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Miliband's slip names Alan Johnson as leading man to replace Brown
Joe Murphy, Political Editor9 Jun 2009
- Sir Alan Sugar faces choice between government post or BBC show
- Greens are London's biggest winners as Labour plunges to fifth in suburbs
- Gordon Brown accused of 'fear and smears'
- Magic moments as the Brown cheerleaders stave off rebellion
- Poll says PM is worst option for election
- David Miliband: Why I didn’t quit Brown Cabinet
Alan Johnson is still "the leading contender" to replace the Prime Minister, David Miliband declared today.
The Foreign Secretary's surprising remark left a question mark over Gordon Brown's leadership despite the failure of last night's "peasants' revolt".
Mr Miliband also made clear that he briefly considered quitting last Thursday night after James Purnell resigned as Culture Secretary, a move that would have finished off the embattled Prime Minister.
Rebel backbenchers warned that Mr Brown is "on probation" and could come under attack again. A relieved Premier finished his reshuffle and chaired the new-look Cabinet today.
Downing Street announced a special Cabinet session on Friday to map out a fightback based on plans for the economy, public services reform and cleaning up politics.
Critics called it Mr Brown's fifth relaunch in two years. His first was on taking over in June 2007.
Then he reshaped No10, bringing in Lord Carter to run things, in January 2008 in the wake of the cancelled election debacle.
Then he pledged to listen more in June after the 10p tax revolt and by-election routs. This was followed by a major reshuffle and the return of Lord Mandelson in October.
Speaking on BBC radio, Mr Miliband said Labour had reached "a settled view about the leadership" and added: "The leading contender, Alan Johnson, is backing the Prime Minister to the hilt. So that is that."
Asked if he flirted with quitting, he said: "Flirtation is dangerous for married men, I'm not going to get into that."
He defended his decision to stay on - rebel MPs say it was crucial to saving Mr Brown - saying he wanted to campaign from the inside for progressive ideas: "I felt we had a responsibility to work inside government for its renewal. I always believed that the right thing to do was to remain in the Cabinet."
He admitted: "The odds are stacked against us when we are trying to win a fourth term."
Mr Purnell today broke his silence on his resignation.
He said he hoped to be "proven wrong" on Mr Brown by a Labour victory and did not mind that Mr Miliband and others declined to join him.
"I've got complete respect for people who stayed in the Government, who believe that's the right thing to do," he told Sky News.
Labour's plotters warned they would not go away. Senior MP Barry Sheerman said: "We will be watching Gordon. We will cease hostilities, we will give him a chance, but we will be watching him carefully."
He called for "a change of culture at No10" and added: "His intimates know how close he came. "
Mr Brown also chaired the first meeting of his new National Democratic Renewal Council looking at laws to give voters more direct say, such as a power to make MPs debate an issue by raising a petition. Also, backbenchers could win powers to decide on debates and votes.
Shadow chancellor George Osborne said Labour's in-fighting was harming jobs. "This leadership crisis is bad for the country and bad for the economy," he said in a speech. "It's not just Gordon Brown's job that is at stake."
With the final reshuffle list published today, it emerged that a record eight ministers will be unpaid.
They include Cabinet minister Shaun Woodward, Defence minister Lord Drayson, Foreign Office minister Lord Davies, Energy minister David Kidney and Defence minister Quentin Davies.
Reader views (76)
We're now being run by an unelected PM who has surrounded himself with unelected apparatchics on the strength of 15% of the vote. For this reason, Proportional Representation suddenly seems like a good idea' he'll do anything to stay in power. After all he's done to this country's finances. This self serving man with his self-serving cronies should be put in front of the firing squad, not sacked.
- Dominique, london, 10/06/2009 11:56
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The most bizarre incident in recent weeks was the TV appearance of Neil Kinnock; his vision was for Labour to spend its way out of trouble, and that way Gridiron will win another election. The bloke's certifiably deluded; even when Gorby throws billions at an election he looses, tax revenues are falling and the Country is is serious debt, one look at the NHS will tell you that. Lord Windbag seemed to suggest the Bruin will go when he gets some juicy fat sinecure in Brussels, well anything's possible.
- Jeremiah, London, 10/06/2009 11:46
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Brown is the most hated man in politics, so I hope he stays till the election and we finally get rid of the nasty socialists who have done so much to destroy our country.
