Morning:
9°c
Ten ministers ready to quit
Joe Murphy, Political Editor29.07.08
Up to 10 junior ministers are willing to resign to force Gordon Brown to stand down, Labour MPs claimed today.
The bombshell threat means the Prime Minister could face a mass resignation before Labour's conference in September.
The danger level to Mr Brown also increased following reports that David Miliband and Alan Johnson are being urged to forge a "dream ticket" in any leadership contest.
A former minister told the Evening Standard: "Brown is proving an unmitigated failure and there is no shortage of MPs who are willing to go public with that view.
"I have spoken to several members of the Government who say they will resign if it proves necessary to provoke a change of leader before it is too late. There are probably at least 10.
"There are other MPs, like me, who will sign a letter asking the Prime Minister to stand down. We cannot go on to the general election with the Government in such a hopeless state.
"We know there are candidates who would be an improvement, such as David Miliband or Jack Straw." Both developments significantly increase the possibility of a bloody attempt to drive the Prime Minister from office, a step that Labour rebels hope can be avoided by Mr Brown agreeing to go quietly.
Until now there has been no obvious successor for disenchanted Labour MPs to rally around but the suggestion of a pairing between Mr Miliband, the young and cerebral Foreign Secretary, with the persuasive and street-wise Health Secretary, Mr Johnson, could encourage the rebels. There is no suggestion that either man has agreed to a formal pact but a Labour grandee said: "It is still very early but a Miliband-Johnson ticket is one option being spoken-about." Justice Secretary Mr Straw is waiting until September before assessing the state of the party and the opinion polls and deciding whether to approach Mr Brown and urge him to go.
Mr Miliband is ready and willing to run for the leadership - but his friends say he will not move until someone else pushes Mr Brown out.
Former minister George Howarth is collecting names for a letter to the Cabinet from MPs wanting a change of leader - a move that would massively destabilise Mr Brown's position.
The idea of a walkout of ministers is a nuclear option that echoes the brutal "September Coup", when a leaked letter from disenchanted MPs and a series of staged resignations were engineered to cause a crisis. It succeeded in forcing Tony Blair to announce a firm retirement date.
Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee called on Mr Brown to quit saying: "I personally think that for the survival of the Labour Party, he has to go."
Mr Brown's supporters say there would be "unstoppable" pressure for an early general election if Labour changed leader for a second time since 2005.
Reader views (23)
The only way we will get sense back into government will be to get rid of all the self-serving politicians and let the people run the country. It could not be any worse than it is now and we know what is needed, we don't have to bow to big business.
- Kacey, Devon UK
But they won't, as it would mean removing their snouts from the gravy train, and then they'd actually have to work for a living.
- Lezl, London
I can't imagine foreign leaders taking Millibrat seriously.
- Dave Morris, Sunderland
God spare us from David Miliband and Alan Johnson. The former may please The Guardian reader pinkos but he shows little connection with or understanding of the common man/woman. Johnson may have a greater understanding of the latter but he hasn't the presence or gravitas to be a Prime Minister. If I must pick from a bad bunch then I'd go Jack Straw and Hilary Benn.
- Janet, London, England
Make no mistake, Miliband would take us to war with Iran. I cannot imagine a worse leader for Labour.
Their best bet might be to stick with the leader they already have.
- Gooey Blob, Nottingham
It's a farce and a tragedy. Brown spent years as Chancellor stoking-up a credit bubble and failing to support productive industry. Result: a terrible balance of payments crisis, nothing to export to plug that gap because we import most of our manufactured goods, and a burst credit bubble so we can't go on spending. While leading us to ruin, he demanded to become Prime Minister. Labour encouraged him in his fantasies and it turns out he can't actually do the job. Few people can - but we don't let them into No 10. Now Labour MPs are terrified because the man they pushed unopposed into office is making such a hash of it - and the electorate is angry because we have to live with the consequences. Either Labour sticks with the unelected Brown or they replace him and foist yet another PM on electors who've had no chance to say yes or no.
- Martin Bailey, London, UK
I've got a better idea. Instead of just ten Ministers quitting, why not all of them quit and call a general election? Mind you, I have no hopes of anything better from the Tories. Bring on Proportional Representation, where many more than just 27 per cent of a turnout of 48 per cent of the electorate decide who forms a Government.
- Neil, Gloucestershire, England.
