Saturday, September 02, 2006
Waking up up to the smell of coffee
The continuing speculation over the leadership of the Labour Party is reaching fever pitch this morning with all of the papers reporting on Tony Blair's reluctance to name a date. The Guardian reports that rebel MPs are warning that this lack of any news has could provoke a challenge to his leadership:
The prime minister's call this week for an end to speculation inflamed his critics, amid signs that mainstream MPs are joining the group of leftwingers and disgruntled ex-ministers commonly written off as the "usual suspects" by the Blair camp.
MPs are sounding out colleagues about options which include an attempt to amass the 72 Labour MPs needed to move towards a leadership contest. Other possibilities include a delegation to Mr Blair or to the chief whip Jacqui Smith, or a letter to a newspaper demanding a detailed timetable for his departure.
Both The Scotsman and the Western Mail say that this uncertainty is causing jitters amongst Labour politicians in the Scotland and Wales who face the prospect of General Elections for their devolved administrations next May. The Scotsman tells us:
The concerns are acute in Scotland and Wales, where Labour will face a stiff test in next year's devolved elections, and many MPs believe that the party can avert an electoral bloodbath only by replacing Mr Blair with Gordon Brown, the Chancellor.
Mr Blair visited Edinburgh yesterday for a meeting with a group of Scottish political journalists. The Prime Minister made it clear that he intends to be in Downing Street to lead Labour to the polls in May.
Asked if he would campaign in May as Prime Minister, Mr Blair replied: "Yes." But he repeated earlier promises that he would not go "on and on and on" like Margaret Thatcher, saying that he would stand down well before the next general election, giving his successor "ample time" to prepare for it.
However, he added: "I do have a job to do and I should get on and do it."
Many Labour insiders expect Jack McConnell, the First Minister, to distance himself from Mr Blair during next year's election campaign for the Scottish Parliament, hoping to prevent the poll becoming a referendum on the Prime Minister.
Whilst the Western Mail says:
There are fears that voters will use May's Assembly elections as an opportunity to give Mr Blair a bloody nose - and deprive the party of control in Cardiff Bay. And several MPs feel the continued row over the leadership is beginning to cause long-term damage to Labour.
"The matter is urgent," said one Welsh MP last night. "I don't think there is a single MP in Wales who wants Tony Blair to stay on."
Unfortunately for them, the fact that so many Labour politicians are in a state of near-meltdown over the prospect of defending their record in Government in eight months time whilst Blair remains in-situ does not seem to have shifted the Prime Minister in his resolve to stay on and go at a time of his own choosing.
The prime minister's call this week for an end to speculation inflamed his critics, amid signs that mainstream MPs are joining the group of leftwingers and disgruntled ex-ministers commonly written off as the "usual suspects" by the Blair camp.
MPs are sounding out colleagues about options which include an attempt to amass the 72 Labour MPs needed to move towards a leadership contest. Other possibilities include a delegation to Mr Blair or to the chief whip Jacqui Smith, or a letter to a newspaper demanding a detailed timetable for his departure.
Both The Scotsman and the Western Mail say that this uncertainty is causing jitters amongst Labour politicians in the Scotland and Wales who face the prospect of General Elections for their devolved administrations next May. The Scotsman tells us:
The concerns are acute in Scotland and Wales, where Labour will face a stiff test in next year's devolved elections, and many MPs believe that the party can avert an electoral bloodbath only by replacing Mr Blair with Gordon Brown, the Chancellor.
Mr Blair visited Edinburgh yesterday for a meeting with a group of Scottish political journalists. The Prime Minister made it clear that he intends to be in Downing Street to lead Labour to the polls in May.
Asked if he would campaign in May as Prime Minister, Mr Blair replied: "Yes." But he repeated earlier promises that he would not go "on and on and on" like Margaret Thatcher, saying that he would stand down well before the next general election, giving his successor "ample time" to prepare for it.
However, he added: "I do have a job to do and I should get on and do it."
Many Labour insiders expect Jack McConnell, the First Minister, to distance himself from Mr Blair during next year's election campaign for the Scottish Parliament, hoping to prevent the poll becoming a referendum on the Prime Minister.
Whilst the Western Mail says:
There are fears that voters will use May's Assembly elections as an opportunity to give Mr Blair a bloody nose - and deprive the party of control in Cardiff Bay. And several MPs feel the continued row over the leadership is beginning to cause long-term damage to Labour.
"The matter is urgent," said one Welsh MP last night. "I don't think there is a single MP in Wales who wants Tony Blair to stay on."
Unfortunately for them, the fact that so many Labour politicians are in a state of near-meltdown over the prospect of defending their record in Government in eight months time whilst Blair remains in-situ does not seem to have shifted the Prime Minister in his resolve to stay on and go at a time of his own choosing.