- Richard K, Nottingham, 10/06/2009 11:04
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Gorfdon Brown appears to be safe until the Autumn when the Budget is due
There is every likelihood that the Chancellors last figures will be shown to be dramatically wrong and totally over optimistic.Revenue from taxation will be nothing like his prediction. Unemployment will be nearer to 3 millions .Brown will pay the penalty then-
and not before time
- Alex Pomeroy, London NW6, 10/06/2009 10:53
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Gordon Brown =2 wars + Sold Gold and Gave The money Away+created biggest credit bubble in UK history+blames everybody else= TOTAL LOOSER.You must be a complete moron to vote for him lets hope he leads labour into next election so we can be sure of a TOTAL WIPE OUT.
- Edwina, croydon, 10/06/2009 10:36
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Alex Lisinge, Putney.
Not surprised to read your customary posting blaming the media for our woes. You may want to consider that Parliament is accountable to the electorate and as such should be judged on it`s performance. The media provides the information from which the necessary analysis is made. However `dyed in the wool` Socialists such as yourself never seem to take a balanced view. Look at the facts and objectively measure Gordon Brown`s performance along with his Government,if you have any sense you will see that criticism of Mr Brown is not cowardly,as you suggest, but is based on objective evidence. Can you really not understand this ?
- John E., Northants UK, 10/06/2009 09:09
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The answer to your headline is - yes. Gordon Brown has the franchise on being right.
It is only from the election results that the true opinion of the public is revealed. Perhaps it is only with GB as PM at the next election that a regime change is possible.
- J R J, Glen Vine, 10/06/2009 08:40
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I have never seen anything like it. Brown has single handdidly destroyed the labour party and the respect of the UK with the world. Please help me out, he says. Sure--what way did you come in?
- Ian, Doncaster, 10/06/2009 07:50
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Labour MPs, what a bunch of muppets, none of them with the guts to say to Brown what everyone in the country feels, the guy is a loser with no hope. He has been in government for over 10 years and he tells them he has still got a lot to learn and he will try and do better. No wonder our country is in a mess with this lot leading us, get rid i say and give us an election now, the sooner they are gone the better.
- Mr S.Port, London, 10/06/2009 00:27
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''''NOOOOOOOO'''''
- C Cusano, Bedford, 09/06/2009 21:28
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Val Daniels must sit all day long reading the Evening Standard comments. Why doesn't she leave her hidey hole in Spain and stand as a Labour candidate? She might consider Norwich North, ha ha that would be a waste of her time too!
- Neil, London, 09/06/2009 17:58
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Mr Milliband has not only identified his colleague as the leading contender to replace Gordon Brown, but also indicated that the Labour Party has a "settled view" about the Prime minister's future. Sounds to me that Gordon has something to worry about amidst the chorus of unity calls..
- James Elliott, Eastbourne UK, 09/06/2009 17:49
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Nice to see Val's back, although getting rather personal and sounding very bitter.
- Tony Heath, godalming, Surrey., 09/06/2009 17:43
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Oh dear Val, you demean yourself so easily with every single post you make.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, 09/06/2009 17:28
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Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK - If that was really the issue, they had an "outset" of 12 years to do something about it. Your comment does not even stand up to cursory scrutiny.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, 09/06/2009 17:24
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To blame Brown for the current malice is cowardice. We have a parliamentary regime and all the ministers have collective responsibility. What i believe is, most people are afraid to say they are tired with the parliamentary regime. The irony is , if they want a presidential regime, the queen is likely to go too. Yes Brown is not elected. what abpout the Queen, Prince Charles etc. at least PM Brown was elected as an MP. Brown is not the problem. We are the problem. We are obssessed with the media. Let's make our own judgements let's not follow the media blindly. It is easy to criticise , and difficulty to rule a nation.
- Alex Lisinge, Putney, 09/06/2009 16:58
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Val Daniels Spain. I must be getting old, but I agree with your sentiment. There's a first time for everything.
- Alan, carlisle uk, 09/06/2009 16:49
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Would a general election make any difference, we would have the same snouts in the trough, different sty.
- Shallotman, Basildon, 09/06/2009 16:49
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It matters not, which party is elected now because we are still suffering from the Thatcher legacy of the privatised utilities with their astronomical bills for energy and water not to mention the transport costs.Labour made the mistake of not renationalising these at the outset. It is now paying the price of that error.
