Thursday, May 17, 2007

Is the Brown Coronation a good thing?

Well, it all depends on how you look at it.

Is it good for Gordon Brown and the Labour party?

No.

Here is why:

Gordon Brown got to this stage by making sure there were no serious contenders. A combination of Gordon and his team, and to be fair potential opponents themselves have sought to hobble all opponents so they could not run. This inevitably has been a bruising process. Gordon Brown has given more reasons for people inside Labour to hate him, albeit the same people.

Gordon Brown and his team have clearly gone out of their way to close off an election. They have done anything and every thing they could to hoover up every single nomination they could. Some have been through gritted teeth and I have no doubt some will have been beaten out of MP's (metaphorically speaking).

The activists have no choice. It is true that the same was true when Michael Howard became leader of the Conservative party. However the situations are different. The Conservative party felt like it was heading to oblivion. It needed strong and brutal leadership to keep it afloat. It was not in power, nor in fact was it likely to get there. It needed a tough leader to do a no nonsense job, take control, fix a few things and stabilise the situation. It was accepted with mild grumbles. Labour is in an entirely different position. It is in power. Whilst its popularity has dropped it still has power. Power granted to it by the exceedingly hard work of its activists. It is not facing possible oblivion. The odds are that no matter who faced Gordon Brown, he would have won. However the activists would like to have been asked.

The brutality behind the scenes is not going to do Gordon Brown or Labour any favours either. As soon as there is trouble, whether it be in the polls, or some crisis, their will be off the record briefings against Brown. Loyalty won by fear is no loyalty at all, especially in the world of anonymous briefings.

There is trouble ahead for Labour.

If any one thinks that the Conservative party machine has been picking on Gordon and leaving Tony alone, well, you ain't seen nothing yet. Now the war begins.

5 comments:

The Deplorable Old Bulldog said...

My opinion isn't all that well informed but Gordon Brown strikes me as having absolutely no charisma what so ever. I just don't see him as a successful party leader.

By the way, I don't know how closely you follow our political scene but if you know of Michael Moore you have to check out the video to lin to from The Real Sporer tonight. It is hilarious to any conservative in any country on earth. My Canadian playmates also think it's hilarious.

Anonymous said...

Even Mcavity needs his backup ,and these people need to be part of the process of electing somebody to be in charge, he has just taken over without bye or leave so these people won't be too impressed,time will tell.

Anonymous said...

I think Gordo's got a few problems coming his way. Not everything seems to be blissful a Cons HQ over Grammar shools, though while I look forward to the Blairites fighting the Brownites, things need to be sorted out in our own back yard.

M said...

Gordy's coronation only highlights how Blair's presidential leadership style has left Labour with a dearth of leadership talent. These yes men served Blair's agenda, but how will they do with the golden one gone and Gordy left to pick up the pieces as the blowback from profligate spending and pandering to the feckless and indolent at the expense of the responsible starts to hit.

Benedict White said...

the Real Sporer, no, he isn't that charismatic ;)

Many thanks for the inof on Michael Moore.

Anonymous, Yes many in Labour are not impressed.

Maggie Thatcher Fan, Yes there will be some rocking of the Labour boat but we need to make sure that we are not tipping ours over!

MJW, you have to remember that some of those are Brown's policies as well. That said, when there is an unfavoourable wind then there will be internal trouble for Labour.