Gordon Brown slated as next Brit PM

[Saddle Bronc 124]

BBC Link

Brown to be PM 'in weeks' - Blair

Tony Blair has said he expects "in all probability" that Chancellor Gordon Brown will succeed him as prime minister "in the next few weeks".

Mr Blair says he will announce his resignation next week, after which he will stay as PM for about seven weeks until Labour chooses his successor.

He has so far refused to formally endorse Mr Brown as the next PM.

He made his prediction while campaigning in Scotland on the 10th anniversary of being elected to power.

Mr Brown, who helped create New Labour with Mr Blair, is not now expected to face a high level challenge for the leadership.

Mr Blair has said he will leave No 10 by September, but there has been speculation about the precise timing of his departure.

Speculation dampened

There had been predictions he would use his 10th anniversary to announce he was stepping down.

But he moved, earlier on Tuesday, to dampen that speculation, telling GMTV: "I'll make my position clear next week, I'll say something definitive then."

We were perhaps too ready to place emphasis on our management of the media in those early years of government

Peter Mandelson

But later on Tuesday morning he used an election rally instead to suggest Mr Brown would be his successor within a matter of weeks.

He told party workers: "In all probability a Scot will become prime minister of the United Kingdom, someone who has built our economy into one of the strongest in the world, and who, as I have said many times before, would make a great prime minister for Britain."

Stormy relationship

Mr Blair would not be drawn on which day next week, which includes a Bank Holiday Monday, his official resignation statement would be made.

Speculation has focused on Wednesday or Thursday, after the planned resumption of power sharing in Northern Ireland - seen as one of the biggest achievements of Mr Blair's time in office.

According to press reports, Mr Blair will use his retirement announcement to formally endorse Mr Brown's leadership bid - in a final act of reconciliation with the chancellor, with whom he has enjoyed a stormy relationship.

Mr Brown has, meanwhile, heaped praise on Mr Blair in an article to mark his 10 years in power.

Tony Blair will be remembered as a successful party leader but not as a good prime minister

David Cameron, Conservative leader

Writing in The Sun newspaper, Mr Brown said he was "honoured" to call Mr Blair his "oldest friend in politics", while admitting there had been "ups and downs" along the way.

He praises Mr Blair for standing shoulder to shoulder with America after the 11 September attacks, for bringing the 2012 Olympics to London, his role in the Northern Ireland peace process and his handling of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

And - in a further sign of an impending Brown coronation - EU Trade Commissioner and key Blair ally Peter Mandelson predicted the chancellor would succeed Mr Blair in Number 10.

"In all probability, Gordon Brown will follow Tony Blair. He will now have been able to fulfil his ambition and his desire to lead the party and be prime minister," he said.

Media management

Mr Mandelson, who was one of the key architects of New Labour, also admitted the party focused too much on media management during its first years in office.

The former Northern Ireland secretary said it was not until late in the first term that Mr Blair concentrated more on policies.

This can hardly be what Tony Blair dreamt of saying on this historic day

BBC political editor Nick Robinson

"We were perhaps too ready to place emphasis on our management of the media in those early years of government, rather than concentrate on a more policy driven process," said Mr Mandelson.

He added: "I acknowledge it, but I think it was put right after the first few years. "

The prospect of a Cabinet-level challenge to Mr Brown has all but disappeared but he could still face a contest with either John McDonnell or Michael Meacher from the left of the party.

'Disappointment'

In a speech earlier, Mr Blair said 10 years of Labour government have left the UK stronger, fairer and better.

But Conservative Leader David Cameron, giving his reaction to Mr Blair's 10th anniversary, said: "Tony Blair's time as prime minister started with great hope but has ended with disappointment.

"Tony Blair will be remembered as a successful party leader but not as a good prime minister."

Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: "I would give him four out of 10 for the performance of this government, considering all the hope there was. In the last five years they have been a disappointment."

He added: "Whatever else were Mr Blair achievements... Iraq will follow him into retirement."

On the prospect of a Brown premiership, Sir Menzies said: "People are waiting with some apprehension to see whether he will be a genuinely reforming prime minister, or whether what he does will be subject to the same media manipulation as the Blair government."