T H Leeds
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK, 09/06/2009 16:33
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I wonder how the Civil Servants feel working with newly appointed Ministers with grand ideas who have only eleven months-at most- to prove their worth before being asked to mount the electoral guillotine?
- William Grierson, Kimpton-UK, 09/06/2009 16:28
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Winston Smith 1984 not "our Government" I have never, would never, could never bring myself to place an X in a box alongside Labour or to accept brown is the leader of this country or Britain, he is a Scottish jackass.
Sorry to have a go mate but OURS he is not, he is a law unto himself; the people want him out and his team of cowboys affectionately known as labour to follow him out the door and into jail
- Gary, Brentwood 2, 09/06/2009 16:08
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I think there should be a General Election. I think Gordon Brown should resign. But what is it with people saying he was in some way unelected, as though our constitution allowed us to directly elect the Prime Minister. He was elected by his constituency and that's that.
By convention he or she only comes from the party with the majority in the House of Commons. He can only be replaced, outside of a General Election, by resignation, loss of that majority or on a vote of confidence or by his own party.
Suggestions of the electorate having a say in who is the PM smacks of the American Constitution, which we do not have and so he limps on, whether we like it or not and the same would apply to his successor if Brown went and that person did not cal a General Election.
- Steven Dale, London, England, 09/06/2009 16:02
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Our Government is being run increasingly by unelected people, peers and civil servants, headed by Gordon Brown who also has no mandate from the people. We even have a civil servant publicly criticising the elected Mayor of London about the sacking of Sir Ian Blair.
Plans for a database state and attacks on our freedom and privacy are being developed by civil servants. Two groups of civil servants in Whitehall, who head the Identity and Passport Service, and the Transformational Government team in the Cabinet Office, work for the implementation and expansion of the National Identity Service.
The ID Card scheme was for decades a Home Office civil service plan. Peter Lilley MP, a cabinet minister under Mrs Thatcher and Mr Major, recalls it being offered "as the remedy for all our ills, from crime to shortage of kidney donors". The Tories resisted, but Labour liked the increased control of the people, and Alan Johnson, the fifth Home Secretary to support ID Cards and NIR, says there will be no change in Labour's ID Card plans.
It is well past the time to restore power to the people.
- Winston Smith 1984, Midlands, UK, 09/06/2009 15:42
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They all seem to be collecting as many Brownie Points as they can - no doubt the one with the most will be the ultimate Judas.
- Robert El-Cid., Hull, East Yorks.,, 09/06/2009 15:39
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I thought Harold Wilson said that 'the Labour Party is a moral crusade or it is nothing'. Can anyone tell me what is moral about this lot?.They strike me as a lot of hypocrites just clinging to their jobs.
- Bill Caplin, Camden, London, 09/06/2009 15:22
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Rather reminiscent of the Stalinist era we now seem to have an unelected peer in charge of what might be termed a politburo. It advises the cabinet and is staffed by other unelected members of the House of Lords. Makes one wonder who will be selecting the next Leader of the Labour Movement.
- Robert El-Cid., Hull, East Yorks.,, 09/06/2009 15:21
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Labour MPs are not the judges WE are and the executioners and after what this man and his BF Mandy have done to us he will not be spared the guillotine.
- Ge, Kernow, 09/06/2009 14:57
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#Dave Davies, Basingstoke
What an ignorant, patronising prat you are. At least he tries to communicate in English, I wonder if you could do as well in his language. You shame us all.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain, 09/06/2009 14:44
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Stay if you want Mr. Brown. It will simply ensure a wipeout at the next election. Staying makes Brown and his party look even more remote. How any of them can stay in their seats is a disgrace. They have collectively let in the BNP with their arrogant and futile navel gazing. They know nothing about the real world - they really don't. Unfortunately for Labour the rest of the population do. Us mere mortals will bury your party when the time comes. You know it and so do we. I'm almost tempted to bet on Brown loosing his seat at the next election.
- David S., Ealing, 09/06/2009 14:42
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NO ONE voted Mr Brown in, he was forced upon us, and no doubt him and his ultra left pc fanatics will be booted out come next election.
- Brandon Thomas, SW7, London, 09/06/2009 14:39
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Is posting bad, you need writing English. Why you vote if no write English anygood?
