The tragedy for Mr Brown and his party is that his chance to change it has gone. Although he still purports to be a radical, he has adopted the caution of an establishment man. He cannot lead a revolution against his own way of doing government, and yet a revolution is necessary. Grandstanding on his claims to good intentions, the prime minister demands the right to carry on, even as the cabinet implodes around him. The home secretary, the chancellor, and perhaps even the foreign secretary may go, and Labour faces its worst defeat in its history on Thursday, but the prime minister does not recognise his direct responsibility for the mayhem.
The truth is that there is no vision from him, no plan, no argument for the future and no support. The public see it. His party sees it. The cabinet must see it too, although they are not yet bold enough to say so. The prime minister demands loyalty, but that has become too much to ask of a party, and a country, that was never given the chance to vote for him. Had there been a contest for the leadership in 2007 – and had Mr Brown called a general election – he would probably have won. He decided not to do these things. And he has largely failed since….
The blunt reality is that, even if he set out a grand programme of reform now, his association with it would doom its prospects….it is too late. The chance for him has passed….
The sad thing is that PM Brown deserves to lose, but there really isn’t anyone that I can see that deserves to win.
Re #1
Jeffersonian,
[blockquote] but there really isn’t anyone that I can see that deserves to win. [/blockquote]
I have someone in mind. But they kicked her upstairs and it’s been more than a century since a Prime Minister has sat in the House of Lords.
Maggie??
🙂
If I were ever to support an amendment to the Constitution allowing non-native-born Americans to be President, it would be for her.
I loved the part about Britain being at its best when Labour was strongest what planet are they living on:
1) Clement Atlee (1945-51) – they were still rationing food until after Churchill got re-elected (I think the Germans stoped rationing sooner). Instead of capitalist investment in producing factories to turn out consumer goods to war devastated Europe – they nationalized British industry and caused capital (and people) to flee.
2) Callaghan (1970s) does anyone remember that Britain was the sick man of Europe during his tenure massive strkes plant closings.
Labour destroyed most of what was Great in Great Britain.