It seems increasingly likely that Gordon Brown will have to be deposed by Labour in the coming weeks/months, to have any chance in the next election.  David Miliband, Harriet Harman, James Purnell and Alan Johnson are the names floating round as the most obvious successors.  But who would Conservatives most fear?  And why should we target that potential leader to dim their brand.

Let’s look at each potential leader.  First to be discounted is Harriet Harman.  Labour, in even their wildest moments would not elect such an erratic performer as Harriet.  Becoming increasingly derided over her poor performance and her bizarre interpretations of equality, Harman is more akin to a national laughing stock and would be made mincemeat at the hustings.  Even in recent stories where she promotes equality and female shortlists, then is seeking to prioritise her husband Jack as a candidate, just show her hypocritical nature.  Hence, even if Labour made her Leader, we have nothing to fear from Harman. 

David Miliband, once with his own powerbase, now is seen as a politician who lacked that final killer instinct to be a leader.  Well known in the press for organising a leadership challenge to Brown last year, Miliband has sniped behind the scenes but never had the courage to show his true courage.  Even when his best friend James Purnell had the courage to resign, when Miliband had his best chance, he bottled it, and this is not forgotten amongst labour supporters.  His time came and past.  He is no political heavyweight and even holding a major Office of State, has made little impact.  Where is he on the news discussing Afghanistan?  Brown would even prefer the hapless Bob Ainsworth represent the Government…that says a lot for Miliband’s position.  It is also well known that Hilary Clinton thinks he is a little boy in a man’s job.

For James Purnell, a formidable potential leader, it is too early for him to strike.  He needs to build credibility and at the moment, amongst Labour supporters there is a whiff of traitor about him.  This whiff will go, after a Labour election defeat and he can then play the ‘I told you card’ and again build his brand.  He is the best Labour leader by a mile…but it is too early for him now.  Hence must be discounted as a threat pre the election.

So opinion polls show it.  Labour Unions Confirm it.  Private Conservative Opinion polls detail it.  Alan Johnson is the most likely next Leader, if Gordon goes pre the election.  Alan comes across superbly well in the media.  ‘That nice bloke next door’, ‘Mr trustworthy’, that ‘happy chappie’, Alan has a lot going for him.  His smile and natural demeanour would go a long way for Labour….and hence is a genuine opponent to be feared. 

Hence this begs a question.  Why have Conservatives not sought to give Alan Johnson special attention now?  Diminish his brand.  Dent his nice guy image.  The more groundwork we do on Johnson now, the better when it comes to any leadership battle.  If we leave it too late to highlight Johnson’s weaknesses and show him for what he is worth, we Conservatives will be seen as the ‘nasty party’ attacking him only when he stands for Leadership.  ‘Oh that poor Mr Johnson being attacked by the Tories…poor Alan’!!!!  Johnson is a potential sharp thorn in our electoral hopes, should Brown go.  Why not blunt his effect in advance?  We don’t need to do that for any other leader.  Johnson….yes….he is the most popular Labour figure.

What frustrates is that Johnson is a ‘Teflon’ Politician.  Very few things stick to him.  But there is much in his past we can target and stick to him.  He has held the following Offices of State for Labour….Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, Secretary of State for Trade & Industry, Secretary of State for Education & Skills, Secretary of State for Health, right up to today as Home Secretary.  We have plenty of ammunition to stick at him.

So Chris Grayling, you have a vital job to perform as shadow to the Home Secretary…..To put the pressure on Johnson.  Help lose his ‘teflon’ image.  Make him seem completely incompetent in his role as Home Secretary.  The Home Office is the political graveyard of many careers.  There are many issues to get Johnson hooked up into.  Knife crime, rising violent crime figures, overcrowding in prisons, rising immigration figures, ID Card Scheme, terrorists getting access to the UK via Student Visas, the intrusion of the Government into our everyday lives & the ‘Big Brother’ state.  Let’s keep him on the back foot put him under the spotlight.  His opinion poll rating will soon decline.

Over to you Chris….help the Party and diminish the potential effect of a Johnson on our electoral hopes.  With Johnson damaged, the more likely Labour will stick with Brown…and that would be a dream scenario for us……

It is no secret that every Conservative loves Gordon Brown.  We all want him to lead the Labour Party into the next election.  He is the Conservatives biggest electoral asset.   Hence, our nightmare scenario would be for Brown to be removed…either voluntarily or deposed!  Are we seeing the start of our worst nightmare?

