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I am ready to replace Brown as PM if asked declares Jack Straw
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor27.02.09
JACK STRAW sparked fresh speculation about the Labour leadership today when he declared he was ready to become Prime Minister.
The Justice Secretary said that while he is not jockeying to succeed Gordon Brown he admitted he would be willing to take over if colleagues asked.
"If someone came and said 'sign on the dotted line', yes, I'd sign," he said.
In a frank interview, Mr Straw also revealed publicly for the first time that he felt Tony Blair had sacked him as Foreign Secretary because he objected to US policy on Iran and the Middle East.
Mr Straw also said that the Government had got it wrong on plans to detain terror suspects for 42 days without charge.
The Cabinet minister emerged in a poll last week as the public's surprise choice to replace Mr Brown, and colleagues are sure to see his interview as a clear bid to position himself for any coming race to succeed Mr Brown.
Mr Straw referred to an article in the Economist back in 1999 which stated: "This guy hasn't dropped a catch. He could be Prime Minister one day."
However, he stressed that he did not "yearn" to be premier.
"I have seen what it takes to do it, after working closely with Tony and with Gordon, and I know what it is to work at the Foreign Secretary level and the pressures therein. I can honestly say I have no ambitions in that area," he told the Daily Mail.
Mr Straw dismissed claims that at 62 he is too old for the top job, saying he feels "somewhere between 80 and 35 depending on what's happening that day".
Mr Straw said he regularly exercises in the Commons gym, including a "Body Blast" routine of aerobics with weights.
"I'm obsessed with exercise. It helps me think," he said.
He revealed he had been "irritated" when Mr Blair sacked him from the Foreign Office after the 2005 general election.
"Clearly there were forces in the US system that disagreed with my views on the Middle East, and there were differences with Tony Blair's Middle East policy too."
He said he decided not to quit, "but yes there was a sense of unfinished business, of course".
In his first public criticism of Mr Brown's stance on anti-terror measures, the Justice Secretary also signalled to Labour activists that he is wary of abandoning civil liberties.
"There are areas of difficulty for us dealing with terrorism, post 9/11 and I don't say every time we have got it correct. I don't think we got 42 days' detention right, and some other things. But on the whole I think we have the balance right," he said.
Labour's dire opinion poll ratings have prompted a fresh round of speculation about Mr Brown's successor, with deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman, Alan Johnson, Ed Balls and others all accused of positioning themselves.
Cabinet ministers were this week accused of rebelling over plans to part-privatise the Royal Mail.
The Prime Minister faces an ambush over the issue by Labour MPs and trade union leaders at the party's policy forum tomorrow.
Reader views (18)
Get a smart looking tough younger lady or gentleman(not Milliband,uncharismatic) to takeover by the end of summer to be in pole position to fight Boris Johnson (whom I tip to replace Cameron) as Prime Minister.
We need a government who will recognise the British Empire and help former colonies who are in dire staits.
- Dave Kit, Crystal Palace, London, UK
Watch his expression on Prime Minister's Questions today.
- P , filey yorks
They will leave a change in leadership until just before the next election, because if Jack Straw took over now and the election was in 6 months time the electorate would have time to realise that nothing had changed. It would be more logical for him to replace Mr Darling and then before the election bring out a Junior MP with a bit of carisma, if they have one.
- Jim Alan, Kendal
Message for straw - forget it, NuLiebor will be out of office come the next general election, not far away now!
- David, Fleet UK
I think we should be looking for a German to be the next PM - joking aside it seems only the Germans seem to have the sense, and direction that is needed - it was if I am not mistaken the germans who were also against the Iraq invasion and infavour of NATO protocol and it was the german govt who advised Gordon Brown about bank regulation over two years ago - and you can not deny they know alot about world business given the fact they are the worlds biggest exporter - something we need to do eith some urgency - if we can have an Italian national football manager why not a german PM !!!!!! I cant honestly think of one Britsih politician who is upto the grade ... they are all too busy picking paint colours and new kitchens for their second homes to be serious about the British people´s future
Jack Straw ... I dont think so .. stick to walking the dog Jack and keeping the sons out of trouble
- Michael, London
Jack Straw…I don’t think so.
Tired is a nice term, he is a failure as a minister in every role held and the dry rattle of bones in his closet will get stronger with every statement that hints at the triumph of his naked ambition over his clear, and proven, incompetence.
It’s a war crime tribunal these failed ministers should be facing (for Iraq), or treason (for the erosion of civil liberties and the failure to regulate the finance sector) not anything else.
- A Murray, London, UK
Many are ready to state they are ready. The population thinks an election should decide who is ready to be the next PM thank you and methinks it should not be Jack Straw.
- Peter Noterfed, Paris, France
If a Tory PM had Brown's poll ratings he'd out already. Straw's the right age (not young enough to dream of leading a future government) to execute a coup, and he'd be better than Harman, Johnson or Balls, all of whom are too easy to dislike.
- Nathan Cook, Bury, UK
Are the days of doom & bust Brown over?
- Brian, Kenley, UK
Jack Straw has probably ruined his chances by refusing to reveal the cabinet meeting papers that authorised the disastrous war in Iraq. Labour will need a fresh start after election defeat. These tired old men have been going since the 1980s. Opposition is never nice after having perks of office for so long. Labour had better wake up and see the trees pretty quickly.
- Michael Riley, London
I'm ready to become PM as well.
Just let me know a few days in advance so I can get some plane reservations...
- Trunk, US
This coming from the man who can't even look after his own email account...how does he expect to run the country? Lets face it Labour cannot cope, they have destroyed the economy, education, the justice system, health care...need I go on! We need a General Election ASAP.
- Bb, S.E London
Just when we thought British comedy was dead, Jack Straw announces that he is ready to become Prime Minister. He really is funnier than Harry Hill - but everyone is funnier than Harry Hill...
- Jonathan Montmorency, cooden, uk.
If i was Brown i would chop this man off by the knees.
- Stan White, leeds
Jack Straw will make an excellent opposition leader.
- Miketally, Surrey, London
Is he kidding? Let's get rid of the lot. we don't want to replace the organ-grinder with a monkey!
- Hatchet, Newcastle Australia
Oh dear, treacherous Jack, you naively don't think it would be this easy to become British premiere do you?
The prospect of ascent to PM for he who brandishes the knife must surely be as bleak as for he who actually wields it.
I think this clumsily premature faux pas now puts
'Our Jack' behind Harman and Jackie Smith's WAGS [Women Against Gordon] group, in the ever increasing queue!
McLabour are imploding.
- Dave, cumbria
Remember Straw when he was president of the National Union of Students in the 60's. The last thing we need is this old Trot leading the country.
- Roger Slade, Winchester, Hampshire, England