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke. If Edimir note is not liking you, why you waste time too commit reply? I agree with Edimir, if the cowboy want the job, let him mount the pony first. I
- Ted Jones, Lewisham, 09/06/2009 14:32
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WE DONT WONT YOU TO CHANGE, GORDON WE JUST CANT STOMACH YOU AND YOUR LIES TO EVERYONE, YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO YOUR FATHER TO TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THIS MORAL COMPASS AND YOU WHERE AT THE HELM OF THE EXPENSES SCANDAL, YOU KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND YOU EVEN TRIED TO FOB THE PUBLIC OFF, ANYONE WHO TREATS THE BRITTISH PEOPLE AS FOOLS NEEDS TO GO YOU SHOULD RESIGN YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE UK AND EVRYONE WHO VOTED FOR YOU, AND NOW WE HAVE LOST ALL FAITH,
- James Fennessey, london, 09/06/2009 14:30
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just like a vote of confidence in the Captain by the crew of the Titanic! Sinking, unsaveable and prolonging the inevitable.....
- Gary, amersham, 09/06/2009 14:23
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The only time Gordon Brown backs down is when he has no other option. Like a drowning man looking for something to keep him afloat, he uses insincere promises that he will do better. All labour MPs know that if he resigned, the country would not countenace another unelected Prime Minister and a general election would be inevitable; so to preserve their inflated salaries and expenses they choose to put personal venality before the good of the country. The comments that "they will be watching him" are laughable; by the time the smear unit at number 10 has got to each dissenter, the only people of integrity left in Parliament will be the current opposition parties. Every day which passes under this administration further diminishes the value of sterling and the respect of the rest of the world. By the time of a May election, there will be little left following the selfish scorched earth policy of Labour.
You only had to look at the picture of Brown in Normandy last weekend to see how far he has sunk. On a day when the troops fighting on D Day were being remembered, for some veterans, possibly the last time, there is a self-pitying head of government slumped down in total disrespect. Showing such disrespect has thus proved he can only respect himself and his cronies who are propping him up in power. A bit like Mr Mugabe in Zimbabwe he will cling to power until he is eventually forced out by the electorate.
- Ian, Cranbrook, Kent, 09/06/2009 14:04
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Stephen of Loughton says it all. It is embarrassing being a Brit abroad these days. My French, Dutch and German mates cannot believe that we allow such a loser in control of a country which is already going down the tubes thanks to his cock-ups.
South of France Don
- Southoffrancedon, France, 09/06/2009 13:52
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Can we drag ourselves away from Big Brother to do anything about all this?....I think not...
- Gwaddilove, London..England, 09/06/2009 13:50
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Our UNELECTED incompetent, deluded and demented leader of ZaNu-Labour Gordon Mugabe will never listen to anyone but himself.
It is an outrage that he has been allowed to carry on ruling like a maniac dictator by his army of brain-washed,patronising and sycophantic drones like Millibland and Lord Meddlesum.
Over the last 12 years Nu-Labour have treated decent,hardworking people like criminals whilst allowing the real criminals to roam free and enjoy protection under the "Yuman Rites Act".
Just think the hundreds of thousands of pounds fraudulently claimed by those greedy Nu-Labour parasites like Tony McNutty and Bob "monster" Ainsworth could have gone to buying the proper equipment to protect our brave soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan who have died so needlessly!
Sickening - GORMLESS BROWN RESIGN NOW, WE WANT A GENERAL ELECTION!
- A.Non Pc, London,UK, 09/06/2009 13:45
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Our Government is being run increasingly by unelected people: peers and civil servants, headed by Gordon Brown who also has no mandate from the people. So now we have a civil servant publicly criticising the elected Mayor of London about the sacking of Sir Ian Blair.
Plans for a database state and attacks on our freedom and privacy are being developed by civil servants. Two groups of civil servants in Whitehall, who head the Identity and Passport Service, and the Transformational Government team in the Cabinet Office, work for the implementation and expansion of the National Identity Service.
The ID Card scheme was for decades a Home Office civil service plan. Peter Lilley MP, a cabinet minister under Mrs Thatcher and Mr Major, recalls it being offered "as the remedy for all our ills, from crime to shortage of kidney donors". But Labour fell for it, and Alan Johnson, the fifth Home Secretary to support ID Cards and NIR, says there will be no change in Labour's ID Card plans. It is time to restore power to the people.
- Winston Smith 1984, Midlands, UK, 09/06/2009 13:41
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Remember 1945 when, after Churchill's magnificent war effort the electorate voted him OUT. I reckon a similar scenario will occur here if the economy shows signs of coming right before McMitty calls the General Election. We shall say (as the electorate did in 1945):"Thanks a bunch but it's kiss-off time."