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Brown's a bit of an authoritarian by all accounts.

[homesick_american 1]

Glad we're leaving. If Blair's bad, Brown's worse.

[Mags 112]

This is hardly "news".

[homesick_american 1]

This is hardly "news".

Not to Brits, no; but you'd be surprised how many of my fellow Yanks have no idea that Tony Blair's time as PM is about to end. I think it's because we're used to very regular and regimented elections that occur every four years without fail, whereas the UK system, being a parliamentary system, is very different and a bit more fluid as to when elections actually occur.

Actually, you probably WOULDN'T be surprised how many of my fellow Yanks have no idea, since you now live amongst us. They're probably like, "But wait...when's the next election? How long does the PM stay in office for? What do you mean, he can just BECOME prime minister? Ehhh?!?!?!?!?!!"

Edited May 2, 2007 by homesick_american

[Saddle Bronc 124]

This is hardly "news".

Not to Brits, no; but you'd be surprised how many of my fellow Yanks have no idea that Tony Blair's time as PM is about to end. I think it's because we're used to very regular and regimented elections that occur every four years without fail, whereas the UK system, being a parliamentary system, is very different and a bit more fluid as to when elections actually occur.

Actually, you probably WOULDN'T be surprised how many of my fellow Yanks have no idea, since you now live amongst us. They're probably like, "But wait...when's the next election? How long does the PM stay in office for? What do you mean, he can just BECOME prime minister? Ehhh?!?!?!?!?!!"

And to add insult to injury, this is with a copy of the British election model next door in Canada.

One question I have is if Blair has figured his party is about to get clobbered royally in the next election, and so choosing a useless leader to take the fall (I'm not aware of this approach in Brit parliamentary history, but am only all-too-aware of two in Canuck version--1984 and 1993).

[homesick_american 1]

One question I have is if Blair has figured his party is about to get clobbered royally in the next election, and so choosing a useless leader to take the fall (I'm not aware of this approach in Brit parliamentary history, but am only all-too-aware of two in Canuck version--1984 and 1993).

Local elections are tomorrow and Labour is expected to do pretty badly. Their majority was cut in the last general election in 2005 but it was still big enough for them to be in charge.

I have no idea really why Brown is the heir apparent. Some say it's because he cut a deal with Blair, some say it's because Blair wants to leave a flaming bag of dog doo on the porch for the country...really, who knows. I don't. The next general election doesn't have to be held until 2010 so there's plenty of time for Brown to surprise the British public. Plus, there's really nobody in the Labour Party who seems to want to challenge him for the party leadership. Plus, as much as the UK population seems to dislike Blair and Brown, they seem less inclined to trust the Conservatives or the Lib Dems to run things.

So, long story short...I have no idea!

[Saddle Bronc 124]

One question I have is if Blair has figured his party is about to get clobbered royally in the next election, and so choosing a useless leader to take the fall (I'm not aware of this approach in Brit parliamentary history, but am only all-too-aware of two in Canuck version--1984 and 1993).

Local elections are tomorrow and Labour is expected to do pretty badly. Their majority was cut in the last general election in 2005 but it was still big enough for them to be in charge.

I have no idea really why Brown is the heir apparent. Some say it's because he cut a deal with Blair, some say it's because Blair wants to leave a flaming bag of dog doo on the porch for the country...really, who knows. I don't. The next general election doesn't have to be held until 2010 so there's plenty of time for Brown to surprise the British public. Plus, there's really nobody in the Labour Party who seems to want to challenge him for the party leadership. Plus, as much as the UK population seems to dislike Blair and Brown, they seem less inclined to trust the Conservatives or the Lib Dems to run things.

So, long story short...I have no idea!

For the two (Canadian) cases of the strategy, the election was scheduled less than 100 days after it was implemented (and ironically, Canada has actually given HONOURS to both despicables who implemented it: Mulroney with "Order of Canada" in 1998, Trudeau by having an airport named after him).

[Mags 112]

Additionally, Brown and Blair DETEST each other. Perhaps that makes it easier to understand why he is leaving him in charge. All I know is at least I don't have to listen to Tony "Impassioned Face, Thoughtful Voice" Blair anymore.

