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Wednesday 22 September 2010

Gordon Brown asks for a role at Labour leadership unveiling

Gary Gibbon Political Editor

Labour unveils its new leader on the Saturday ahead of Labour Conference in Manchester and Gordon Brown has asked to be the warm-up man.

I hear that the former Labour leader feels very wounded by the Tony Blair memoirs’ attacks on his premiership, aspects of his Chancellorship and his personality.

He doesn’t want his supporters retaliating strongly to the Blair book in public this side of the Labour Conference. But few in active politics have a stronger sense or knowledge of British political history and he feels that it would be undignified to be wiped out of the plot like a Kremlin touched-up photo from the Soviet era.

He feels, I hear, that it is right that he be seen to say some words before the new leader is unveiled and be seen to hand over the torch. 

He doesn’t want people to think he is cowed or hiding. Final arrangements, a Labour source said, have not been agreed yet and they are “in touch” with the various leadership candidates. 

Not, you might think, the curtain-raiser that David Miliband’s campaign would most want for the new dawn, if it’s their man that wins.

There are 5 comments on this post

  1. Alex weir at 6:16 pm

    Brown signed the order for the extra judicial killing of the british inventor of a fraud proof voting system for the third world. In a normal or just society his public career would be finished and he would be behind bars. Welcome to the uk 2010. Alex weir. Harare

  2. A J Scott at 7:06 pm

    Marvellous. The queue of Labour would-be leaders for this introduction will be in the Guinness Book of Records for the fastest backward forming queue.
    Blair could do the warm-up before Brown comes on. Kinnock for the pre-pre-warm-up.
    Pom Pom cheerleaders to include Harman, J Smith, etc.
    Polly Toynbee as Ringleader.
    Such possibilities!

    1. Saltaire Sam at 8:20 pm

      Better if Polly Toynbee were to become the leader

    2. Mudplugger at 8:28 pm

      Maybe they should form a band. Need a name…

      How about “Delusions Of Adequacy”.

  3. pete stapleton at 12:25 pm

    Blair’s comments on Brown remind me of the Hunchback of Notre Dame being whipped in the opening scene of the film. Something pathetic about the whole business.

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