Gordon Brown should quit as Prime Minister within months if he cannot turn around the electoral disaster facing Labour, former home secretary Charles Clarke said today.
Mr Clarke became the first Labour heavyweight to openly propose that Mr Brown should go “with honour” unless there is a dramatic change in the party’s fortunes in the polls and the Government’s approach to Britain’s economic difficulties.
“There are many, many, many people now who are very concerned about our direction and our capacity to win the next general election,” he said.
Mr Clarke said there were two “perfectly honourable” ways forward for Mr Brown and Labour.
He said: “The first is for the performance of the Government to improve signif- icantly, which is what many, many people would like to see.
“Second is for Gordon Brown to stand down as Prime Minister with honour and have a proper leadership election to address the proper issues.”
Asked how long the Labour leader had to turn things around, the former cabinet minister replied: “I think it’s a question of months, really. It’s a question of seeing how it works forward and whether he can deal with the situation.
“I am personally a sceptic - I always have been - but I also believe it is entirely possible that he could turn it around. What I think many people will want to see very soon is clarity about his actually doing that.”
Mr Clarke said it was “better for the country and the party” if Mr Brown made his own mind up.
If that did not happen, it would be principally down to the cabinet to decide how to proceed.
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6 Comments
pot calling the kettle.
I just wish they stop saying he should go,but actually all those who want to see him go,(me included)get together and make him.
Yes, but only one of them is the PM.
And what other options do we have apart from brown
David Cameron - if he ever got in as PM this country has indeed become a joke.
Millibrand - A Blair clone
Jacqui Smith - Even worse than David Cameron
Question - why can’t we have inspiring leaders ie a Barek Obama or John McCain as the USA will soon have?
I suspect the answer is the Old school tie network - this country would be much improved if James Whale became PM
if and when gb wishes to step down, one of the favourites will be hilary benn, at present he is a short head above the rest. agree cameron is a spiv and a no hoper, nick somebody from lib dems is a non starter, bring back charlie kennedy.
please don’t think about those charmless nerks in the usa who might even make bush junior look like a`statesman!
i think gordon brown should be allowed to get us out of this usa inspired mess with the tory press off his back and former cabinet colleagues who carp and criticize confined to the gutter they climbed from. well done gordon sort it out
There really is NO ONE left to take control.
It is my belief that NO political party can survive more that 2-3 terms of government, before the “pendulumn” starts to swing the other way.
This government has simply gone on for far too long.
It has run out of steam, ideas, and political will and respect. It cannot go on.
Like the proverbial “norwegian blue” parrot in the monty python sketch, it has ceased to exist, fallen off its mortal coil ….. in short, dead, and only still there becuase it is “nailed there” (on its perch)
and…
Becuase it’s gone on for so long…
……
There is no other suitable political party to take its place - as the whole political scene has become an absolute farce.
We have really come to the end of the road this time!!
I really do despair !!