Why a nightmare?  Well, any new Labour Leader will enjoy a honeymoon period.  That time when the media will focus on their every move.  They will ‘whore’ media attention.  Enjoy copious media coverage when they can distance themselves from the past and paint a vision of the future.  That time…when they can start to make an inroad into the Conservatives poll leads.  Honeymoon periods are as natural as when night follows day…what is unpredictable is their scale.  Whether Labour’s new leader is Alan Johnson, Harriet Harman, David Miliband or James Purnell, matters not….anybody but Gordon will lead to Labour gains in the polls…for a short time.  Enough for an election win?…unlikely, enough for a Hung Parliament?…maybe….limiting damage & preventing Labour meltdown?…most definitely.  Hence, why Conservatives hope their Nightmare on Downing Street never happens.

If Labour enjoy a honeymoon period when their poll ratings turn, this will put the spotlight firmly on the Tories.  This spotlight will be an intolerable strain and will lead some Tories to crack.  Dissenting voices will be heard.  Cries of…the Tories should have revealed more policies…been more aggressive….been tougher on Europe, Immigration, Law & Order, public spending…will start to be heard.  Labour will exploit these cracks for all they are worth.

Yes, we are in the silly season, when the media print and make up stories.  BUT The Mail on Sunday is running a fascinating story today that states that Alastair Darling is getting mightily pissed off with Gordon Brown’s inability to make ground on the Conservatives over the public spending.  Take a read here.  http://tiny.cc/ZMGp8  Following Brown’s botched attempt to sack Darling in the last reshuffle, it appears that Darling has grown some balls…and not Ed Balls! 

The Mail reports that according to sources present, the Chancellor has stated: ‘I am trying to talk sense into that man. He just doesn’t get it –going on about “Tory cuts” is not going to make an impact on the electorate.  ‘We have to frame the debate in terms of our cuts being better than their cuts. The voters aren’t stupid – they know how bad the economic situation is.’  The scathing comments were made in a private conversation with a veteran Labour MP and critic of Mr Brown just before the Commons rose for the summer recess.

The Mail also states that there were claims that backers of Home Secretary Alan Johnson were secretly canvassing ‘non-aligned’ Labour MPs not closely linked to any potential successor.   Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe, who ran Mr Johnson’s unsuccessful Labour deputy leadership bid in 2007, was accused of quietly taking names.” 

Whether true or part of silly season…matters not.  It is a well known truth that Labour MP’s are again openly discussing whether Gordon should lead the Party.  Labour MP’s look at their Majorities and work out if they are safe.  They are listening to their constituents as they spend time meeting the people over this long recess.  Their chances for turning their Party’s fortunes are slimming.

Let’s add our own analysis to this.  The big question is how can Gordon Brown and the Labour Party turn round the current colossal opinion poll gap?  What can be done?  Well, the war in Afghanistan will continue to see losses of soldiers and will rise in unpopularity as the year moves on.  Unemployment and the economy is not out of the woods by a long way.  While some commentators say we are through the worst of the recession, what is also true is unemployment will continue to rise and the UK has a cancerous, spiralling burden of debt, which will require either huge tax rises on middle England and / or swathing cuts in public spending.  Both tough messages to sell.  Swine flu looks like coming back with a vengeance over the winter period, so any election strategist will tell you that Labour need a miracle to come their way.  So Brown has absolutely NO TRUMP cards to pay….none at all.

Labour’s biggest chance lies without Brown at the helm.

So let’s look at the coming months.  If TBB was Lord Mandolsen…the Kingmaker…, we would not want to leave the election until the last possible moment in June next year.  I would also advise against April & May next year.  In April next year, payslips being opened will see workers getting furious about their lower take home pay due to tax rises.  Hence, not the best time to hold an election campaign.   Let’s look at this year.  Bad news stories will continue to build over the coming months.  The Labour Party Conference will not be a happy affair.  It will be rife with leadership plots and bitterness at the prospect of a hammering at the next election.  After that we have the Pre-Budget Report which will no doubt reduce into stories about the tension between Numbers 10 and 11. 

So from a timetable point of view, the Labour Leadership election will need 2 months to run.  Then the new leader will need 3 months approx to enjoy the Honeymoon period.

