Next Prime Minister?

[Jacques_Bustard]

Its always been said (at least in the media) that Brown will take over from Blair when TB quits. The relationship between the two appears to be very poor and there's been quite a bit of briefing against Brown by TB insiders (now there's an unpleasant thought). There is even some evidence that Brown is being cold-shouldered by Blair, see link below.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,,1745083,00.html

Meanwhile Jack Straw seems to be on the up, not only is he hosting a visit by Condie Rice to Blackburn the two of them have now jetted off into the sunset together and are in Baghdad, again see the link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4869328.stm

I've never understood how Brown could just be installed in Number 10 when TB goes, there would have to be a Labour Party leadership election and the winner gets to be PM, so its is never going to be a clear run for Brown. I wonder if the Blair camp are now backing Straw as their favourite and are helping him raise his profile.

 

[frenchperson]

I agree, it's not going to be Gordon Brown. The bulk of the press has been unwittingly engaged in leading the British public up a blind alley, and Jack Straw would not be capable of mounting such a subterfuge. So who's behind it? Who's the shadowy figure preparing to take the reins as we career headlong towards the abyss?


Step forward, Rupert Murdoch...

 

[Jacques_Bustard]

I agree, it's not going to be Gordon Brown. The bulk of the press has been unwittingly engaged in leading the British public up a blind alley, and Jack Straw would not be capable of mounting such a subterfuge. So who's behind it? Who's the shadowy figure preparing to take the reins as we career headlong towards the abyss?


Step forward, Rupert Murdoch...

I thought the shadowy figure behind the scenes was "Mandy" Mandleson. By the way according to the Indy yesterday Condie Rice counts amongst her ex-boyfriends at least one Brit...........................Jasper Carrot. He said she was a "ferocious kisser", now that I can believe

 

[Ex_ex]

I agree, it's not going to be Gordon Brown. The bulk of the press has been unwittingly engaged in leading the British public up a blind alley, and Jack Straw would not be capable of mounting such a subterfuge. So who's behind it? Who's the shadowy figure preparing to take the reins as we career headlong towards the abyss?


Step forward, Rupert Murdoch...

I thought the shadowy figure behind the scenes was "Mandy" Mandleson. By the way according to the Indy yesterday Condie Rice counts amongst her ex-boyfriends at least one Brit...........................Jasper Carrot. He said she was a "ferocious kisser", now that I can believe

Hmm yesterday's date should give you a clue about the validity of that story.
If true however, it would explain the reason why we signed up for that joint "funky moped" project.

 

[Jacques_Bustard]

I agree, it's not going to be Gordon Brown. The bulk of the press has been unwittingly engaged in leading the British public up a blind alley, and Jack Straw would not be capable of mounting such a subterfuge. So who's behind it? Who's the shadowy figure preparing to take the reins as we career headlong towards the abyss?


Step forward, Rupert Murdoch...

I thought the shadowy figure behind the scenes was "Mandy" Mandleson. By the way according to the Indy yesterday Condie Rice counts amongst her ex-boyfriends at least one Brit...........................Jasper Carrot. He said she was a "ferocious kisser", now that I can believe

Hmm yesterday's date should give you a clue about the validity of that story.
If true however, it would explain the reason why we signed up for that joint "funky moped" project.

I thought for a moment I had been the victim of a waaaaaaaaaaah but having re-checked the story on odd couples they also mention John Major and Edwina Currie which both of them have admitted to. (Mary Archer is quoted as saying "I am a little surprised, not at Mrs Currie's indiscretion but at a temporary lapse in John Major's taste").

 

[india-juliet]

Get rid of Labour completley. They have got rid of everything else...........

 

[LARD]

Agree totally I.J. But are we sure the alternative(s) are up to it!!??

 

[india-juliet]

Agree totally I.J. But are we sure the alternative(s) are up to it!!??

Good question

 

[Myss]

I agree, it's not going to be Gordon Brown. The bulk of the press has been unwittingly engaged in leading the British public up a blind alley, and Jack Straw would not be capable of mounting such a subterfuge. So who's behind it? Who's the shadowy figure preparing to take the reins as we career headlong towards the abyss?


Step forward, Rupert Murdoch...

I thought the shadowy figure behind the scenes was "Mandy" Mandleson. By the way according to the Indy yesterday Condie Rice counts amongst her ex-boyfriends at least one Brit...........................Jasper Carrot. He said she was a "ferocious kisser", now that I can believe

Hmm yesterday's date should give you a clue about the validity of that story.
If true however, it would explain the reason why we signed up for that joint "funky moped" project.

I thought for a moment I had been the victim of a waaaaaaaaaaah but having re-checked the story on odd couples they also mention John Major and Edwina Currie which both of them have admitted to. (Mary Archer is quoted as saying "I am a little surprised, not at Mrs Currie's indiscretion but at a temporary lapse in John Major's taste").

If you mean this article, I think you better check it again. Graham Norton and Delia Smith?? Bamber and Paul Gascoigne are uncle and nephew?? The article screams wahhhhhh.

Back on topic, I would have thought that the deputy would be the one who step in place if/when the PM stepped down. That said, can you imagine John Prescott as PM?! Christ, the government coiffers would be empty in weeks. I wonder if anyone would brave enough to admit to voting for Labour in the last general election.

 

[Archimedes]

When the Celestial Navigator decides that it's time to go (or has it decided for him), he goes to HMQ and informs her that he intends to resign. While HMQ inwardly celebrates at the news, he then advises her as to who the next PM might be.

In theory, he could advise that Brown will be able to command a majority in the Commons, and should be appointed immediately. However, HMQ would undoubtedly demur, since this could be seen as giving Brown an advantage in the leadership election. So Brown could be put in No. 10 without having to face an election, but it's unlikely - unless the leadership election is uncontested.

Most likely, Blair will tell HMQ that he intends to resign as leader of the Labour party, and once a successor has been chosen, he will step down as PM and advises that the winner of the leadership contest succeeds him. This is exactly what happened with Wilson/Callaghan & Thatcher/Major.

The PM does *not* have to be a party leader. When the Tories decided to bin Thatcher, they were horrified when a constitutional expert pointed out that she could, in theory, stay on as PM if there were enough backbenchers who would support her, despite her having been deposed as Tory leader... Mrs T (wisely) decided against this step.

However, she stayed on as PM until the leadership election was complete. It seems likely that Blair would do the same thing.

 

[semper]

would be better to have a smooth transfer of power, face it , if it came to an open vote bewteen jack Straw and Gordon Brown , i would say Brown would win easily.
any wrangling and bickering is going to distarcting the governanace of the country and the tories are not much cop right now, so we will have to stick with the party that is capable of governance for the moment.