Labour’s deputy leader also
After June’s rebellion, it’s thought that Brown made a promise to his Cabinet colleagues: “…that cabinet ministers such as Alistair Darling will not again find themselves briefed against. There was deep anger in cabinet when Darling found himself being referred to in the past tense by Brown earlier in the week.” But in today’s Guardian:
Whatever took place yesterday – and there was certainly more to this plot than met the eye – the immediate danger to Gordon Brown seems to have fizzled out this morning. Here’s what David Miliband has just told the cameras: “No member of the government was involved in the letter – we are all determined
Well done, Gordon. You seem to have survived another attempted coup. And not just any old coup, either. This one may have been particularly badly organised and executed, but it was also – probably – the last one you’ll face between now and the election; the last one you’ll ever face in your political career.
The secret ballot story is still ongoing – so it’s a little early to be drawing conclusions just yet. But, for now, it’s worth thinking about what H&H are hoping to achieve by all this. If it’s true that they haven’t discussed their plans with Cabinet ministers, then why are they sticking their heads above
Is this the endorsement that Brown was looking for? Sky and the BBC report that the Business Secretary is putting out the message that the PM has the support of his Cabinet colleagues. Meanwhile, the good folk at Comment Central are running a Cabinet Watch, tracking which members of the Cabinet have come out in
There are rumblings in Westminster that a Cabinet minister is preparing to join Hoon and Hewitt in calling for a secret ballot on Brown’s leadership. H&H are claiming, quite laughably, that this whole process could actually strengthen Brown’s position. But ministerial involvment would clarify, beyond doubt, that this is actually a rebellion designed to weaken
Courtesy of Guido: Dear Colleague, As we move towards a General Election it remains the case that the Parliamentary Labour Party is deeply divided over the question of the leadership. Many colleagues have expressed their frustration at the way in which this question is affecting our political performance. We have therefore come to the conclusion
So says Nick Robinson. More soon. UPDATE: The Standard has a copy of the letter which Hoon and Hewiit have sent out to Labour MPs. Here’s a key extract from the article: “Mr Hoon and Ms Hewitt warned: ‘There is a risk otherwise that the persistent background briefing and grumbling could continue up to and
Stay tuned for live coverage of PMQs from 1200. 1159: Should be kicking off soon. You can watch proceedings live here. 1202: And here we go. Brown starts with the usual condolences for fallen British servicemen – and adds a tribute for the late Labour MP, David Taylor. 1204: Brian Donohoe asks for an update
Whether anything comes of it is a different matter altogether, but this insight from the Standard’s Joe Murphy deserves pulling out: “A senior minister is said to be close to quitting in a move to destabilise Mr Brown, the Standard has been told. There is speculation among MPs that a big beast such as Chancellor
I wouldn’t be surprised if this Gordon Brown snippet gets deployed ad nauseam between now and the next election: “[Brown] described Labour as the party of ‘prosperity not austerity'” If so, it’s worth noting that it’s a phrase that Ed Miliband used in several speeches last year (e.g. here, here and here). But, whoever its