So, if I was Peter Mandolsen I would recognise that I would want an election in March next year.  The economy should have more positive news stories in place by then.  (don’t forget we have to avoid April & May, due to the new taxes hitting payslips).  So, I would want a new Leader in place to enjoy January, February and March. 

I would want the Leadership process done by Christmas.  So I could wheel out the new Prime Minister over all the happy Xmas telly.  The new Leader can appear ‘nice and jolly’ on Xmas GMTV, Noel’s Christmas Presents, Christmas Top of the Pops, X Factor final etc.  So if we say the leadership election needs 2 months, it really has to start in October……hence expect the chattering to increase. 

Gordon will know this…..his Party know this……anyone attending this years Labour Conference…you will be witnessing Gordon Brown’s farewell Conference Speech…enjoy it…..but will it be the speech where he announces he is resigning, hence triggering a Leadership race.  If he were loyal to the Labour Party, he would do this…but we all know that Gordon has only 1 loyalty and that is to himself.  Or will he hold on and be advised in October that he has to go?  Let’s watch with interest but hope that Gordon can survive… for the sake of the Conservative Party!

James Purnell is one of the most gifted politicians in this current Parliament.  Yes, I spend most of my time on this blog attacking Labour and its policies but I have a respect for Purnell.  He is an intelligent guy, with a vision and principles.  He will debate on issues and is rarely drawn into the slogan politics that Brown is so fond of.  Purnell’s resignation, after polls closed after the Local & European elections, was done with honesty and yet dignity.  Not a career politician and certainly not bearing the naked ambition of a Caroline Flint that saw her bend beliefs to put career greed ahead of conviction & principles.

Purnell, has kept his counsel, until now, with an interesting interview in Sunday’s Guardian.  Purnell tells the Guardian that: “Over the last six months I had been thinking, ‘has the elastic stretched beyond the point where I feel I am being true to myself?’”    http://tiny.cc/wGhbE  This is a great indication that Purnell was not at ease with the direction of Labour’s strategy and the way policies were being presented/communicated to the electorate.  Certainly Purnell found the ’10% Tory cuts’ messaging was ‘crude’.

The Guardian interview highlights several interesting insights.  Purnell feels that the government has failed to properly make the positive case for immigration.  This is a growing issue amongst the electorate that the BNP and also UKIP will seek to play on in the next election.  As discussed on this blog, immigration is an issue that as Purnell notes, Labour is not addressing and on the Conservative side, arguably, not being played as a strength.  “The answer is to not end up looking tongue-tied doing some things you don’t actually believe, but working out what the argument is which might be able to win people round to your point of view which is, ‘will we be a more successful country if we open up in terms of free trade, in terms of Labour markets. We’re going to be a more interesting country’.” Purnell also feels that the Labour Government is “allergic” to a debate on the wisdom of faith schools. 

Following the furore of MP’s expenses and the perception of current Politics plunging in the eyes of the electorate, Purnell suggests that Labour should hold a referendum on electoral reform at the next election.  This is an interesting proposition and will be fascinating to see if Cameron picks up this mantle.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Purnell dictates that he did not expect fellow cabinet members to follow his lead and resign.  Purnell always asserted he was not part of a coup attempt….and would certainly not admit that to us now post event.  We know that David Miliband certainly thought about resigning but bottled it.  Purnell and Milliband are great mates.  He calls Miliband “one of the most serious politicians of his generation”.  He has obviously seen something that has passed the rest of us by. 

Purnell is known by many as a staunch Blairite….which was a thorn that Brown hated in his Cabinet.  Fascinatingly, he thinks times have changed and now is not the time for nostalgia back to the Blair days.  He said: “All those Blairite, New Labour labels … for me, it’s a bit like Britpop – I feel nostalgic for it, it was absolutely right for its time but that time was 1994. It’s a very different feeling being 12 years into government from the idealism of the start, but we need to recapture that idealism, not by living in the past or by aping New Labour or just sticking to the old tunes. We need to open up New Labour, reinvent it and then eventually move beyond it.”  Sounds like Purnell will be doing all he can to help this policy debate…certainly not something that Brown will applaud. 

In the meantime Purnell is assuming a role at the thinktank Demos in September.  At Demos Purnell joins figures critical of the prime minister’s style and agenda. Blair’s former speech writer Phil Collins is a Demos trustee. Alan Milburn, the former health secretary and critic, is also a board member.  The thinktank was formed in the mid-90s by former Blair adviser Geoff Mulgan and though it has frequently published pamphlets by non-Labour figures, government sources were taken bu surprise when Demos appointed to its board, on it’s 16th birthday anniversary, politicians from the Conservative and Lib Dem parties including the shadow chancellor, George Osborne, and Treasury spokesman for the Lib Dems, Vince Cable.

