Gordon Brown - dead man walking?

[ViolentPanda]

Next time he goes into cabinet they should silently present him with a service revolver and then leave the room.

A Webley .38 probably wouldn't have enough penetrating power to punch through his thick skull. Probably best to present him with a good old-fashioned Colt .45 auto.

 

[butchersapron]

I think the deputy PM should have to do it.

 

[articul8]

There is no deputy PM.

 

[butchersapron]

Deputy Labour party leader then clever clogs. Harman isn't it?

 

[Teaboy]

Oh and in reply to the OP, Brown will be gone by December, I can't see a summer coup (Labour simply haven't the guts or mechanism for swift removal of Leaders) but I can see a resignation and leadership contest around conference.

Although this is a very real possibility I wonder what the point would be

 

[treelover]

I'm not so sure you know - i have it on good authority that part of the reason for his anxiety to get the welfare Green Paper out before recess was so that he could be seen to be taking on the big challenges and raise his profile before the summer break - thus, any potential/possible changes would work to his advantage. And I've been very surprised at the praise he has received for the proposals from unlikely sources i.e. the Indie/Grauniad were mainly positive, Frank Field (although he still says they don't go far enough), and other politcal commentators. Purnell's biggest problem, imo, is the unequivocal support he's getting from the Tories for this, he's damned either way the proposals roll-out really now.

Interesting, but again I don't think the reforms have gone down well with the core vote which will become a priority, outside the commentariat, blairite circles, imo, Purnell is intensely disliked.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Although this is a very real possibility I wonder what the point would be

Who knows other than to get rid of Brown?

I think Labour are in this situation: they're in a burning building, there's no way out other than to jump from the window, it's ten floors up, if they don't jump they burn to death, if they jump they'll almost certainly plunge to their death. Almost certainly...it's that tiny fraction of probability will determine the course of action.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Who knows other than to get rid of Brown?

I think Labour are in this situation: they're in a burning building, there's no way out other than to jump from the window, it's ten floors up, if they don't jump they burn to death, if they jump they'll almost certainly plunge to their death. Almost certainly...it's that tiny fraction of probability will determine the course of action.

That's the point i suppose though - this isn't about Labour's policies and practices in office anymore, it does seem to have become about one person i.e. Broon, and the destructive effect he is having on top of all of the other wranglings like their approach to fuel prices, energy prices, etc.

Good analogy though.

 

[treelover]

Expel the Blairites, now

The only way for Brown to recover is by booting the apologists for the super-rich out of cabinet
All comments (69)

* Tony Woodley
* The Guardian,
* Friday July 25 2008
* Article history

Just three words from Gordon Brown could transform Labour's prospects even now: "Blairism is dead." Already I can hear the objections from remaining defenders of the faith - drop the Blairism that won Labour three elections?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/25/gordonbrown.labour

Tony Woodley, boss of Unite Union, demanding the Blairites are kicked out, hurrah for that, though was Clarke, Blunkett, Hain, any better?

 

[butchersapron]

Brownites are the exact same. That's grasping at straws. And what's more, it's based on a lie that the 'blairites' have held back a cabinet (of brownites) just straining at the leash to get at the super-rich, when it's been Browns econiomic plans that have allowed the super-rich such free reign for the last 10 years (that has produced these super-rich in all honesty) Total dishonesty.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Isn't it? To think that 'Blairism' and 'Brownism' is, or has, any kind of distinct political ideology (other than all that triangulation bollocks which the Tories have now adopted as well anyway), let alone the basis for running a country.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Who knows other than to get rid of Brown?

I think Labour are in this situation: they're in a burning building, there's no way out other than to jump from the window, it's ten floors up, if they don't jump they burn to death, if they jump they'll almost certainly plunge to their death. Almost certainly...it's that tiny fraction of probability will determine the course of action.

I wonder what you've been watching recently?

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Tony Woodley, boss of Unite Union, demanding the Blairites are kicked out, hurrah for that, though was Clarke, Blunkett, Hain, any better?

That call is an idiocy, Brown was a co-architect of the Third Way/Blairite agenda...

 

[Kid_Eternity]

That's the point i suppose though - this isn't about Labour's policies and practices in office anymore, it does seem to have become about one person i.e. Broon, and the destructive effect he is having on top of all of the other wranglings like their approach to fuel prices, energy prices, etc.

Good analogy though.

Heh yeah it seems to fit, I can extend it too...

 

[Kid_Eternity]

I wonder what you've been watching recently?

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Heh yeah it seems to fit, I can extend it too...

No goatse on my thread you sicko!!!

 

[glenquagmire]

Maybe. I honestly don't know. Glen was arguing that he couldn't be removed though, maybe he could tell us how it's technically possible (if unlikley if he doesn;'t want to go)? I stopped folloing the constitutional stuff after Blair made it damn sure the top-table would always get what it wanted.

In the case of removing a sitting leader, I'm pretty sure you need the support of 20% of MPs to trigger an all-members leadership election.

It's a bit vague though. See http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labours-rebels-study-rule-book-490018.html

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

In the case of removing a sitting leader, I'm pretty sure you need the support of 20% of MPs to trigger an all-members leadership election.

It's a bit vague though. See http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labours-rebels-study-rule-book-490018.html

Interesting - from looking at some of the recent EDMs and who signed up to them, there's easily enough backbenchers who are beginning to feel brave enough to express their discontent. And then you think about the 10p tax rate fiasco, the expenses farrago and so on and suddenly he doesn't look so safe.

