Brown to make World Cup personal campaign

Gordon manages to jump on another bandwagon. Well if Tony can secure the Olympics…

Permanent link to this post

You may have to wait till 2009

The News of the World believes that Brown will wait until May 2009 before holding an election, so he can combine it with the EU elections.  This is a smart political move.
It’s smart because Europe is such a contentious issue for the Tories and UKIP will make important inroads into the Tory vote.  However Brown’s going to be under pressure to get a mandate from the public soon after taking office.  Certainly the public feel he should do this- for example see this poll of the over 50s which shows 77% want him to have an early election.  Even so this seems unlikely, for the most part Brown can’t afford it.

Permanent link to this post

Brown forced to continue New Labour project?

The Telegraph is running this story that Blair is going to try and hang on until late summer/ early autumn in an attempt to rush through some policy initiatives and prevent Brown from screwing up Blair’s legacy halting Blair’s reforms. Blair’s advisers are telling him he “has nothing to lose” by staying on.  Surely no one can truly believe he can hang on that long! There’s no way Brown’s going to let Blair tie his hands to the New Labour project.

Permanent link to this post

Brown needs to expand like Cameron

This article highlights some of the bridges Brown needs to build if he’s to succeed in power. The Tories are expanding their appeal with attempts to recruit Lib Dem and Labour MPs (none have been successful yet!). This presents a clear danger to Brown’s chance of winning the next election, especially if we are to believe the predictions of a hung parliament and a possible Lib-Con coalition. Some kind of renewed offensive on that is needed.

But Brown also needs to to make peace with some of his biggest enemies. According to Peter Oborne, “nine months ago, Mandelson confided to friends his astonishment that the Chancellor had not spoken a single word to him in the two years since he had become Trade Commissioner.” This might be difficult for him given their history, but Brown certainly could do with some support in Europe. He can’t have Cameron outdoing him in Europe can he.

Permanent link to this post

Nothing is what it appears to be

Gordon has a secret alter ego it seems, or just a budding ambition to be a super hero. Thanks to Martin Paling for this spot.

Permanent link to this post

Things will be worse under Brown in 6 months time?

Replay Miliband’s “Freudian slip” from last night’s Question Time. Miliband won’t be getting a seat at Gordon’s table in 6 months time.

Permanent link to this post

Pope to offer blessing

As any aspiring leader knows, they need to be blessed by higher authorities. It looks like Gordon’s going to get his divine blessing today when he meets the Pope.

Although it’s a meeting about a new worthwhile scheme to provide drugs to the developing world, it comes at an important time. Labour have been under fire over the gay adoption issue and Gordon may use this as an opportunity to paste over these differences. Its important to keep those New Labour Catholic voters on side. Blair has been good at that in the past (he rarely hides his affinity to Catholicism). But what’s Brown’s feelings on religion? His following of the Church of Scotland doesn’t go down well with Catholics or the English.

Update:

It seems that it was a private meeting and Brown kindly invited the Pope to come and campign for him visit the UK.

Permanent link to this post
« go back