Purnell does not see a return to front line politics.  He is revelling being away from those red boxes….as is Jacqui Smith.  Purnell is bound to say that as Brown is hardly likely to offer him a new role pre the election….after that election Brown will be deposed and the influence of Purnell will again rise.  Maybe right to the top as he wont be tainted by the Cabinet Collective Policies that Miliband and Johnson will be tainted with.   Maybe the Leadership Campaign is over before it even starts…if ‘Teflon’ Purnell continues as he is now.

We have not heard the last of this man….expect great things from this thinking politician…he may have turned his back on Brown but not on politics!

Reading today’s interview with Alastair Darling in the Daily Telegraph, (http://tiny.cc/7CBpf), things become even clearer about recent events and it is now clear that Purnell, unintentionally saved the careers of Alastair Darling, David Miliband and ……. even helped Gordon Brown survive and continue as PM!

As we know Brown offered Darling the role of Foreign Secretary or Home Secretary the week before the reshuffle.  He was desperate for Ed Balls to be his Chancellor in the final hours in the bunker pre his expulsion at the next election.  Brown had been touting via the no.10 spin machine that this was going to be a radical reshuffle, a fresh start.  But all best plans…..go to waste!  Brown was at the mercy of events out of his control…..first off, Brown was hammered in the local and European elections, then pummelled to the ground by a series of Ministerial resignations, including that of James Purnell, just as polls had closed, (the day before the reshuffle).  Purnell’s was devastating but as events proved….his timing was off!  Brown was now on the back foot…all talk of a radical reshuffle was off the agenda…this was preservation and damage limitation time for Brown.  Hence the tepid and timid reshuffle….none of us are under any illusion that Brown wanted shot of darling and was prepared to see Miliband moved from the Foreign Office as we learn today.

What the shame of this whole episode is we will never know what Brown would have done in his recent reshuffle had James Purnell not resigned pre the reshuffle.  Purnell saved the jobs of both Darling and Miliband.  Purnell made it impossible to move any heavyweights as had Brown faced any more Cabinet resignations he was a goner!.  Miliband & Darling owe Purnell a lot.  I am sure that privately Purnell regrets his resignation timing.  If he had waited just a day or two, Brown would have displaced Darling and / or Miliband and they would have been prime for resignation.  Then Purnell could have acted to devastating effect and brought Darling and / or Miliband with him, to which Brown would never have survived.  That is clear.

So ultimately Purnell can even be credited for saving the Premiership of Gordon Brown!  How bizarre is that? 

No wonder Gordon Brown is laughing……..

TBB has a great deal of respect for James Purnell.  He took a bold, decisive move last week when he resigned from the Government.  He, unlike many Labour politicians, is in tune with public mood and he did not lack the bottle, the strength of determination to reveal his true feelings.  Purnell is an ambitious man but unlike most politicians this is not at any cost and he is not a politician who will kiss arse to get promotion.  A man whose career is founded on promotion by merit.  (Caroline Flint please note!)

In the reshuffle last week, there is no doubting Purnell would have been given a good job and promotion.  Whilst he is a Blairite and does not get on with the PM, there is no doubting he is an intelligent man and a fresh thinker.  Whilst TBB and Purnell dont agree on policies, I respect a conviction politician and his actions last week founded on principles.

But how frustrating for Purnell to see that his colleagues have effectively nullified his resignation.  He must have expected that his resignation would trigger the big guns to follow suit.  Time and again Miliband threatens but his time must have passed now as his spine his jellied.  Harman flirted with the idea but decided to fall in line and be a Mandelson puppet.  Johnson just cannot be seen as disloyal and is waiting for an ultimate blow and then he can rip off his suit and show his Superman suit and credentials. 

Purnell, as he has a quiet glass of wine in the evening must regret his timing.  Had he waited a day, Brown would have put Balls as Chancellor and maybe moved Miliband.  Darling would have resigned and Brown was prepared for that.  Mandolsen and Brown could paint Darling in a negative light, especially with all the expenses issues the Chancellor has BUT when Purnell resigned he effected the shape and scale of the reshuffle.  Hence Purnell’s actions saved Gordon, as Brown would never have survived a Darling resignation, followed by a Purnell one.  That would have been the trigger for a leadership contest.

