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The WAGs are coming for Gordon. In the Prime Minister's turmoil, a striking fact is how many of Labour's senior female ranks are now in at the kill. “Women Against Gordon” is the name they have privately given themselves.
Now two of them have deserted — challenging Mr Brown's authority in a critical week for his survival. Another has questioned his judgment. It's not just women known to be his critics.
Other high-profile departures this week included children's minister Beverley Hughes and Patricia Hewitt. What is it about Gordon and women?
Last year, the “Mitcham murderess” Siobhan McDonagh launched a summer coup against him, joined by three mid-ranking Labour women. Now the female of the political species is out for his blood again.
The WAGs include Hazel Blears, Ruth Kelly, Caroline Flint and Jacqui Smith. “We have the odd supper and sympathise about having to live with Gordon,” says one member. “It's been a useful support network when we needed to let off steam.”
Initial WAG frustration turned into outright hostility after the handling of Ms Kelly's departure from Cabinet at the Labour conference last year. Fearing she would resign and spark a wave of departures, the PM's aide Damian McBride announced Ms Kelly was leaving: without informing her.
Ms Kelly was woken at dawn and forced to turn her transport policy speech into an abrupt swansong.
Perhaps the most damaging view among females in Mr Brown's party is a sense that criticism cannot be tolerated. One backbench MP lashes out at “a beery bunch of backroom boys, licensed to do anything to destroy you, if it is useful to Gordon”.
The links between the WAGs are personal as well as political: Ms Smith and Ms Kelly are friends, as are Ms Blears and Ms Flint.
The manner of Ms Blears's departure caused outrage in No 10. “A bloody selfish act by a self-regarding woman” said one friend of the PM.
Even normally sympathetic figures look askance at the timing, on the eve of a punishing set of elections for Labour today. But Peter Mandelson, while defending Mr Brown, issued only the gentlest of criticisms of her.
There are anti-WAGs loyal to Gordon, notably deputy leader Harriet Harman, who was quick to end speculation she wanted to succeed him recently. But even Ms Harman is treated with distrust by some close to Mr Brown, after a high-profile run earlier in the year and a spate of comments deemed foolish.
Another anti-WAG likely to profit from the reshuffle is super-loyal Yvette Cooper, chief secretary to the Treasury who is married to Ed Balls — Mr Brown's first (political) love.
Women Against Gordon does not have a set candidate to replace Mr Brown, except perhaps Alan Johnson.
Ms Kelly is an old girlfriend of David Miliband but is unconvinced by his leadership claims. Ms Blears would go for the strongest centre ground candidate to regain lost territory from David Cameron.
Allies of the PM say he's done more than any other leader to enhance maternity and paternity benefits and the rights of working women.
But his urgent problem with the opposite sex lies close to home: on his own benches. As the jibe among the WAGs goes, “Tony reminds you of the man you wanted to marry. Gordon reminds you of the man you did.”
Reader views (3)
Brown cannot relate to any human being or us to him. He is the Inspector Clouseau of Westminster, how he ever got to the highest job in the land is a total mystery give the job to Harriet now
- Jessica, London, 05/06/2009 08:51
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I am not sure the females Gordon had a choice of are the best this country has to offer. Clare Short was the last true political females within the labour movement, now they have female like Yvette Cooper who sum up everything wrong with labour in 2009. Ruth Kelly sold out all mums with the proposed the introduction of Trust schools.
Females need to play a strong role in running this country but the country needs the type of females working in the private not professional politicians who encompass everything bad about MP's. Blears and Smith have done more to discourage females into entering politics than they have assist the cause.
- Gary, Brentwood 1, 05/06/2009 08:12
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Hardly a surprising development, I am only surprised that it has taken so long for it to be recognised that Gordon Brown has a problem with women.
There is a word for it -misogynist!
- Manny Goldstein, London, UK, 04/06/2009 10:29
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