We do have the Bush here unfortunately but, unless he is on American Idol, I steer clear of anything with him in it.

[Mags 112]

Incidentally, my Dad just sent me this:

A young man named Gordon bought a donkey from an old farmer for £100.00. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day, but when the farmer drove up he said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news... the donkey is on my truck, but unfortunately he's dead."

Gordon replied, "Well then, just give me my money back."

The farmer said, "I can't do that, because I've spent it already."

Gordon said, "OK then, well just unload the donkey anyway."

The farmer asked, "What are you going to do with him?"

Gordon answered, "I'm going to raffle him off."

To which the farmer exclaimed, "Surely you can't raffle off a dead donkey!"

But Gordon, with a wicked smile on his face said, "Of course I can, you watch me. I just won't bother to tell anybody that he's dead."

A month later the farmer met up with Gordon and asked, "What happened with that dead donkey?"

Gordon said, "I raffled him off, sold 500 tickets at two pounds a piece, and made a huge, fat profit!!"

Totally amazed, the farmer asked, "Didn't anyone complain that you had stolen their money because you lied about the donkey being dead?"

To which Gordon replied, "The only guy who found out about the donkey being dead was the raffle winner when he came to claim his prize. So I gave him his £2 raffle ticket money back plus an extra £200, which is double the going rate for a donkey, so he thought I was a great guy!!"

Gordon grew up and eventually became the Chancellor of the Exchequer and no matter how many times he lied, or how much money he stole from the voters, as long as he gave them back some of the stolen money, most of them still thought he was a great guy.

The moral of this story is that, if you think Gordon is about to play fair, just remember how good he is at flogging dead donkeys.

(Apologies to Almaty for the use of The Faithful Burro! )

Edited May 2, 2007 by mags

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Brown was always Old Labour. We've not had an Old Labour PM since the 1970s.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Brown was always Old Labour. We've not had an Old Labour PM since the 1970s.

Is "Old Labour" akin to "Mackenzie King Liberals"?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Brown was always Old Labour. We've not had an Old Labour PM since the 1970s.

Is "Old Labour" akin to "Mackenzie King Liberals"?

Old Labour was basically the socialist party, before Blair rebranded it as a center-right entity.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Brown was always Old Labour. We've not had an Old Labour PM since the 1970s.

Old Labour was basically the socialist party, before Blair rebranded it as a center-right entity.

I guess he used Mussolini-esque Thatcher for his definition of "centre" and decided "just a little left of that".

[almaty 19]

Incidentally, my Dad just sent me this:

A young man named Gordon bought a donkey from an old farmer for £100.00. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day, but when the farmer drove up he said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news... the donkey is on my truck, but unfortunately he's dead."

Gordon replied, "Well then, just give me my money back."

The farmer said, "I can't do that, because I've spent it already."

Gordon said, "OK then, well just unload the donkey anyway."

The farmer asked, "What are you going to do with him?"

Gordon answered, "I'm going to raffle him off."

To which the farmer exclaimed, "Surely you can't raffle off a dead donkey!"

But Gordon, with a wicked smile on his face said, "Of course I can, you watch me. I just won't bother to tell anybody that he's dead."

A month later the farmer met up with Gordon and asked, "What happened with that dead donkey?"

Gordon said, "I raffled him off, sold 500 tickets at two pounds a piece, and made a huge, fat profit!!"

Totally amazed, the farmer asked, "Didn't anyone complain that you had stolen their money because you lied about the donkey being dead?"

To which Gordon replied, "The only guy who found out about the donkey being dead was the raffle winner when he came to claim his prize. So I gave him his £2 raffle ticket money back plus an extra £200, which is double the going rate for a donkey, so he thought I was a great guy!!"

Gordon grew up and eventually became the Chancellor of the Exchequer and no matter how many times he lied, or how much money he stole from the voters, as long as he gave them back some of the stolen money, most of them still thought he was a great guy.

The moral of this story is that, if you think Gordon is about to play fair, just remember how good he is at flogging dead donkeys.

(Apologies to Almaty for the use of The Faithful Burro! )

you are always forgiven sister