Off with his head!

[Hazell B]

I've already heard mutterings that Gordon Brown should quit as PM, and today it looked as if the other parties were trying to encourage talk like that in the Commons.

Can't see why he should (or even could) resign myself, so I expect him to stay until the Tories get back in ;) Although not a fan, I can't see that he's to blame personally for a great deal of what's gone wrong of late.

Anyone think he'll go?
Anyone willing to say the media won't start suggesting he does ..... ?

[libra65]

Didn't he just go in??? I bet he won't be going anywhere too soon. We in the US have been muttering for 8 years that George W. should quit and look who still lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave!!!!!!!! At least the Constitution bars him from seeking another term.

[inimitablestoo]

I did wonder if he'd go for a bit of history repeating: it's 17 years to the day since Mrs T resigned (I only know that because it's my birthday, I'm not sad enough to remember exact dates otherwise!)

Does anyone know whether any British Prime Minister has ever failed to win a General Election? I'd be interested to see if Gordon manages that particular trick.

And finally, let's see if Doctor Who was right... Don't you think he looks tired? ;)

[Drew]

Does anyone know whether any British Prime Minister has ever failed to win a General Election?


John Major?

:confused:

[Rollo]

At the resignation of Tony Blair only John McDonnell, Gordon Brown and Michael Meacher mounted any serious challenges for the leadership. If Brown gets ousted, then potentially the Labour Party will be left in government without a viable First Minister to the Crown which itself is rather precarious.

The main dilemma is that it's actually only a de facto position, so in theory it is possible for government to run perfectly soundly without a Prime Minister.

[inimitablestoo]

John Major?

:confused:

He got in after Thatcher resigned, but he did win the 1992 Election, so at least he was there on merit for his final term.

The most worrying aspect about Brown possibly going is that we could be left with a Primer Minister Balls :s

[DonnieDarco]

One thing's for sure - Tony Blair will be quietly laughing his socks off at Brown's misfortunes! Gordon was apparently sticking the knife in for years to get power, now he has it and now he realises it's not exactly a picnic :D

[BTCC Fan#1]

Quote of the week, and possibly the political year has to go to Vince Cable, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats with: 'The House has noticed the Prime Ministers remarkable transformation from Stalin to Mr Bean, bringing chaos from order rather than order from chaos..' Ouch!

[Rudy Tamasz]

From outside the UK Gordon Brown looks like a pretty professional politician with a decent work ethic. I lean to the right so I do not necessarily agree with his views but I have a pretty high esteem of his ability. He dropped the ball a couple times but it would be unjust to blame him for all the current problems (is there that many in the UK?).

[Malbec]

From outside the UK Gordon Brown looks like a pretty professional politician with a decent work ethic. I lean to the right so I do not necessarily agree with his views but I have a pretty high esteem of his ability. He dropped the ball a couple times but it would be unjust to blame him for all the current problems (is there that many in the UK?).

I think we're seeing a shift in politics in the UK from concentrating on deeper issues such as health, education and defence towards more superficial personality based politics. This is because both the main parties don't really differ much in terms of actual policies.

In my view this is why support for either party is quite volatile. There was a 10% swing towards the Tories earlier this year thanks to Labour messing up the issue of calling an early election with a budget speech that lacked any bite. In previous years you wouldn't have seen such a swing over such a minor event.

What is significant though is that the Tories now command a significant lead in the 18-30 age bracket which is precisely where they didn't have any support in previous years.

I don't think there is anything actually wrong with Gordon Brown at the moment, he just lacks the image required in modern British politics. On the other hand for someone who has supposedly spent the last decade trying to force his way into the hot seat his government seems remarkably lacking in vision or direction. Not what I was expecting at all.

[inimitablestoo]

Does anyone know whether any British Prime Minister has ever failed to win a General Election? I asked someone who knows these things today and he confirmed the last one to do so was Mr Callaghan. A Labour man...