Charles Clarke lines up southern 'stalking horses' to challenge Brown's leadership

[Morris Onions]

Former home secretary said to be collecting names of MPs in anticipation of a revolt against the PM if Labour does badly in 1 May local elections

By Jane Merrick, Political Editor
Sunday, 13 April 2008

Gordon Brown faces a possible stalking-horse challenge to his leadership orchestrated by his arch-enemy Charles Clarke, it was claimed last night.

The former home secretary is understood to be collecting names of MPs for an emergency contest if Labour performs badly in the 1 May London and local elections.

In the most serious threat so far to the Prime Minister's 10-month leadership, many Labour MPs with seats in the South who stand to lose at the next general election are at the heart of a potential revolt, insiders say. One MP claimed last night that "Charles has the names" needed to trigger a ballot. Either Mr Clarke or another MP with "nothing to lose" would stand as a way of gauging opinion in the Labour Party, the MP added.

While the stalking horse would stand no chance of winning, the scale of support for a contest could cause long-term damage to Mr Brown's leadership and eventually force a more credible challenge before the general election.

There was more bad news for Mr Brown last night as a new poll put the Conservatives on 44 per cent, a 16-year high.

....

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/charles-clarke-lines-up-southern-stalking-horses-to-challenge-browns-leadership-808465.html

[LeftishBrit]

1. Ugh. While I'm no Brown fan, Clarke is worse

[T_i_B]

2. Well why didn't he challenge last year then?

When there actually was a leadership contest!

And does anyone really think that Charles Clarke would seriously be the man to turn Labour around?

[non sociopath skin]

3. I certainly don't.

All the charm of a Bigg Market bouncer and an Oxbridge snob too! A unique combination! And up there with the Worst Education Secretaries of All Time - a lengthy list.

Sadly - though not surprisingly - NuLab's Thousand Year Reich looks as if it's about to collapse into an ignominious Chicken Run.

The Skin

[Greeby]

4. So Blair can get away with anything he likes, including war

But Broon causes em to do badly in elections and they want to give him the boot? I'm no fan of the guy, but talk about double standards :eyes: