Blair's One Chance To Regain His Authority
So far it's looking bad for Brown. He's not played his hand too wisely and the Blairites are counter attacking.
What advantages does Blair have? Several:
The public - They may not be too enamoured with the PM, but they aren't happy with the way things are playing out. This is an internal power struggle and the public don't see a clear reason for it. It's not like Thatcher and the highly unpopular Poll Tax, the public don't see something that Blair has done recently that justifies a putsch.
The party - They largely loathe the PM, but however he goes, they don't want it to happen like this.
The problem is that Blair just looks so weak. There is one course of action he may take; carry on the attacks against Brown, they're going for the 'is he fit to lead' and I expect to follow with 'can he win?'.
Then sack Gordon. A very risky strategy, but does Tony have any choice, or does he want to appear too weak, timid and scared to assert his authority over the man who is trying to bring it all crashing down.
The Cabinet is only big enough for one of them.
Gordano has shot his load
Gordano has shot his load and is finished.
That wasn't a smile on his face when he fled back out the tradesman entrance the other day. It was the grimace of someone who realises he has done something nasty in his pants.
Everyone thinks it is Teflon that will be out of Downing Street by Christmas. Look at the brown stuff he has managed to dodge, and he is still there.
Whereas Gordano has been living a sheltered life at the Treasury. He's now managed to make himself the most unliked / unwanted person in NuLabor, and that's before his supposed coronation!
No my money is on Teflon enjoying Christmas in Downing Street, and not Gordano.
The soap opera isn't
The soap opera isn't exporting well either, France Inter's podcast finds it "bizarre" that he be sacked after leading his party through three elections only because his party thinks he's been around too long. And everyone thinks that it's a huge risk to toy with something that's working, especially when there is that other party ready to profit from mistakes. Plus, If he loses office, what'll happen to Blairwatch.co.uk?
Has anyone noticed that
Has anyone noticed that thing he does with his bottom lip after he speaks?
It's all so embarassing and
It's all so embarassing and gauche.
When I think of Blair and
When I think of Blair and Brown, I think of that running gag in the old Peanuts comic strips. Lucy holds the football, and promises that this time she won't pull it away, she'll let him kick it...
It's been crystal clear for a long time that Blair has never had any intention of handing over to Gordon Brown. How many deals have they done behind closed doors since Granita? And yet poor old Chuck - er, Gord - keeps falling for it.
"Symbolism, Charlie Brown! The ball! The desire! The triumph! It’s all there!"
Deja Vu -- this is exactly
Deja Vu -- this is exactly what happened in the Liberal Party of Canada a few years back. Paul Martin, the Finance Minister who'd bee angling for the PM's office, was sacked by then-Prime Minister Jean Chretien. This precipitated the internal war and Martin ultimately succeeded in pushing Chretien out of office... the Liberals then went on to be reduced to minority government status - 2004 - and lose the election in 2006.
I think the best thing for Blair is to clarify his timetable for exit and leave (somewhat) gracefully -- may not be a bad thing for him either, set Brown up to be the sacrificial lamb in the next election (Labour stands a good chance of losing - even one Guardian columnist welcomes it as a chance for the party to renew itself). After the next election if Labour loses, Brown will be out as leader and that'll give the chance for a new generation of leaders to take charge.
What stuns me is the
What stuns me is the catalogue of discontent Charles Clarke has treated us to ... Trident, nuclear power, US influence , education , health and now in the language of a termagent , he calls Brown, stupid etc.,etc., and unbeleivably "not a team player!!".
How has he concealed the truth (as he sees it) so long, whilst sat at the Cabinet table ?
Is the TRUTH, as Churchill said, "so precious it must be shielded by a wall of lies ?"
Yes. I find it quite
Yes. I find it quite difficult to emulate. Hopefully we won't have to see it much more...
The risk to Blair of not
The risk to Blair of not sacking the awful Brown are greater than giving him the bum's rush. Sack the bastard for being a disloyal plotting bastard and the sooner the better.
More Wittering in the Marsh,
More Wittering in the Marsh, I see.
Dear Qarsan, I may be fixated on IRAN, but whether or not some ATTACK will forthcome on their civilians, I do see a great big hole on your Blairwatch coverage of THAT propaganda war .
My own frog radio/ TV/newsprint are all for it, and the Beeb the same.
Would you like to name me one future possible Lableader who will NOT go where BLIAR has already pointed the way , for MORE WAR ?
I'm surprised at the lack of
I'm surprised at the lack of comment regarding Blair's 'peace mission' to the Middle East.
Considering that Blair;
* refused to call for a ceasefire
* refused to acknowledge Isreal was disproportionate
* allowed military hardware (to be used on civilians) through the UK
* was greeted by Olmert with smiles and an embrace
* met the families of the Israeli soldiers that were taken prisoner, but not one Palestinian or Lebanese victim of the war
He is hardly in a position of honest broker - in fact I am amazed that he has the nerve to even be there.
This shows quite clearly the character of the man, a disgrace to truth and peace.
What a pathetic spectacle he makes of the UK.
If Blair sacks Brown, it'll
If Blair sacks Brown, it'll look pretty stupid: the NuLabour line of defence is not just 'isn't Tony fab' but 'isn't Gordon a brilliant Chancellor'. To sack Brown for eyeing up Tony's job is something even Hazel Blears couldn't spin away. Also, think of the impact on the markets - which Blairite could command confidence as Brown's replacement?
The Blair-groupies' problem is that they've nothing holding them together other than status as worshippers of The Cult of Tony and a desire to see Anyone But Gordon take over. The fact that neither they nor Blair have found a clear not-Gordon candidate, and are determined to indulge Blair to the bitter end, is as likely to damage the party as any amount of public feuding.
Thatcher rather than
Thatcher rather than Thancer, shurely?
Terrorist training camps in
Terrorist training camps in Southern England, what next?
Police said on Monday they had charged two men held after a major swoop last week, one of whom was accused of undergoing terrorism training at a camp in southern England.
Yes that's right, filthy terrorist towel-heads have set up a training camp right here in Southern England.
Detectives said Yassin Mutegombwa, 22, had been charged with three counts of receiving training for terrorism at a caravan and camp site during April and June - Reuters
Er, hang on a minute, what they mean when they say 'at a camp' is in fact 'at a camp site'. Laughable.
No doubt they were plotting 'death and destruction on an unimaginable scale' using camping Gaz, Pot Noodle and tent pegs to form the deadly explosive WTF-IS-THIS-BS.