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Harman and Prescott call for show of party unity
Joe Murphy, Political Editor18.09.08
Harriet Harman and John Prescott today told ministers to stop plotting against Gordon Brown and unite at next week's party conference.
In an interview with the Evening Standard, deputy Labour leader Ms Harman said activists and voters would not tolerate disunity during an economic crisis.
Asked if she believed members of the Cabinet were being disloyal, Ms Harman replied: "I don't think they should be."
She went on: "The party expects people to get on with focusing on the most important job in hand. That's certainly what Gordon is focusing on and I think people expect all people at the top of the party to be focusing on that."
Her call was joined by former deputy leader John Prescott, who savaged Mr Brown's critics inside Government as inexperienced, ordering them to "get behind your man".
He said he had endured 18 years in opposition after 1979, adding: "A lot of my colleagues I'm afraid don't have that experience. You continue along this road then it will undermine a government."
In a passionate rallying cry, he said Mr Brown was best qualified to rescue the economy. "He's the one with the greatest experience internationally. Get behind your man."
Their warnings come after a week of open warfare which saw the resignation of minister David Cairns and the sacking of whip Siobhain McDonagh and Labour vice-chairwoman Joan Ryan, who called for a leadership contest.
Several Cabinet ministers have been accused of rocking the boat in interviews or in Cabinet, including David Miliband, John Hutton, James Purnell and Hazel Blears.
In contrast to Mr Hutton and Mr Purnell-Ms Harman criticised rebel MPs, saying their demands for a leadership debate were causing "exasperation" among grass-roots members.
She said Mr Brown was "made of stern stuff" and would not be blown off course by infighting, adding that the banking crisis made his continued leadership more necessary.
The Prime Minister was uniquely placed to act at international level to bring in "greater transparency and stronger regulation" and Britain could not afford to ditch him, she said.
She compared the task with persuading other countries to boost international aid. "Just as Gordon and Tony led the arguments that we would all benefit by helping the developing world, other countries will be looking to Gordon now to chart the way to ensure we have greater security in the markets," she said.
Ms Harman, whose role means she constantly meets Labour volunteers and officials, admitted there was concern about the party's poor standing in the polls and recent by-election results.
However, she said the grassroots were angry about plotting at Westminster - and plotters who disrupted the conference would get a furious reaction.
Reader views (8)
All we want to hear from Labour is the date of the General Election.
Anything other than this, is irrelevant.
- Silent Hunter, Fintry, Scotland
Ms Harman wants `greater transparency and stronger regulation` from the Prime Minister. Really ? We are the most regulated state in Europe, some will say almost on a par with the GDR before 1989. Central and Local Government bureaucracy has all but ruined this country. As far as transparency is concerned, we can all see through this throughly pernicious bunch of freeloaders who will all soon be able to contribute to a book called` From the Ballot Box to the Trough` The truth is out and their days are numbered.
- John E., Northants
For years I puzzled,how could Brown and Blair keep Biffo in the Cabinet, let alone have him as Deputy PM? And then when Tony got his P45 we found out that Biffo's job was to take the tirades which Brown threw at Blair. I find it quite amusing that Biffo is now defending Brown from the rest of the Labour party. Why Biffo? In honour of the protester he punched.
- Jeremiah, London
Unity or no unity, New Labour's number is up and it was up long before the Credit Crunch. Brown cannot save himself, so he is not going to save the economy.
- James Elliott, Eastbourne UK
Ooooh what a backing our deranged Prime Minister has. Prescott is a national joke and Harperson is a national object of general loathing. What a mess.
- Mac, London
"Harpy Harman" and "Two Jags Prescott", two of the most moral and upstanding characters of the Labour party.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
The country will see through a 'show of unity'. The genie is out of the bottle. Gordon's box has been well and truly opened.
And unfortunately not even hope is left inside.
The country seems to be demanding strong and decisive leadership. Things that Gordon and his lightweight cabinet have singularly failed to provide.
Gordon has no experience of running an economy in recession. He knows how to spend - but not how to conserve.
He isn't what we need. He isn't what we want.
A show of unity will simply be a facade behind which things will continue to crumble
- Simon, Oxford, UK
I think that a show of NuLabour unity would be very nice. How about holding hands and skipping off into obscurity, before being pushed?
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