- Ted, London, 09/06/2009 13:28
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what a disgraceful bunch of cowardly New Labour chickens,..their vanity makes the UK a mockery on the world stage
Brown is dead in the water,.he's finished,..rather like the dead parrot sketch of Monty Python
weak, corrupt, shameful,..cowards who gaze at their own naval and bulging wallets,..before the good of the country
Never again wil I waste my vote on this Lib-Lab-Con con-trick
- A. Brown, London UK, 09/06/2009 13:21
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Brown is a shambolic display of previous and current ongoing failure. We can be sure that this clown will sink brand Labour as far down and leave as much historical weight behind as the Titanic. 'Getting on with the job' and making a noise about it while failing; was, has or is never enough. Doing the job quietly and successfully is the professional way. GO NOW BROWN
- Stephen, LOUGHTON, 09/06/2009 13:15
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In dumpUK we have a bottling, unelected PM from Fife; a supine Cabinet of failed human beings and a bunch of spineless New Labour backbenchers running our country.
And as for "we shall be watching him", what a sick joke. I wonder, are these backbench losers planning to beat him with crispy lettuce leaves if he steps out of line?
- Ted, London, 09/06/2009 13:13
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Gordon Brown its the rite man for uk economy . dont trust david camerun its cowboy
- Edimir Beci, london
Edimir Beci, london - Is posting bad, you need writing English. Why you vote if no write English anygood?
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, 09/06/2009 12:56
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Proof if need be they are only interested in saving their own skins.
- Albert Swift, Aberdeen, Scotland, 09/06/2009 12:55
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Brown is to democracy what Mugabe is the green party
- Ge, Kernow, 09/06/2009 12:54
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They only want to stop fighting so they can get their snouts back into the trough.
- Jilly, London, 09/06/2009 12:44
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"He also chaired the first meeting of his Democratic Renewal group which is studying proposals to give voters more direct say over politics"
In other words he's chairing a quango which is aiming to produce an unworkable system but will at least produce more pointless jobs, presumably in Labour strongholds as per usual.
- Bob, Cheam, 09/06/2009 12:40
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It is not the MPs that Brown needs to pacify, but the public at large. After tackling MP expenses, and hopefully reducing what can be claimed to something akin to allowable expenses claimed by private sector workers, maybe he then could start on government pensions. Having robbed the private pension schemes early on in his career, causing the end of many final salary schemes, and placing many more into huge deficit, maybe it is time to once and for all end final salary schemes for the public sector too. Only then might we believe that they care equally about "us" as they do "them".
- Naomi Sajeri, Manchester, 09/06/2009 12:26
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Nobody in their right mind would want to replace Gordon now. Ditch him after the next election, when Labour are going to get comprehensively stuffed. They're just hanging on in case the economy picks up a bit between now and then.
- Mark Harris, Enfield, 09/06/2009 12:24
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The country knows Labour and the present government is finished. The country has no faith in the leadership as shown by the recent elections. For the sake of the country, listen to us, go all of you, give us a general election to change parliament, give us our vote on the European Treaty as promised, and get us out of Europe. Failure to do so will lead UKIP into victory along with the BNP.
- Peter Smith, weymouth, dorset, 09/06/2009 12:14
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in response to message from Oldun, London
it's called Politics....it is not very honourable and never has been....
- Martin_Clerkenwell, london, 09/06/2009 12:11
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Brown can't give us the election we want. The EU won't allow him to. If he goes to the people, there is a great danger that Ukip or the Tories will get in, have a referendum on Lisbon, and stuff the EU progress towards a super state. We can't have that can we? Meddlesome won't allow that, I mean people making their own mind up. The Irish did it, now they have to vote again to get the result right.
This has more or less been admitted by the EU grouping that the Tories left. No conspiracy there then!!!
- Alan, carlisle uk, 09/06/2009 12:02
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If these greedy Liebor MP's think the electorate are going to forget their moves to continue in employment, then watch this space..............
- Brian Hughes, Llandudno, 09/06/2009 11:53
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We can only conclude, Labour backbenchers remain compliant as long as they can continue to milk the taxpayer and have a tacit arrangement with Brown that they will not be prosecuted for previous infractions. Yesterday morning backbenchers woke up and smelled the coffee, realizing getting rid of Brown would deny them receiving a further twelve months of taxpayer's hard earned cash and the possibility of prosecution for the violation of expenses rules.
