British Labour Party Faces Change.
Will Gordon Brown take over as leader of the party?
As the end of the premiership of Tony Blair draws close, we look at the Chancellor, Gordon Brown and his quest for leadership. Is this the certainty it once appeared?
The one thing that is certain in the uncertain world of British politics is the fact that change is on the horizon.
Tony Blair has long stated his intention to stand down from his position as leader of the Labour Party and therefore as British Prime Minister. Although no date for his departure has been announced, there has been much discussion and debate about potential dates. Every comment and nuance are examined for clues with there being much speculation as to potential dates.
It has long been accepted that the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, would take over as leader of the Labour Party from Tony Blair. This stems from a meeting that was held between Gordon Brown and Tony Blair in May 1994, during a leadership election caused by the death of John Smith, the former leader of the party. During this meeting, Gordon Brown was famously reported to have agreed to stand aside and give Tony Blair a clear run at the leadership. Over the years, many reports have been made – and indeed a TV drama written, about the other part of this agreement, which was that Tony Blair would stand down in favor of Gordon Brown. Supporters of Tony Blair have denied this part of the bargain, however the fact remains that Tony Blair will be standing down and that Gordon Brown is expected to replace him.
This expectation, however, is no longer a dead certainty. Other MP’s from the Labour Party are starting to discuss challenging for the leadership. This is not necessarily a bad thing, say the supporters of Gordon Brown, who suggest that it will be better for him to achieve the leadership through an election and therefore with a mandate, rather than it being simply a ‘coronation’.
Whilst the leadership election hasn’t started yet – there isn’t a vacancy until Tony Blair confirms his intentions - Gordon Brown appears certain to face a challenge to his quest for leadership. MP Michael Meacher, from the left, has stated his aim to stand as candidate for leader of the party and has stated that he is close to getting support from 45 Labour MP’s. This backing is necessary for any MP standing as a candidate. Another MP, John McDonnell who has for several months stated that he was a would-be candidate is reported to be struggling to find the required support. There are another 4 MP’s who are reported to be intending to stand as candidates for leadership, or at least have not ‘ruled it out’.
Whilst the position of Gordon Brown is perhaps less certain than it was, there is very little likelihood that he will face a serious threat to his impending premiership. Taking a quick look at the online bookmakers would suggest that it would still be a brave person to bet against Brown as being the next leader of the Labour party.
Further reading: More information about Tony Blair's premiership and his place in history can be read in the Suite101 article here. Michael Meacher keeps a blog which can be read here. More information on the British Labour Party can be read on their website here.
