The tories may think Gordon Brown is a dope but he's no idiot.
The labour party's latest attempt to change leaders will come to nothing. It's far too late in Brown's leadership and especially with a general election within less than four months.
To be fair here's an article in praise of Gordon Brown by Walter Humes. I can't agree with the author on many counts but it does show Brown has support from many sources.
I'm becoming weary of hearing Gordon Brown is from an 'average' Scottish family. That is just not true. He was born into privilege. Any child 'of the manse' was treated differently from the local farm labourer's child, although I'm sure teachers weren't aware of their prejudice.
Gordon Brown also had parents who could afford to sent him to university. I'm convinced there were many thousands of children in Scotland in those days who would have loved to attend university, yet their families couldn't afford it. I know, I was part of the education system in those days.
For Mr Brown to be using the 'class' card against the tories is a really bad move. He's part of the class system. Yes it's true he wasn't in the Bullington Club, but if he had attended an English university he may have belonged to the communist party of Great Britain for example like many of his contemporaries?
There's no one in the labour party who has the strength of character, personality or enough interest in the good of this country - hence my opinion that Gordon Brown will not be replaced. That isn't to say that there are not more capable labour MPs around, perhaps there are, but today's labour party conveys a complete lack of interest in the care of the people of this country. Labour's ambition is power. Nothing more nothing less.
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Outed, SR? Do you mean ousted? I thought he'd been outed a while ago.
Might well be both, Jim.
No, too many chickens and turkeys
I'm no fan of GB, as a good Nationalist. I first came across him as an 18 year old!
However, it would seem to me that within the Labour cabinet only Straw has the standing to replace him should he 'fall ill'.
Personally, I find a lot of the bile directed at Brown in the English press very off colour and frankly pretty racist. Whatever Brown is he is very hard working and intelligent. He is not a money grubbing flannel merchant like Blair (or even the boy Cameron).
Interesting to see that Murphy and wee Douglas Alexander were touted as cabinet rebels.
Oooops Jim, just noticed that lol. Amended. Thank you.
It was a typo OR. :)
Aye it is interesting Murphy and Alexander were mentioned Strathturret. Mandy and Hoon have just been on Newsnight.
Too much of a rush typing really Dram, don't know about chickens and turkeys.
"Labour's ambition is power. Nothing more nothing less."
Much the same as the Conservatives & Liberal Democr no I cannot finish that for laughing. They are possibly even more statist and dirigiste even than Labour, were that possible.
There is little difference to discern between the three BBC approved UK-wide parties so I shall continue to support one that has definite aims, amongst which (nor is it the sole one) is withdrawal from the EU.
Strathturret - Would you say they were self-serving traitors rather than "rebels"? They know Mr Brown's number is up and so to distance themselves and hold out for a list position at Holyrood (even a replacement for Mr Gray?)they are plotting their own potential futures. I wouldn't trust either of them as I have a viseral aversion to those who at one minute are at your feet and the very next - at your throat.
Tcheuchter, I see the funny side. There is a serious side to it though. Back in the days when my father was young, labour was thought to be the 'party of the people'. Now, as you say, there's so little difference between labour and the tories it's unnoticeable really.
I don't think he'll be ousted either.
I'm more of the opinion that this is one of Mandelson's specials, attempting to unite MPs around GB and once he's past this episode, be able to promote him as a revitalised leader with a clear mandate.
Except it nothing of the sort, given us the voters haven't had a say. But when has that stopped the mendacious bunch in Westminster?
But it's just the sort of smoke and mirrors theatrical that we've come to expect of our politicians, especially Labour ones.
Clarinda, what on earth was Patricia Hewitt doing becoming involved in today's fiasco? I thought she was all fixed up with a nice wee earner in the health industry and of course her MP pension.
Rosie, nice post and no swearing, well done. I agree with you that it is a non-story and everyone in the MSM will be doing it to death and it will come to nothing.