English dictionaries are found wanting when it comes to describing this miserable crew that calls themselves the UK government and the the only light at the end of the tunnel is that the longer these people stay in office the worst it will be for Labour when an election finally comes around.
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hampshire, 09/06/2009 11:50
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Zanu Labour needs more than a cabinet reshuffle to sort this mess out,-they need a Priest to perform an exorcism at 10 Downing street,-maybe then Behelzebub Brown will disappear for good,-the man is Satan personified.
- Jacob, Canterbury Kent, 09/06/2009 11:43
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Gordon is Prime Minister in name only. He is no longer his own man. Mandleson is running the show. It was he who saved Gordon and now Gordon will be in debt to Mandleson for the remainder of his time as PM. A situation that has disaster written all over it. Brown looked totally ill at ease with himself this morning around the Cabinet table. No wonder really. He is no longer in control and must wonder if mortgaging his political career to such a bunch of political misfits was really worth the candle. If Brown had resigned yesterday at least he could have left with his head held high - now he has nothing left to feel good about. Perhaps Mandleson would not let him resign? Now there`s a thought.
- B Gare, Norfolk Gorleston, 09/06/2009 11:35
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Instead of the long comment by Martin_Clerkenwell, london, to shorten it "Nobody knows".Surely the point of importance is thatthses Mps are doing what is best,in their opinin for the labour party(i.e. themselves) and they have no interest whatsoever in what is good for the country.And they call themselves "Honourable"
- Oldun, london, 09/06/2009 11:27
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Gordon Brown its the rite man for uk economy . dont trust david camerun its cowboy
- Edimir Beci, london, 09/06/2009 11:27
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The person running the country is the unelected Baron Mandelson, of Foy in the county of Herefordshire and Hartlepool (I kid you not), taxpayers.
The UK is still living in the 19th century.
And Brown is an embarrassment to us all - 'Obama beach', sheeesh, no wonder the NuLab cowards won't name the day.
This is the worst gov. in living memory.
- Undercover Elephant, Dole Farm, Crays Hill, Essex, 09/06/2009 11:04
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Just more Labour spin and lies! Everything is OK. We all love one another. It is just a small minority who do not support Brown.
Like any gang, they are all in it together. Like the Cowboys and Indians - the public being the Indians to be slaughtered.
- Trudy, London, 09/06/2009 10:59
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this issue for the Labour party is not going away for good. There is still a likehood of a change of leader in the next few months. Interesting to see that opinion poll has no majority for Tories if Johnson was leader. Also interesting to see that the Tories only polled in the high 20's percent compared with Nu-Labour polling 44% in the mid 90's and even Hague polling 40%+ in 1999..
the Tories must be worried that even with Labour in the position they are - they did not get a very high percentage of the votes......presuming that the results had a large element of protest votes for UKIP and people just staying away (mostly people who would normally vote Labour) what would actually happen in General Election is not that easy to predict.
- Martin_Clerkenwell, london, 09/06/2009 10:48
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Being on probation is not exactly a threatening phrase since the last probation fiasco recently.Being in post but not in power is nothing new since Mandy.How about, being the PM who must jump to their every whim 24/7.Brown might then yearn for a coup,you know,like he did to Blaire,and so it goes on.The Country? Economic chaos? Looks like that has to wait,'must get on with the job'....of saving my neck...again [full time work this]!!
- Tithonus, Athens Greece, 09/06/2009 10:31
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Let's face it, the election of Obama in the US has made all our politicians look dated and out of touch regardless of Party. We have no one who is an obvious choice for Prime Minister from any Party: no one who stands out as a Colossus who could really bring about the change we need. It's not just Gordon Brown that is theproblem: it is the whole of the Labour Party. And Cameron and Clegg are just as ineffectual.
- Janet, London, UK, 09/06/2009 10:25
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For how long is Brown going to "dither" before radically reforming MPs "expenses rules"? Every week that goes by means tax payers are having to continue paying for non-existent second homes, food, patio heaters, bath plugs, gardening, etc, etc, etc. This scandal must be sorted out before the recess, otherwise they will contine thieving from the public purse throughout the summer.
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 09/06/2009 10:09
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Hasn't Gormless Brown got the hint yet! No one likes him!
