Gordon Brown on the brink?

I think the chances of Brown leaving are less likely today, given his early morning reshuffle. All that was needed to push him over the edge was for Miliband to resign, but instead he is standing behind Brown.

I can't see how Johnson could accept a job such as home secretary, only to leave that post within weeks and become PM. It would look like Labour had little to no regard for governing.
 
There may also be a creeping realisation that they can't replace him as PM without coming under immense pressure to hold an immediate general election. They need something like 60 backbenchers to vote him out, and I think they'll struggle to get that many to go for that idea.

Mojo said:
Alan Sugar gets government job as Gordon Brown reshuffles top team

Can we have a "facepalm" smiley please?
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What is this obsession with calling people Tzars? Don't they remember how unsuccessful the last real one was?
 
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Good heavens, Geoff Hoon's quit now. That's three ministers in the space of a day.

Edit: And Tony McNulty and Margaret Beckett too. Five, then. So far.

Edit: Six, since Caroline Flint's resigned.
 
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richardm said:
There may also be a creeping realisation that they can't replace him as PM without coming under immense pressure to hold an immediate general election.
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No matter how much pressure is applied, a dissolution can only be forced if no party leader can command a majority in Parliament. Labour members do not want a general election and commmand a majority. Ergo there'll be no general election whether Brown goes or stays.

They need something like 60 backbenchers to vote him out, and I think they'll struggle to get that many to go for that idea.
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It requires 70 Labour MP's to sign up for a specific alternative leader for a leadership contest to be triggered. Which is (and is meant to be) a lot to ask. It's not impossible, though. The alternative leader doesn't have to be credible, since once a contest is called any Labour MP can step into the ring.
 
Darat said:
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Anyone for a sweep-stake on the percentage of Labour's overall vote? (The prize will be a week of housecleaning from Brown's brother's cleaner, a day of gardening from Cameron's gardener and Salmond will do your week's grocery shop.)

I'm going to go for 16%.
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15%!

And I am utterly disgusted that the BNP has gained two MEPs - sad day for the UK.
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8088133.stm

Actually, when the Scottish seats are formally announced, Labour will have the same total number as the UKIP.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8088358.stm

It's still a crushing embarassment to Labour, of course, but on the plus side it gives me the opportunity to complain about the BBC again.

I'm also bitterly disappointed that the nutters in the BNP managed to pick up 6.5% of the vote. I've my fingers crossed that it'll be a lower vote this side of the Border.

So how long do we all give Brown?
 
Darat said:
15%!

And I am utterly disgusted that the BNP has gained two MEPs - sad day for the UK.
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Never did I think I would see a day when Nick Griffin would be elected, I am appalled. I can understand why people are punishing the mainstream parties, but there were so many other fringe parties to vote for.
 
Architect said:
I'm also bitterly disappointed that the nutters in the BNP managed to pick up 6.5% of the vote. I've my fingers crossed that it'll be a lower vote this side of the Border.
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It'll be lower. The SNP will pick up much of the "Who'll protect my job" vote up here.
 
2.5%. 27,174 votes, which is 27,174 votes too many.

I'm not personally best pleased about the 5.2% that UKIP got either, because I'm in favour of membership of the EU. However, a dissenting viewpoint on that is not necessarily illegitimate (although distressingly insular). I'm more concerned that these guys are a bunch of clueless amateurs with no idea beyond a bandwagon they think might run for a bit.

Rolfe.
 
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