Ah Del, thinking out of the box as usual. Excellent opinion though and, after seeing Mandy on Newsnight earlier, I think you could be on exactly the right road - no wheel spins either because you do know how to travel in icy weather. :)
DL what a charming compliment. I'm touched.
Well it was a bit of a distraction from the weather I suppose wasn't it.
Now I'm hearing this is the worst winter since 1963 in Scotland. I remember that one as I lived in the borders at the time. The buses to Edinburgh were never cancelled. Farmers had tractors out with ploughs stuck on the front and there seemed endless convoys of lorries up and down main roads with men standing up on the back shovelling salt and grit onto your windscreen for devilment.
People cleared the pavement in front of their own homes and helped those who were unable to do it.
Those were the days.
She's standing down anyway and there was never any love to be lost between her and Gordon it is reliably reported.
Some reports suggest this half-baked coup was stymied by His Excellence the Prince of Darkness himself who wants old Labour (which he insists is what Brown is really all about) to be finally laid to rest at the almost certain defeat at the next election where Mr Brown can be blamed for everything. This would apparently allow a new sleek Skinny Latte Labour to emerge with all ties to the old party and champagne socialism severed. What would Mick McGachie say?
I find her patronising tone very irritating Clarinda. Have I already said that?
Yes quite a few bloggers are of that opinion tonight.
Love the Skinny Latte - SLL sounds ok doesn't it?
Poor Mick, just as well he's deid.
Thanks for answering my question on Cousin Gordie.
Now if you could just satisfy my curiosity on another point I raised:
How can the future of NATO be salvaged by going on a expeditionary war in Afghanistan?
There's an old Scots saying (afraid I can't remember the exact wording in Scots) which says 'the children of the manse are always the most graceless'. Looking at Brown and the Alexanders, one can see how such a saying might have come about.
Hoon is a particularly contemptible character (he said that Iraq mothers who'd lost their children in the illegal UK attack would be grateful later), so whatever he's up to it's linked to his own self-interest, as he understands no other motivation. There might be something in what Delphius says, and it's just a PR ploy to consolidate his position as leader before the election. Certainly there's no chance of a leadership change at this late date.
The trouble with the 'toff' labelling of the tories is that it can influence voters. It doesn't matter that it's also true of Labour. As Goebbels said "It is not propaganda’s task to be intelligent, its task is to lead to success."
Remember that for years Labour successfully characterised a political party well to its left as 'Tartan Tories'.
Vigil, I hope to get round to doing a post about that in the next week or so.
I don't remember hearing a saying referring to manse children Vronsky.
Yesterday was a gift to David Cameron though because it clearly stated there was division within the labour party.
Oh indeed, tory voters here are still thought of as 'posh'. It's assumed if you live in a certain area and your own house that you must vote tory. Mud sticks and can last for generations.
The interesting point of the whole 'coup' enterprise was the disclosures that accompanied it from various political commentators.
Namely, they all registered they'd been the recipients of off the record grumbles from within the hierarchy of Labour as to their dismal chances of re-election under the leadership of Brown, yet none have the guts to put their country and principles before their wage packet?
Meanwhile Incapability Brown repeats his mantra - 'Of, Getting on with the job'- of bringing the country to its knees?
AS the actor said to the whore when she commented on his tackle - 'Cut thy cackle wench. We come to bury Caesar; not to praise him.'
Perhaps its time we buried our present Caesar while becoming far more selective and demanding of the ones who stand to succeed him.
Aye Crinkly, I wrote that post before anyone had uttered much but, in drips and drabs, they trickled out to add their carefully worded messages of support to their great leader.
I do hope tory voters would start questioning Dave more although all credit to Oldrightie, he's been doing that for some time now and I know he's a dyed in the wool tory.
Aha - found it:
Manse bairns are least menskfu
mensk (Concise Scots Dictionary) : honour, credit, reverence
Thanks for going to the trouble to find that Vronsky. I shall put it in my file titled 'Scots words and sayings'. Have never heard it before.
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