This is McLabour meltdown, but whose running the country?
Not Ms Harman according to Downing Street 'spokespersons'.
Then it must mean an October 2008 General Election.
Hurrah!
- Dave, grange-over-sands
Typical misleading headline. Says 10 ministers, but the story says "up to 10", and it is only "claimed" so should be in quotes. If you had definite news of only 5 it would be sensational enough, but you obviously haven't. Still I expect the headline will sell a few copies to mugs who haven't yet discovered that sensational headlines often disappoint.
- Tony Woolf, London UK
You can change the (appalling) frontman. But you can't change 11 years record in Government. A legacy of lies, deceit, spin, war, epic levels of public spending achieving little other than increased public sector salaries paid for by massively increased levels of taxation. The Labour Party is finished, their socialist experiment has failed and they should go, and go quickly. Please call an election now!
- Mike, Brighton
The stuff about Miliband and Johnson is just a bag of moonshine, while the real plotting is going on in the background. The big bananas in the Labour party don't want Miliband - he's considered, like Purnell, too much of a clone of Cameron. Johnson, like Straw, is used goods. The argument is that a dramatic change is needed to engage the public's interest and defray its current contempt. So they are looking at the possibities of the three ladies in the Cabinet. They were all journalists before and it's thought that the media therefore might be kinder than with others. Also Cameron would have a hard time beating up on a woman. My mate on a PR team at Westminster says the Labour conference is where all will be revealed, having been neatly arranged beforehand.
- John Problem, Hackney Wick, London, UK
Whilst the current Government bears as much relationship to a socialist government as the Chinese Government does, I still remember that things were much worse under the Tories - and they haven't changed that much. The recession was worse, sleaze was worse and lack of regard for the working and lower middle classes was far worse.
Don't kid yourself that a Tory government will be any better.
Besides, if you want to make a change go and do it yourself instead of griping about politicians.
- Long Memory, London
10 ministers quitting isn't enough....
- Paul G., London
Changing leaders won't save Labour but will definitely bring the election closer. In that respect I'm wholly in favour...
- Richard, Birmingham
That's Jackie Asley and Polly Toynbee the Guardianistas urging Brown to put the Party before ambition. The early GE could be in Oct 2009. It doesn't have to be straight away.
- Dhanraj, basildon, essex
They just don't get it, do they? Brown is merely the head of a despised regime that hasn't changed despite Blair leaving. The whole 'New Labour' project has been found out. No core principles, no backbone when dealing with the rich, attacks on the poor and a hope that blaming the world will save them. No it won't!
- Bobby Smith, london
No matter who is in charge, the damage labour done to the working classes with political correction rubbish, the imposed Human Rights Act on us and the destruction of fathers rights in the family. The list goes on from the EU, immigration cock ups to criminals laughing at the law. Labour in untrustworthy as the next illegal travellers campsite! That is just a tiny mention of how we've all been let down again and again
- Joe, Swanley Kent
Please do it, and do it now we need an election to get rid of all of you. Your sell by date has passed and you are beginning to smell like dead meat!
- Ian Makin, Twickenham
Labour has no right to foist another unelected Prime Minister upon the public. Woe betide them if they do! And any team, be they dream or nightmare, currently stand little chance of winning a General Election. Their best plan, therefore is to allow Brown to lead them to certain defeat; and then get on with the business of putting in the boot. Brown will not go to the country until he has to, as he is still self-deluded enough to think he IS the man for the job. Toynbee's comments are - as usual - wide of the mark; and unhelpful.
So we are stuck with a rotten economic situation, made worse by Labour's attempts to dredge up enough cash from somewhere to bribe the electorate.
The Tories are going to find a pretty empty cupboard, when they take over!
- Ziggie, Tower Hamlets
Would it help labour if they had a new leader, I doubt it. I think that the public had enough of labours money costing adventures, lies and deception practises.
- Thierry, England
Surely its about time the labour movement thought about the well being of the UK, not their election hopes! What a selfish and arrogant bunch.
- Jose Luis, London UK
Excellent!
Let the "back-stabbers" go and get rid of those sitting on the fence as they are equally clueless!
- Fraser, Telford Park
Miliband won't get my vote. I'd sooner vote for Brown -- which isn't very likely. There's a total meltdown coming for Labour.
- Phil Jones, London UK
