Gordon Brown's cronies stage coup against Tony Blair
By Aleksander Boyd
London 07.09.06 | According to most accounts a small group of lacklustre, backroom politicians are staging a coup against Tony Blair. Gordon Brown wants him out, the sooner the better, so that he can fulfill his unrealistic dream of becoming PM. As I have said earlier I am no expert in UK politics, however any person with half a brain will conclude that Gordon Brown lacks prime ministerial material. So why would he risk, not only his own chances, but the integrity of his party? That's a tricky question, however it is safe to assume that should Brown succeed in ousting Blair a dark period for all elements involved will ensue.
The Labour Party has seen its support base erode in recent elections. That's the normal thing to expect in any democratic political environment after 9 years of same-party rule. To be frank Blair major foes aren't the Tories or David Cameron; but the radicals residing in the fringes of his own party. People like John McDonnell for instance, who wastes no time in lending support to militaristic autocrats like Hugo Chavez. But the daunting question here is rather simple: why? It is difficult to envisage a Tory victory in the coming general election, mainly because the Tories are absolutely useless at exploiting the weaknesses of the Blair government. They just don't seem to know how to play the sleaze game, which was ultimately what caused John Major's defeat back in 1997. For let us not forget that a well orchestrated smear campaign against Neil Hamilton in particular and the Tory establishment in general, masterminded by The Guardian, brought Labour back into power.
What has the true Labour Party -read the teethless unions, terrorism appeasers, environmentalists, conservationists and other such rabble- up in arms is Blair's association with George Bush. In their view it is unforgivable and for that reason he has to be ousted. Never mind that the person likely to replace him will probably get the votes of his closest relatives, if that, in a general election. Never mind that such an irrational move at this stage will most definitely cost Labour its permanence in power. Never mind that after such event takes place years will come to pass before another digestable Labour leader emerges. None of that truly matters for the talebans behind the coup.
The preposterous argument put forth by the rebels is that a transition scheme has to be announced by Blair, whom has already said that he will be out of office by May next year. But Blair's proposed timeframe is unacceptable to them. Instead of worrying with the business of governing this country, seek to advance their agenda maturely and professionaly and increase the chances of a Brown victory in the next general election, Labour apparatchiks are performing a disgusting power-grab spectacle worthy of a banana republic. Frankly it reminds me of Venezuela, where such tragicomedies are a regular occurrence. Evidently they haven't learned a thing, but more worryingly one sees these revolutionary displays which demonstrate that, even here in Britain, the will of the majority can be done away with at the minute disgruntled enough barking moonbats decide to do so. Democracy, elections, responsibility in the exercise of power appear to have the same meaning in some quarters of Labour as the importance given to these principles in Havana or Caracas -no wonder why some of them admire comrade Chavez- and that dear readers is very bad news.
Tony Blair is fending off the rebellion by demanding Brownites that an election to determine who becomes leader takes place. This will of course diminish the chances of Gordon Brown, whose leadership within his own party is, at best, suspect, for it is to be expected that a Blair-absent leadership contest will turn into a free for all kind of race. Surely the radicals are behind him, but how many are they? Not enough to guarantee him an internal victory that's for sure. Ergo why is Brown doing this? What does he want to obtain by destroying both the best leader Labour has ever had and the party? Why haven't mature senior leaders reprimanded Brown, or are we to believe that this is a case of collective political suicide?
Someone must remind the rebel MPs what they were elected for, the public destruction of the very platform that allowed them to reach office surely is not part of their job description. They also should be reminded that it is only thanks to Blair that most of them have a political career in the first place.
To conclude, Blair should come out swinging, sack Gordon Brown and his cronies, and put the house in order. Labour has won consecutive elections to try and solve the problems of this country, not to have the head of the government wasting time with internal quarrels incited by someone who will never match his excellent performance.
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