Guardian did make a good point though that 'Despite what organisers of flashmobs tell you, it's harder to organise a coup by mobile phone than by tearoom'.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

No goatse on my thread you sicko!!!

I don't know WHAT you're talking about.

*taps halo*

 

[taffboy gwyrdd]

Labour made a huge fuck up when Brown wasnt challenged first time round.

It was an expression of complete faith in The Supreme Leader, they are all now complicit in the car crash. Frankly, there is a side to this that is all incredibly funny.

Say after me: "hardworking families" "feeling the pinch" "core values" "listen and learn" - what a bunch of twonks

 

[nino_savatte]

Millicunt

Aye, his name has been in the frame for some time.

 

[danny la rouge]

This ->

Who on earth would replace him - and WHY on earth would they want to? Labour are totally totally ****ed, any pretender would be well advised to wait until after the next GE, to rebuild from opposition...surely?

Matt

He'll go after they get totally crushed in the next general election.

Just hope they don't try offer him up as a sacrificial cow and after he's gone pretend it was all his fault. Labour are rotten to the core and need a total change in direction, not just a new figurehead.

Yeah, I don't think Brown's going anywhere - and he won't call an election much before he has to, so that gives him about 20 months of staggering on Major-like.

 

[bi0boy]

He won't go.

He actually enjoys being PM although it may not look that way, so won't resign.

New Labourite MPs such as Straw and Johnson are probably focusing on what consultancies etc they can get for their next job, and younger aspirational MPs don't want a general election loss to their name.

 

[Fledgling]

Who on earth would replace him - and WHY on earth would they want to? Labour are totally totally ****ed, any pretender would be well advised to wait until after the next GE, to rebuild from opposition...surely?

Matt

Ahh but power is mighty tempting. Think about it, flying round the world, getting your mits on the codes, being the man who saved your party from disaster, uniting them in their hour of weakness*. You never know, this downturn might pass and the Tories could really stuff things up over the next 18 months. No large majorities coming Labour's way but a minority govt or hanging on with a tiny one? Tempting.

I'd be thinking go for glory. 18 months in power might be rather exciting, the alternative, waiting, could be awful. The Tories could get in for 2-3 terms, that's a long long time out of power and we all know what politicians crave most of all.

I wouldn't rule out a challenge and even one by a young Blairite.




*Pretty long hour though.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Your analogy features in the opening of a popular film. If you're lucky I'll actually remember which one!

 

[Steve Booth]

The War on Terror

Yeah, I don't think Brown's going anywhere - and he won't call an election much before he has to, so that gives him about 20 months of staggering on Major-like.

Supposing London suffered a significant Islamic terrorist attack, something like July 7th 2005 or even worse, and this led to a renewal or enlargement of the scope of the 'War against Terror'?

Brown needs some sort of theme around which the various factions of MPs and the party supporters can unite. It isn't going to be the education, welfare stuff or NHS because all that has been done to death and they have completely run out of ideas. But a severe external attack would have the capacity to draw it all together.

Brown could pose as a competent, Churchillian sort of figure - 'the saviour of the hour' and announce a new focus of policies, the security agenda, with a crackdown on illegal workers and such as the scapegoats. New Labour haven't really tried the security agenda. If the USA attacks Iran later this year, he could also join in this and try to pretend his policy was something significant on the world stage.

Such a change in the political climate would gradually alter the opinion polls in his favour, and it might just be enough to swing it in his direction, by the General Election, given the way that they have re-gerrymandered constituency boundaries.

 

[shagnasty]

Actually I think Purnell may be a dead man walking, the welfare reforms have not gone too well with the core vote,perhaps even the country, leaving aside the DM and BBC HYS lot, the problem is the only one providing any dynamism in terms of policy, even though it is is crazy ultra right wing policy!

Yes as i have said about the affect of the announcement .it was purnel stabbing poor gordon in the back

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Supposing London suffered a significant Islamic terrorist attack, something like July 7th 2005 or even worse, and this led to a renewal or enlargement of the scope of the 'War against Terror'?

Unless you are somehow suggesting that Gordon Brown would launch a false-flag terror attack, this seems rather unlikely.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Unless you are somehow suggesting that Gordon Brown would launch a false-flag terror attack, this seems rather unlikely.

Well the SNP might launch an attack on Parliament Square i suppose, just in a rush of blood kind of moment perhaps?

 

[agricola]

Supposing London suffered a significant Islamic terrorist attack, something like July 7th 2005 or even worse, and this led to a renewal or enlargement of the scope of the 'War against Terror'?

Brown needs some sort of theme around which the various factions of MPs and the party supporters can unite. It isn't going to be the education, welfare stuff or NHS because all that has been done to death and they have completely run out of ideas. But a severe external attack would have the capacity to draw it all together.

Brown could pose as a competent, Churchillian sort of figure - 'the saviour of the hour' and announce a new focus of policies, the security agenda, with a crackdown on illegal workers and such as the scapegoats. New Labour haven't really tried the security agenda. If the USA attacks Iran later this year, he could also join in this and try to pretend his policy was something significant on the world stage.

Such a change in the political climate would gradually alter the opinion polls in his favour, and it might just be enough to swing it in his direction, by the General Election, given the way that they have re-gerrymandered constituency boundaries.

Not going to happen - even if there was a huge terror attack, Brown is extremely unlikely to appear as any kind of Churchillian figure (even with the lashings of media hype that Blair enjoyed pre-Iraq) - I would say that the only way he will hang on post 2009/10 is if the General Election was postponed.