Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Open warfare breaks out in the Labour Party
I think everybody thought it was a bit peculiar when the Treasurer of the Labour Party went on television and openly attacked his own leader and Prime Minister over the way that he was raising money for the party. After all, the days of washing their laundry in public were meant to have disappeared with the discipline imposed by Mandelson, Campbell and Blair when they knocked Labour into shape so as to make it fit for power.
However, the strains of the sucession battle are now beginning to show and party discipline is breaking down as the various factions manoeuvre for advantage. Thus this bizarre outburst from Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, on the eve of the budget:
Charles Clarke says he has "serious questions about Jack Dromey's capacity" as Labour treasurer after the row over the £14m of secret loans to the party.
He says the fact Mr Dromey did not know about the loans meant "you have to wonder how well he was doing his work".
Let us hope that Mr. Dromey retaliates with comments about Mr. Clarke's mishandling of I.D. cards, anti-terrorism legislation and student top-up fees. It is not as if there is any shortage of stones to throw in the Westminster green house. As a spectator sport it has the potential to outrank George Galloway on Big Brother.
Update: And so it goes on. The BBC are reporting that the Chair of the Labour National Executive has accused the Home Secretary of speaking out of turn. Does anybody else wish to join in?
However, the strains of the sucession battle are now beginning to show and party discipline is breaking down as the various factions manoeuvre for advantage. Thus this bizarre outburst from Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, on the eve of the budget:
Charles Clarke says he has "serious questions about Jack Dromey's capacity" as Labour treasurer after the row over the £14m of secret loans to the party.
He says the fact Mr Dromey did not know about the loans meant "you have to wonder how well he was doing his work".
Let us hope that Mr. Dromey retaliates with comments about Mr. Clarke's mishandling of I.D. cards, anti-terrorism legislation and student top-up fees. It is not as if there is any shortage of stones to throw in the Westminster green house. As a spectator sport it has the potential to outrank George Galloway on Big Brother.
Update: And so it goes on. The BBC are reporting that the Chair of the Labour National Executive has accused the Home Secretary of speaking out of turn. Does anybody else wish to join in?