- Triffidqueen, Desk in London, 09/06/2009 10:05
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This period of grace for Mr Brown will be like a green light to a kleptomniac in a sweetie shop. He will continue is same mould - 'More of the Same'.
I for one no longer trust Brown and his cabinet colleagues. He and his cronies, especially Mandelson look like they would be quite willing to even stoop to trying to engineer a situation whereby they can invoke the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, and try to wrest power from Parliament and ban civil liberties. I don't think they are that stupid, but who knows when someone like Brown is so convinced of his own 'Greatness'.
(all allegedly of course)
- Uncle Vanya, East Anglia Area UK, 09/06/2009 10:02
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It is quiet clear that the snouts want to remain chomping, not one has the nerve to stand against the bullies of NuLab. TheParty recognises it cannot elect another unelcted PM and would need to hold an election. An election would show a fall in labour support and a new majority elected leader. By avoiding the hard questions and sitting back allowing NuLab bullies to win merely means they can continue chomping away on hard earned tax payers expenses. They have no moral strength and deserve to be kicked out. We should petition the Queen and advise her the Parliment has lost the respect of the people.
- Ian Makin, Twickenham, 09/06/2009 09:35
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Keeping going Gordon. Keep ignoring the electorate, wind them up and ensure Labour will be out of power for a generation - again.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, 09/06/2009 09:20
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So Gormless Gordon wants to stay on to sort the economic and expenses mess out "I want to complete the job". He just does not get it. He is a disasterous leader and incapable of doing the job. As for Alan Johnson, he has just shown all he is good for is carrying a postbag.
After last nite, as well being synonomous with lies, deceit, corruption NuLiarBore can add gutless cowards to their cv
- Trevn, Abu Dhabi, 09/06/2009 09:19
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Hmmm, why could that be? Well, if they call a vote of no confidence in the PM then it means a general election doesn't it? This gravy train's too sweet to have one of those yet, those backbenchers will milk it until the country bankrupts itself.
- Bob, Cheam, 09/06/2009 09:10
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Yet more staged managed rubbish. Brown try's to exploit and control everything and yet he fails to see we have him sussed out. Guess in the long term this is for the best more pain for Britain as the Scottish clown flogs us for the next few months until the labour gravy train is sucked into a worm hole and never seen or heard of again
Does this not sum up labour they can not even plan a revolt Jokers the lot of em
- Gary, Brentwood 1, 09/06/2009 09:09
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If back benchers are not bright enough to organise to remove Gordon brown.They are not bright enough to be our representitives. Vote them out at the next election. They never listen to the people
- Mike Cole, Southampton, 09/06/2009 09:00
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Looks like Lord Meddlesome ably assisted by Baroness Kinnock and her spectral better half are now pulling all the strings in this Labour Government until they identify a suitable replacement for Brown.
- Robert El-Cid., Hull, East Yorks.,, 09/06/2009 08:49
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As a (temporary) ex-pat I am amazed that the British public appear to have accepted a 2nd rate PM with a 2nd rate cabinet. The PM now says that he 'will learn' - for a man with 10 years plus as the Chancellor working closely with Blair over the same period - he must be a very slow learner indeed! Is this the standard that the British public seem happy to accept? They should rise up and DEMAND that he resign, together with his rag-tag-and bobtail cabinet, IMMEDIATELY, as the British public surely deserve better than this band of thieves and liars.
- Esther Clark, Los Angeles, 09/06/2009 08:29
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I am astonished. At least before yesterday Brown tried to behave like a leader. He’s now nothing more than a puppet for the PLP at whose feet he begged and grovelled for the chance to remain as PM.
The inaction of the Labour party has confirmed my belief that it no longer cares about the state of the nation, only about their own political skins and it is to the memory of this ultimate irony that I expect voters to turn in the next three general elections at least.
Had my local Labour MP stood up and demanded that Brown call a General Election forthwith she would have demonstrated that she is in touch with, and willing to act at the behest of, the vast majority of her constituents and would have therefore won my vote. Instead, her acquiescence has ensured that I cannot foresee voting labour again until my unborn child is old enough to walk to the polling station with me.
We have been robbed of democracy by Brown and the Labour party.
- St, London, 09/06/2009 08:19
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Every day when I turn the computer on, I hope against hope Crash has finally done the decent thing and quit. What a bunch of spineless wimps our MPs are, that they can't even organise a revolt properly!
- Marianne, SW France/London, 09/06/2009 07:53
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