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Gordon Brown had an uncomfortable time of it at Prime Minister's Questions today. The task of tormenting him was almost too easy in the circumstances for Mr Cameron, the Tory leader, and Nick Clegg, of the Liberal Democrats.
In the wake of the resignation today of the Communities Secretary, Hazel Blears, following hard upon the news that Home Secretary Jacqui Smith will be leaving her post, Mr Cameron declared of the PM: “his ability to command his Cabinet has disappeared.”
The damage inflicted by the timing of Ms Blears' resignation is indeed considerable — the day before the local and European elections, days before a reshuffle — and she knows it.
The content of her resignation letter was equally damning. There were none of the usual platitudes about the privilege of working with the Prime Minister or the good work done by the Government.
Rather, Ms Blears identified work yet to be done by Labour. If she did, as is reported, have a meeting with Mr Brown yesterday, it left her willing to wound him. She may be dangerous on the backbenches.
Mr Brown fought back in PMQs today by emphasising the important jobs that the Government has in hand. This is feeble: every attempt he makes to shift the debate to policy is stymied by the disarray within his Cabinet and the drift in the Government's direction.
On the bright side, with so many resignations, he has plenty of scope for the imminent reshuffle, his last shot at rescuing his authority.
The difficulty is that some of his likely appointments are deeply contentious, chiefly the mooted replacement of the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, with Mr Brown's protégé Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary.
There are now any number of individuals and institutions calling for Mr Brown to resign — The Guardian newspaper does so today — but it seems unlikely he will oblige them.
The alternative, increasingly canvassed, is for a delegation of “men in grey suits” — Cabinet ministers and other senior figures — to tell him he must go. Yet if Labour were, against tradition, to defenestrate its leader in this way, the case for a general election might well become overwhelming.
Foisting one unelected prime minister on the electorate was problematic; doing so twice would be taking liberties.
As Labour heads for disaster in tomorrow's polls, a general election cannot be a happy prospect. Mr Brown must now pull off a dramatic reshuffle — or else pull out.
Obama's olive branch
It is hard to overstate the importance of President Obama's trip to the Middle East this week, which takes in the two crucial regional players in the peace process, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
And it is important for tone as much as substance.
The President's speech tomorrow calling for a reconciliation between Islam and the West is a real departure from the rhetoric of the previous administration.
Olive branches like these are symbolically important in helping the US re-engage with more moderate opinion in the Arab world.
But ultimately progress depends on resuscitating the Palestinian peace process and here Mr Obama can show that he can deliver results.
He can bring pressure to bear on Israel to stop the building of illegal settlements, abandon those already built and insist on the necessity of an equitable two state deal as the basic outcome of future peace talks.
Kind words count, but deeds matter more.
London's in fashion
Last night's show at Central St Martin's for fashion graduates showed that in one area London has what it takes to beat recession.
The sheer inventiveness and brio of the creations — including witches' hats and ballgowns with giant trains — are infectiously cheering.
With the news that Burberry and Matthew Williamson are to return to London Fashion week, the future for London fashion looks bright.
Reader views (2)
Brown and this non governing government should be dissolved with immediete effect. There is no moral compass left for them to govern. We the people demand this government go.
- Thetruthman, United Kingdom, 04/06/2009 07:35
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Despite a few Cabinet Ministers rallying around Gorgon Brown his position still looks very uncertain.
The rumour that there is a petition doing the rounds to get the 70 MPs needed to sign it must have him really worried.
If the results at tomorrows Elections are as bad as expected then those signatures could prove quite easy to get.
Gorgon Brown may talk the talk about staying regardless of any attempt to oust him, but inside his head his confidence must be slipping a little.
- Rosieinlondon, London UK, 03/06/2009 17:44
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