Sunday, May 06, 2007

The First Rat Leaves the Sinking Ship

John Reid is to leave the cabinet when Gordon Brown takes over. More later.

22 comments:

Theo Spark said...

What 'bad news' will this story hide?

Anonymous said...

Adam Boulton saying he is continually being briefed by cabinet members saying Brown is awful to work with.

Anonymous said...

Reid to return under a Milliband leadership within 2 years? And no association with the failed Brown years - clever.

Anonymous said...

Just checked the BBC - it's true! What's his game then? No challenge, I'm sure, so what else?

Anonymous said...

I read - Guardian, Telegraph? - that a group resignation of Blairites should be expected, timed to coincide with Blair's departure and to bring about a few uncomfortable by-elections.

Auntie Flo'

Richard Havers said...

Reid comes to bury Brown is about all I can say about this. He'll be back as the next leader after Brown gets toppled, which will be all too quickly given the shambles that is Scotland, the pensions issue and one or two other skeletons in the Broon boy's closet. Working under the pencil case kid has never been his plan.

Richard Havers said...

..and it sure takes the heat off Scotland.

Anonymous said...

Is that what Gordon is doing, weekend of the long knives.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Gordon is really greatful to be given space by "Dr" Reid.

Better to leave the cabinet for some bullshit reason than to sacked from the cabinet at Gordon's first opportunity....or even worse blamed for the shambles of the Home Office and then sacked....

Anonymous said...

Has profile in courage Gordon been sighted yet?

Anonymous said...

John Reid is a shrewd operator. I imnagine ... that he sees a Brown premiership being mired in laftover scandal from the Blair days (cash for honours charges and trial in the autum and spring of 2008), flak over a changing role in Iraq and failure to excise the memory of the past few years and the lost lives; the economic chickens coming home to roost in a big way - high interest rates, slowdown in the economy as stealth taxes bite from April 2008, real costs of PFI being exposed, further pensions meltdown; and exposure of the mis-spending of billions in education, the NHS and other so-called 'frontine' public services.

Added to which Brown is a proven liar and fiscal fraudster, dour as a wet Wednesday in Auchtermuchty, facingall too real West Lothian-type questions over his political legitimacy, and about as voter-friendly as a smack in the face from John Prescott - and you can see that Labour is on the way to electoral meltdown.

I predict that within 12-18 months Labour will begin to question why they got rid of the golden goose (Blair, for all his faults, knows how to win elections, however dishonestly) and how they managed to end up with an elctoral millstone in Brown. they will then begin to look around desperately for someone - anyone - who can win the next election in 2008 or 09.

This ought to put the Tories in a great position. Trouble is, we are saddled with a middle manager ('Dave') rather than a leader.If the Conservative parrty wants to win the next election it shoud start looking for alternative leadership.Now. Today. This afternoon. To enagage with the electorate in the areas that swept Mrs Thatcher into power in 1979 will require vision, passion, commitment, conviction - and all that to be communicated to the electorate in spades. Not waffling about wind turbines and 'social justice commissions' in middle-manager speak.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

Anonymous said...

In the words of a former Home Secretary, is it too early to open a bottle?

Man in a Shed said...

And so positioning himself for a leadership bid - once Labour realise the scale of their error it getting the Kirkcaldy Clunking Fist in as leader.

Anonymous said...

within last half hour - Scottish LibDems rule out any agreement with Labour. But would consider deal with SNP.

This is all getting better and better (or worse and worse from Brown's point of view).

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know where the Great Clunking Coward is?

Anonymous said...

Well said Colin!

Johnny Norfolk said...

He's gone rather than be sacked by Brown. We realy need a General Election before even more damage is done to our country. We were safe with Mrs T. with this lot they will bring us all down. Can the Queen not intervene and call an election when B liar goes.

Anonymous said...

John Reid sets out the reasons for his decision, which, taken at face value, are quite rational. But nobody takes them at face value. We instantly ask, like mitch [1.00 PM] "What's his game?"

An interesting illustration of the low esteem in which politicians, especially Labour politicians, are now held. We assume, as a matter of course, that they are being economical with the truth.

Anonymous said...

Methinks its more likely that he is still in league with Blair.

When Blair gets the newly created job of permanent President of the European Union being put forward by Angela Merkle, there is also a second job being created, that of European Foreign Secretary, with a seat on the UN Security Council.

Dr Reid perhaps?

Old BE said...

Can the Queen not intervene and call an election when B liar goes.

Unfortunately not. We have a lot to learn from Thailand's constitutional arrangements.

wonkotsane said...

The hunt will be on to find another Scot to rule the English.

wonkotsane said...

Can the Queen not intervene and call an election when B liar goes.

Unfortunately not. We have a lot to learn from Thailand's constitutional arrangements.

I beg to differ. The Queen can dissolve parliament, sack the PM and call an election. In return for not using this power, the UK government chooses not to pass a law stopping her from doing it.