Friday 8th January 2010

So after all the exciting developments of Wednesday, Gordon Brown remains Prime Minister and now looks certain to lead his party into the general election. As for the conspritors of the potential leadership contest which turned out to be "storm in a tea cup", Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt's reputation have both been tarnished and their judgement questioned by the majority of Labour party members.
And rightly so. To hold a leadership contest just months before the general election would not have improved Labour's chances of holding onto power one bit. Even if Gordon Brown had won the contest, his authority would have been seriously undermimed. You only have to look back to 1995, when Conservative Prime Minister at the time John Major resigned as leader of his party. He was comfortably returned to the post, but this did not help him avoid a thrashing at the general election two years later.
Labour supporters will be pleased that the majority of MPs, particularly Cabinet members, have a bit more common sense than Hoon and Hewitt and put party unity first. Nevertheless, this whole episode has been damaging to the government and has given the Conservatives some ammunition, with David Cameron seizing the opportunity to point out the deep divides within the party.
Brown may have survived this time, but as was the case with John Major in 1997, it might be certain members of his party who contribute heavily to his downfall. I see Hoon and Hewitt's actions in football terms as booing and jeering the captain of the team as he leads them into a World Cup final. A fitting analogy this year, I think.
Election fever is starting to sweep the nation already, with the Tories launching their pre-election campaign earlier this week. I have seen David Cameron's apparently airbrushed mug appear on posters all over Southampton. Ending today's post on a lighter note, I thought I would link to some spoof poster which can be viewed here. Always importantto keep just a bit of humour in politics!