Saturday, May 06, 2006

 

Blair to go 'on and on' and to stop Gordon's succession

As the fog of electoral war disperses two things are now clearly emerging.
Firstly Tony Blair intends to stay-God knows, it's bitter enough already- to the bitter end. He will ignore any calls to go early. Gordon can go stuff himself. Secondly, and related to this sentiment, is the intention of Blair to frustrate Brown's sucession if he possibly can. The elevation of John Reid to Home Secretary is evidence that he intends to back the combative excommunist Scot as his chosen successor. Those who say there is real emnity between the two men appear to be right: as far as Tony is concerned, Gordon can go stuff himself.

Comments:
Why should TB step down?

The Tories would like nothing better than for him to go now or very soon.
The MPs in our party who are plotting against the PM, with letters circulating etc, should shut up.
We won a third term only a year ago on the manifesto on which all of them were elected.
TB will likely step down shortly before the next election which will give Gordon (or whoever it is) a honeymoon period.
The Tories would just love it for Tony to go now and people on our own side should put a sock in it and support the government and party.
 
I couldn't disagree with that more, anonymous. The tories would love Blair to stay... look what happens when he does!

Time to renew.
 
Look beyond the media and their anti government agenda and see what the Tories (you see this on many tory websites) are plotting.
They want Labour to give Gordon the PMship now so the bubble on his honeymoon bursts long before the next election.
Say what you like about TB but he won a third term a year ago and these last local elections, whilst not good, were not a meltdown.
The Tories fear Blair as he can sock it to them in Parliament and still has a job to do.
Like it or not, and I like it personally, he was elected as PM only a year ago.
You should stop being Daily Mail leader writers and back your party not do the Tories work for them.
 
The "elevation of John Reid to Defence Secretary"? You have obviously been on the apple juice today, Skipper. I agree with your analysis however: Blair wants to stay, he does not want his successor to be Brown, and he is shaping-up Reid as his successor (the same point was made by - I think - Anthony Howard on Radio 4 this mornng). Anonymous, I disagree: if Brown becomes leader earlier rather than later he does not have to wait until 2009 or 2010 to call an election. He can call an earlier election (if the polls are favourable) on he grounds of seeking his own mandate.
 
I'm with anonymous on this one. The Tories and their media chums can't wait for PM Brown. They want to taunt him with the "you've no mandate from the public" jibe for a few years. They'd have some justification too given that Labour won last year on the basis that Tony Blair would stay for the term.

What Mr Cameron and his pals fear is Mr Brown still being a fresh PM at the next election.....
 
Yes, Politicaholic, sorry about Reid's portfolio- excess of excitement clearly. I think Tony should have gone at the time of Hutton but as he did not I think there is quite an argument for making the 'honeymoon' a short one. Major came in and seemed to head a 'new' government and with luck Brown can work the same trick. The longer the time Brown serves in power the more chance voters will tire of him too-though Pol-holic makes good point re option of calling an election. TB will certainly want to stay until 08-09 but will events allow him to? That's what's making the current pssage of politics so entertaining and fascinating.
 
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