Purnell goes – and rolls back the political sardine tin lid
Crumbs! An act of personal political courage – or of scheming personal political advancement? At this point almost impossible to judge.
I don’t know James Purnell well. He was once a pivotal bag carrier, speech writer and muse inside Tony Blair’s Downing Street. Hence a Blairite, almost certainly well aware of, and wary of, Gordon Brown’s shortcomings.
His resignation rolls back the lid of the entire political sardine tin. This is regicide by man who has, according to his friends, seen himself as a potential challenger for leadership.
He is a man whose career is one of acronyms – IPPR, BBC and MP. He was head of corporate planning at the BBC and generally thought to have been an efficient minister.
It was thought that his “rising star” status made him unsackable. So this now means that of the main cabinet expenses miscreants only Geoff Hoon is left – and what are his chances of avoiding the chop?
So, curiously, one piece of good news: Brown can now cleanse his Cabinet and ministerial ranks of the worst of the expenses abusers. But that’s the one crumb of comfort.
Brown has lost the power to appoint the chancellor of the exchequer of his choice (Ed Balls) and the foreign secretary of his choice (Mandelson?), and is now scurrying around looking for stuffing to replace the ship jumpers.
Just a hint of the dark arts that the Brown camp deploy in the darkest of hours: the hounding of Barry Sheerman MP, who had the temerity to ask for a secret ballot of all Labour MPs on Brown’s leadership.
His constituency chairman was called to deal with him, and others were also called with a view to his potential deselection. McBride may have gone but his art lives on.
If one thing eventually fells Gordon Brown it will not be his undoubted political capacities, but the paranoid operatives he encourages to function around him.
Related posts:
- Clash of the political titans. Not.
- A day of miscalculation by the political classes
- A spectacle we have never seen before
- 'This is Gordon Brown. Now, about my expenses…'
- Our love of hierarchy means little will change
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No doubt that Purnell’s resignation snookered Brown on appointing Balls as Chancellor
“If one thing eventually fells Gordon Brown it will not be his undoubted political capacities, but the paranoid operatives he encourages to function around him”
Jon, you have hit the nail on the head here. All this was in evidence too throughout his stint as Chancellor. He seems incapable of countenancing or handling personal criticism – the ability to do so must be a prerequisite in anyone holding such office. Rather than openly face down or counter the criticism, he seems to slink off to set up some dark scheme to “deal” with those critical of him, whilst allowing his office to deny such underhand tactics, of course.
More accurately, a can of worms rather than a tin of sardines….
What is interesting is that the rapid reshuffle is neatly hiding the fact that the Tories don’t seem to be doing as well as expected in the local polls. Agree re dark arts, I truly believe that is at the heart of number 10 trouble. I was once given very sage career advice – Ambition is healthy, but always know and respect your own limitations – Gordon was at his best as Chancellor. I actually find it really sad as I believe in Gordon Brown the politician but I’m not sure he can regain his lost integrity with his current advisors.
“but I’m not sure he can regain his lost integrity with his current advisors.”
His integrity only holds until there is criticism of him and then he seems to drop the mantle very quickly and get down and dirty like the rest of them!
James Purnell’s political strike has placed himself apart from the great majority of Ministers and sitting MPs.
He has shown himself to have the self conviction to shape politics and cease the moment.
How can anyone not be impressed!
Whatever the politics, the electorate will rightly admire and respect political courage.
I think its a bit of a laugh the goverment still running the campaign on benefit cheats saying you could face a criminal record or a prison sentence when politicians stole thousands i wonder what theyre ad would sound like exspenses cheats will be moved to a another highly paid job or made a lord of the realm. benefits cheats lawyers should use politicians as an example to get their clients a lower sentance and if the judge asks the defendant if he has anything to say in his defence he can reply no i will take a shuffle
James Purnell is the MP for James Purnell. Along with all those Cabinet Ministers who have resigned, the element common to them all, is their complete contempt of their electors.
None of them, before making their decision to jump before being pushed, went first to their local areas to consult with their electors. All talk of returning to their grass roots is hypocritical rubbish and an insult to those who voted them into Parliament.
Purnell’s exit strategy will turn out to be the biggest mistake in his undistinguished political career. What he thought would be a stampede of others following his disloyal lead, turns out to be his solo sprint to oblivion.l
He will of course join the plotters who will attempt to dislodge Gordon Brown, whose last card if he sees a majority of his MPs ganging up on him, is to call a General Election. That is the one thing the plotters do not want now, as the majority of them will lose their seats.
Caroline Flint really dug her stilleto heels into the PM’s back and lashed out at him with her killer handbag – after – she flounced out of his Cabinet.
Gordon Brown is a perfect gent of the old time school of good manners. So much so, that the way he opened that door for Caroline, on the tele last night, could only be construed by the New Politically Correct Mannerists as the height of patronising male chauvinism and blokeist female window dressing.
I would have Caroline in my Cabinet any time: not to adorn the windows along with the other dummies mind you, nor to have her clean them, but to advise on the best methods for keeping them sparkling.
Caroline’s beauty would be fully exploited as top political totty. From time to time I would have her tour the prisons. She would be the icing on the “cake” that is the cushy fare of being detained at Her Majesty’s Pleasure these days. Only the best laid out mail bag carpet would do..
Then I would send her round the hospitals: one curl of those cruel lips and her ability with venonmous words would put every known germ to permanent flight.
I had Caroline Flint on a chaise longue in my sitting room a couple of weeks ago. It was thanks to a weekend colour supplement. My Auntie Gladys says that the worst type of feminist whinger is the one who complains about an allegedly sexist boss (after she has left her job) instead of confronting him directly.
Caroline Flint, if she truly believed that Gordon Brown is sexist, had ample opportunity to re-educate him but obviously chose to deny her convictions until she was safely out the door.