Tony says Gordon must go and I agree, says fat Charlie
Last Sunday BBC political commentator Andrew Marr asked Gordon Brown whether he would consider stepping down as PM if it were the majority view of the Labour Party that it would be in its interests for him to do so. Characteristically, Brown replied “No.” He had a job to do, cleaning up Parliament and saving the economy. Today, his options are somewhat more limited. Twice-disgraced and tainted by the expenses scandal, ‘Lord’ Mandelson is Deputy Prime Minister in all but title. His job is to save what’s left of the Blair Reich. Olympics Minister (yes, that’s her job), the stupid but thick-skinned and loyal Blairite Tessa Jowell has rejoined the cabinet, in another move designed to show that there is no room for corruption in the Brown government.
In a last throw of the dice, Vinny Jones might gain a peerage and join the Cabinet
Tessa was an enthusiastic proponent of the murky and barmy Blair supercasino scheme. Her ‘estranged’ husband, David Mills, may serve 4.5 years in an Italian gaol (see comment below) for abetting Blair’s friend, Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi, in corruptly abstracting and offshoring Fininvest assets. She apparently didn’t notice that he paid off their £340,000 mortgage with a bribe, claiming she was too busy to notice. Mr Mills, a friend of Formula One supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, also allegedly facilitated the notorious £1 million loan to New Labour early in the Blair First Reich, which saw tobacco advertising on racing cars exempted from the ban on sports promotion. Who will be next to rejoin this cabinet of fools and fouls – Vinny Jones, perhaps?
This morning it was ‘revealed’ in the Murdoch press that Peter Mandelson had exchanged emails questioning Brown’s leadership credentials with none other than ‘psycho’ Derek Draper (Thus passim). Ahead of grisly European Parliament election results, Charlie Falconer, Blair’s ex-flatmate, lawyer, ex-Lord Chancellor and New Labour Illuminatus, pronounced that it might be in the best interests of the party for Gordon to vacate 10 Downing St. Tessa Jowell followed through with the observation that Gordon loved the party so much that he would always step down rather than damage its prospects. Characteristically, Brown nixed this twitter with a defiant speech to activists repeating that he he had no intention of stepping down. So there you have it. Open war. Brown’s staunch allies (Mr and Mrs Balls, Fagin McDarling and the cleaning lady) are menaced by Blair’s Orcs, who have risen from the dead and are now pissing out from inside the big tent.
Brown will step down. It is even conceivable that Mandelson will try to take the reins ‘on a temporary basis’ while a leadership squabble takes place (Thus passim). Never mind the polls, the bookies are offering a measly 6/5 on Brown leaving office. A general election is inevitable, which Thus predicts the Tories will win with a majority of between 240 and 280 seats. Labour will possibly fall to third place behind the Lib Dems. Having lost control of all the UK county councils – while Tory Boris Johnson rules the GLC – a blue Reich will descend, too comprehensive by half for democracy or even for sound decision-taking by the Tories – look what happened after the Labour landslide.
That’s all she wrote, except to repeat that in order to avoid the Blair/Brown problem, Cameron needs to ditch George Osborne if he expects to have any chance of tackling the inherited economic nightmare. Ken Clarke would make a good war Chancellor. That much said, today’s ‘email evidence’ confirms that hapless toff Osborne told the truth when he claimed that Mandelson, then an EU Commissioner, had ‘poured poison into his ear’ about Gordon Brown aboard Deripaska’s yacht last year, where he and Mandy were guests at James Murdoch’s birthday bash. The Murdoch press chose to spin against Osborne on that occasion. Today they put the boot into Brown. Time to write the memoirs, Gordon. Make them brief. Nobody will read them.
John J Kelly
7 Comments
Not sure wily David Mills is actually serving in an Italian jail. More like ‘sentenced to 4.5 years, but like his slimy client Mr B., playing the Italian judicial ‘system’ and still at liberty’…?
Thanks for the correction, David. It’s also valid to point out that Tessa Jowell and David Mills are allegedly not quite as estranged as some people define the term. John
Who the hell do I vote for ? I am apalled by recent events and as you so rightly point out the fault partly lies with the lilly livered MP’s who will not stand up for a ‘fair’ system on expenses and resort to the clandestine ‘switching’ of second homes – and worse. When are you standing for election John, as my vote is with you.
I can’t advise for whom you should vote, Ruth and I’m certain that none of the main parties would have me as a candidate (most MPs are really cheesy close up, believe me, and the good ones get marginalised). I think the question is – can you vote for Labour after this hideous abuse of democratic principle and practice. My answer is no, and on those grounds, to make sure they are buried with a stake through the heart, I’m voting Tory, then probably rolling up my sleeves to give the Tories a hard time. Whoever gets in has got to re-establish an economy where we make things and spread the wealth. Unfortunately, Thatcherite Tories – remember, Blair and Brown both admire Thatcher – have no history in this regard. Let’s hope Cameron is an old fashioned One Nation Tory who’ll give the workers a fair go. What’s the chance of that happening?
The Tories won’t do it willingly, but my bet is on them being forced to act somewhat like a responsible European Government by circumstances.
I still wouldn’t place bets on the UK being a civilised country for another 10 years or so, we seem to find it very hard to learn from our mistakes.
The dog in the night is Big Ears, Charles Clarke, who said history was history, who is briefing the papers on the condition that they do not mention him, but of course he is the leading plotter. It is amazing that he has not been in the papers for two or three weeks and yet is the leading actor against Brown.
good point about Professor jugears, Patrick. I’d completely forgotten. He is actually a man of principle, and believes strongly in holding grudges. I wonder who the stalking horse will be? 70 votes doesn’t seem like a lot to me. Brown’s hideous claque have relied on fear to keep order in the past, but these turkeys now know they have nothing to lose. My bet is on a vote of no confidence. Johnson would become leader in a contest, then Labour would lose, but by around 150 seats, giving them some sort of chance of regrouping by 2015 or so.