So what next for Purnell?  Well the backbenches.  He will find them less appealing and will be a focus for Labour rebels and malcontents.  Maybe, as he reflects he will decide he has nothing to lose and will table a resignation statement in the House and blast Gordon with all guns, but given the PLP love-in last night, that could seen bitter and damage his career irreparably.  Maybe, his principles are so strong he wont care.  We all know as Conservatives that Brown is the best person for us to lead Labour and recent election results show that.  Purnell knows this and his love for Labour and doing ‘the right thing’ may tempt him to challenge himself for the leadership.  Whatever he decides, he has shown himself as a man of principle in a Party melting down.

TBB is back.  Sorry for my absence all.  Unlike a lot of bloggers out there I actually get out and seek to help the Party as best I can.  I have been busy this past week canvassing and absolutely loving meeting and listening to our electorate.  Blogging will continue daily again now.  Thanks for all the great emails of support.

Wow what a week.  Gordon Brown, without any doubt, is the Conservative Party’s biggest electoral asset.  Tories the UK over want him to stay put and carry on as disastrously as he has been doing.  But what is fascinating is watching the Labour Party bottle their best chance of preventing an electoral catastrophe. 

Labour has been stating that the local elections and tomorrow’s European election results are not a ringing endorsement of the Conservative Party.  I think they again misread public mood.  When out canvassing across the SE I know that much of the electorate want to give the three big parties a bloody nose over expenses.  Labour has been all but obliterated from local government.  That must send a chilling realisation through the hearts and minds of Labour MP’s that come a general election their jobs and seats are not safe.  Panic will set in as they meet all their comrades, formerly loyal Labour councillors, now bitter and without office and local status.

The Conservatives had a good night.  But what is very much true is that the Conservatives also faced a protest vote, not to the same extreme as Labour.  Come the general election, many on the doorsteps I met, were protesting now but would be wholeheartedly supporting the Conservatives.  Hence Labour should not underestimate Conservative support across the nation who either stayed at home at the local & Euro elections or voted for one of the fringe parties….can I call them ‘lunatic parties’?

The Conservative Party is well known for its brutality in changing leaders.  This week we have seen the limp wristed and cowardly way senior Labour politicians tip toe round.  So who deserves respect this week and who doesn’t?

Caroline Flint is more than just window dressing, (though she is mighty attractive), but this week we saw her naive naked ambition shine through and she damaged her credibility.  Her pre-recorded eulogy to Gordon brown, was politics at its worse, sickening to hear a grown woman, naively supporting her leader for one reason…a plum Cabinet job the next day.  When Gordon did not give her that job, all the toys were thrown out of the pram.  With a stomp of her stiletto, she penned an acid resignation letter.  If Caroline had not recorded such a sycophantic love-in interview she would have been a heroine of the week.  Instead, she comes across as a desperately ambitious lady who did not get her way and so turned on her leader.  Shame.  I don’t think we have seen the last of Caroline.  Will she give a resignation speech in the Commons this week…..?

James Purnell.  A quiet man of the Cabinet.  A Blair man through and through.  His resignation as polls closed Thursday night was a bolt from the blue and the first person from the Cabinet who had the courage of his convictions to call for Brown to go.  That was a bold move and one that we should all respect.  I do hope that Purnell decides to stage a resignation speech next week as that would seal the mark of a conviction politician.  Purnell would win Politician of the week for me last week.  Let’s also be honest, Purnell’s resignation saved both Miliband and Darling from the sack / demotion.  When Purnell resigned he limited the reshuffle to a few minor moves.  Purnell was the man who put the handcuffs on brown and Brown will hate him forever.  I am sure Tony Blair would have raised a chuckle and smile over his man.  Let’s not forget Blair was at the sharp end of the Brown, Balls, McBride briefing machine for years.  Blair loves Labour but he would certainly shed no tears for Gordon.

David Miliband.  Oh David, what a lack of bottle you have.  Like last year, here was your chance again to stand up and be counted.  But Purnell’s resignation meant that Miliband could say ‘its the Foreign Office or I resign’, hence leaving Brown no option.  Perhaps Miliband’s ambition is reigned in because he wants no part of a massive Labour loss at the general election.  He will bide his time until the time is right.  Many will not forget your weakness David.  Your time has passed.

