Thursday
28Sep2006
Prezzer backs Brown
Thursday, September 28, 2006 at 1:03PM 
John Prescott, the embattled Deputy PM and prominent croquet player, has announced that he will support the candidacy of Gordon Brown in any future leadership election. This is something of a coup for Brown, as Prescott, regardless of his numerous fruity indiscretions, is still something of a heavyweight among the Labour grassroots.
Brown is emerging, from what threatened to be David Davis-like conference for the chancellor, relatively unscathed. In the two major speeches, those of Blair and Third-Way darling Bill Clinton, Brown was showered with praise, if not backed outright. Indeed, many believe the Blairites are losing momentum in their desire to see Brown denied the premiership.
Gordon Brown will, in my opinion, be elected leader of the Labour Party. However, such is the level of bitterness towards Brown, from Blairites who believe he has undermined the PM’s tenure, there is no doubt that Brown’s leadership will be blighted by plotting, whispers, and treasonous moves to usurp him. And he will probably deserve this fate, as he himself, with his inability to reconcile himself with not being in the Top Job, has created this atmosphere of division and deep resentment. He has brooded too long, and quite frankly, is responsible for many of the disunities in the party he will inherit.
Reader Comments (4)
I still hope Brown will not be appointed leader, somebody else will emerge. The Blair team is done, and I don't think grassroots will vote for any of them.
Jose,
I don't know, there is inevitability in a Brown successor, but I don't agree with many Labour Members who say it would be justice. The members elect the leaders; they’re not decided by tête-à -têtes in London restaurants. Also, Brown’s skulduggery means he’s not entitled to ‘justice.’
If Labour wants to win the next election their only hope is Brown. There's still a very slight hope that he just might be his own man when he gets out of the poodle's shadow.
Perhaps you have a point there, Michael, there isn't much time left and he could be a solution, but as I see things that solution might well go through a coalition. And I don't think Brown's politics will be far different from Blair's. They have done too much together for a drastic change to happen now.