Skipper

[Well, I'm back, albeit with technical problems alleviated rather than wholly solved. Many thanks to Roy and 'Cassie' for their unstinting assistance- the blogosphere is heart-warmingly generous with help and advice of this kind, I've found.]
Arch Blairite Charlie Falconer has plumped unsurprisingly for Gordon Brown ('a towering figure') as the only conceivable replacement to Blair, suggesting either that the Blair camp has reluctantly accepted their destiny as elements in a imminent 'Brown's world' or that Charlie is applying for a job, or both. On the first, they are surely right; on the second Tony's flatmate might just have established his efficacy as a fast moving, likeable fixer sufficiently to secure his berth on HMS Gordon- but including him in preference to the burgeoning assemblage of established Brownites might prove too great a problem. I imagine the 'bit of both' is closest to the truth.

The Guardian is right to dub 2007 'Brown's year'. The only possible rival is John Reid whose recent speech on the need to continue as New Labour reminded the party's movers and shakers that he's there if either Gordon slips up or they change their minds. [For a shrewd assessment of Reidy's intervention see Paul Linford's post last Thursday.]

Tomake this his year properly, it seems to me Gordon should focus on the following four items:

1) Include a raft of new younger ministers to manufacture a sense of a completely new administration- it worked for John Major long enough, at least, for him to win an election.

ii) Reformulate foreign policy in way which puts distance between UK and USA and edges us closer to the EU.

iii)Offer a new approach to managing the public services; the sense of 'good money after bad' has grown under Blair and may prove the most potent recruiting sergeant for Conservative votes in 2009.

iv) To help achieve the above, adhere to a more traditional form of government in which civil servants advise, minutes are taken and Cabinet really discusses.