Perhaps in time Purnell’s resignation will be seen as the moment Gordon Brown was saved.  Had Purnell waited, his effect would have been more devastating.  Perhaps he regrets that.  Without his resignation, Balls would now be Chancellor, as Brown would have  moved Darling, (and Darling would have resigned).  Maybe Brown would have also moved Miliband.  But then, if Brown had lost a Darling or a Miliband or both, Purnell’s resignation then would have been nuclear.  But it did not happen….a miscalculation in hindsight?  Don’t forget Brown had been briefing for weeks that he was planning a radical reshuffle.  The reshuffle yesterday was not what Brown wanted or planned.  It was one to save his bacon.

Alastair Darling.  He is a dark horse.  Again, saved by Purnell.  But he is very conscious that Brown wanted to get rid of him.  Brown lied yesterday.  TBB has a close friend, a journalist, who has been briefed closely by No10 ‘sources’, that Ed Balls was to be the next Chancellor.  All the journalists at the PM’s Press Conference knew this, but brown lied to them.  Disgraceful.  TBB predicted Ed as the next Chancellor some time back.  But Gordon could not move Alastair as Alastair would have resigned and he could not afford a Chancellor going.   Now Alastair, do you really want to remain in a role that you know was not meant for you.  I would not be surprised to see Alastair resign next week.  There is nothing worse that being in a job when you know you are second choice and have been so badly briefed against as Darling has been.  Is Alastair there for the perks and status of Chancellor or does he believe he is the best man for the job with the PM’s support?  That will play with his conscience.

Harriet Harman is the other dark horse.  She keeps saying her time has come.  Now she must be mightily pissed off this weekend.  Mandelson, is all but in name the Deputy PM.  Mandelson has far more say over things than she does. Harriet was elected to the role of Deputy but Peter plays the tune.  She will feel her political grip slipping and will feel bitter.  Hence, do not be surprised to see Harriet Harman resign over the next few days.  And she could have the balls to say that she will stand against the PM and be the person that people crystallise around.  She must be mightily tempted this weekend to steal a march on her opponents.

The moment that someone announces they wish to stand against the PM, credible of course, will be the moment that they all come out of the wood work.  Expect, if Harriet announces her candidacy post her devastating resignation, to then hear Mr Smarmy Alan Johnson, say, ‘in the good of the Party, I will stand to provide the Party with a real choice’.  We can also expect Miliband to throw his hat in but time would have passed by them for him to gain momentum.

Gordon learnt last week the effects of briefing in advance.  It was obvious that Hazel Blears and Jacqui Smith were off in the reshuffle.  No.10 had briefed this in advance for some time.  Why on earth wait to be sacked?  All of us would jump rather than be pushed.  I am sure Brown has learnt that lesson…never leak your reshuffle plans in advance.  Will hazel this week strike a further blow.  Again, she has the right to a resignation statement.  She of all people, has little to lose now.  She is badly stained over expenses, little career options left as her constituents will most likely punish her at the next election, hence why not seal your place in history with a ‘Geoffrey Howe’ resignation speech, laying naked the secrets of life at No.10.

So what next?  The European election results will be catastrophic for Labour.  Conservatives will do well but again voters will have provided a bloody nose as they protest with the minor parties.  Expect UKIP to have a good night.  This will pour the pressure on Gordon even more, ready for Monday.  His lower rank ministerial shuffle will be key for setting the tone of the day for his PLP meeting in the evening.  If junior ministers have some balls and resign, then the PM heads into the PLP meeting drowning and will be pummelled in that meeting.  If another Cabinet Minister, like Harriet Harman or if Miliband or Darling get some spine and resign Monday, then it will be all over for Brown.  No way back.

Brown can survive.  But speak to most Labour supporters, they realise he is an electoral liability.  Imagine him fighting an election campaign, pulling those weird grin faces and speaking in a monotone boring voice at the hustings….dire.  But senior leadership contenders either lack the backbone to challenge or do not want to lead the Party to a massive electoral defeat and potentially be replaced as leader after that.  For us Conservatives, we want Gordon to stay….let’s hope and prey he does, because he is our biggest electoral asset.

This week history can be made…whose names will be then ones remembered in history as the ones to bring down the shortest serving unelected Prime Minister?

Come on Harriet……..’it’s your time’!