NEC decision (Brown absent, for a change)- ‘NO’ to Voting papers for leadership

“Where there is no vacancy, nominations shall be sought each year
prior to the annual session of party conference. In this case any nomination
must be supported by 20 per cent of the Commons members of the PLP.
Nominations not attaining this threshold shall be null and void.”
So how are nominations to be “sought”? Anyone found the missing form?

BREAKING NEWS

DAVID CAIRNS HAS RESIGNED

Scotland Office minister David Cairns has resigned from the government, Downing Street has confirmed.

The Inverclyde MP, is the first minister to resign since rebel MPs began calling for a leadership contest.

Two MPs have already lost government jobs and a third resigned after saying Gordon Brown should face a challenge.

Labour’s National Executive Committee has given a big “NO, NO” to the request by some MPs for voting papers on the leadership.

No one objected, although Janet Anderson, the MP who requested a form, was not present. Nor it seems, was the present PM!

Janet Anderson, a former minister who is a member of the NEC, will use today’s meeting to press Mr Brown to allow the forms to go out.

She said: “What is clear is that we have to do something. We cannot go on sleepwalking to oblivion, but we are – and we will continue to do so if we do nothing to address the reasons why we have been so far behind in the polls.

“That means a root-and-branch review of our policies and how we communicate them to our voters. And if that requires a change of leadership, so be it.”

At the meeting the NEC said that a vote at the party conference next week is the way to call a leadership election. A little confusing since last week it was claimed MPs could request a form prior to conference if they so desired.

Twelve rebels, among them several former ministers, have requested nomination papers be sent out ahead of next week’s conference – citing a clause in the party’s constitution that nominations “shall be sought each year”.

But the NEC agreed with general secretary Ray Collins, after taking legal advice, that they should not be sent out for the leadership when the party is in government, as had been the convention for the past 11 years. See full report here

If 70 or is it 71, Labour MPs mount a challenge Brown could still be threatened. I wonder how the numbers are shaping up now?

You’ll find nothing on this at Labour’s website – if you do let me know. I’ve had a dig around, and have found nothing yet. But I do recall that the answer given last week to this request was that the forms were available online. (However, there is this article on persuading Blair to stand in Glenrothes.)

So – on this invisible form. Does it exist? Has it been airbrushed, like so many other useful Labour stuff of recent years?

If so, who’s going to find one first? Cached – old – (therefore probably ineligible for use.)

When I put in “www.labourhome.org” this came up, cached from July 2006 – February 2008:

I realise some people might say it’s none of my business. Or they might ask what I’m trying to do to the Labour party and/or the government. But my answer? How my government is led is my business.

The next step for those whose hopes have been thwarted may well be a court case to establish the legal position as to whether members are required to be provided with such papers, if they ask for them.

Still, it’s good to know that the present PM can make a decision about SOMEthing.

It’s Tony’s Brains wave

The notion that Tony Blair is pulling the strings of the coup against Gordon gathers apace. Insiders note that at Elisabeth Murdoch’s 40th birthday bash 10 days ago Tony and David Miliband were spotted in animated conversation and that Blair is the principal player in the campaign to promote Brains as the saviour of the beleaguered Labour Party. Since the mixed response to his Guardian article last month, the Foreign Secretary has been careful to keep his cards close to his chest - but it is significant that he has been careful not to “diss” the plotters. Meanwhile, senior ministers are increasingly conspicuous in their absence from the airwaves.

Amid rumours that the Cabinet is growing tired of Brown’s soap opera, many are openly wondering where certain-key figures might be hiding. Is Secretary of State for Health Alan Johnson, for example, still on holiday?

It may be a Blair plot, but it may not be confined to Blairites for long.

* DAVID Miliband welcomed shifts in the tectonic plates of politics on his blog yesterday. While he may ostensibly be speaking of Morgan Tsvangirai’s quest to reinstate the democratic mandate in Zimbabwe, could Brains feel a parallel between Mugabe and another unelected leader? “The suffering has gone on so long that many people could not see any change coming.” So will you follow Tsvangirai’s example and actively agitate for regime change, David?

Maybe. But some of us are diehards. We want the original.

FT blog – What will it take to dislodge Brown?

Since last night’s BBC broadcast about an imminent rebellion from a minister of state there has been a frenzied race to name him or her.

The belief today is that it is likely to be David Cairns, a minister in the Scotland Office. He hasn’t broken cover yet. Other names on the rumour mill include skills minister David Lammy (his spokesman denies it in the strongest possible terms) and Ivan Lewis, health minister, who angered the Brownites earlier this year by saying voters were angry and disappointed.

Another Blair Babe” attacks Brown

A BIRMINGHAM MP has written a devastating critique of Gordon Brown’s last year in power, to be distributed to delegates attending Labour’s annual conference.

Gisela Stuart (Lab Edgbaston) said Labour under Mr Brown had failed to come up with fresh ideas and had forgotten how to communicate with voters.

She criticised Government policies on dealing with terrorism and the European Union, as well as Mr Brown’s decision to invite former CBI chief Digby Jones, who is not a member of the Labour Party, to become a Minister.

Barry Gardiner sacked – At this rate there’ll be no-one left to run this joint. Do you think we’ll notice?

James Purnell says the rebels are entitled to do whatever they want

But he’s alright … his Darling is backing him

Steve Richards says the Cabinet will do the deed, if anyone does

A policy idea for Gordon – nail-biting cure clinics!

John Rentoul: The Labour party has a sense of humour – on the call for Blair to Glenrothes by-election.

Jack Straw came out on the BBC lunchtime news in support of Brown. Fancy that! While Nick Robinson of the BBC thinks “Brown’s position is strengthened”, because now is not the time to change given the ‘economic situation’. So it seems that Brown, the former chancellor, is the man who should STAY in charge. Hmmm …

Last week Mr Robinson said the same kind of thing on Brown’s position, hours before the female MPs came out with their bombshells.

Where there is no vacancy, nominations shall be sought each year
prior to the annual session of party conference. In this case any nomination
must be supported by 20 per cent of the Commons members of the PLP.
Nominations not attaining this threshold shall be null and void.

The Brown curse – Lehman down -the rest of the world’s economy to go! Aww … poor Gordon. And once it was all Tony’s fault! Excerpt:

Paul Staines, the political blogger known as Guido Fawkes, has named Mr Brown “Jonah” and keeps a list of people and events the Prime Minister has “cursed” with his presence or endorsement.

In particular, he notes several dates when Mr Brown’s international trips have coincided with financial turmoil

For instance, In April, hours after Mr Brown arrived in the US for an official visit, the dollar hit an all time low against the euro.

A thought: They can love you, respect you, ignore you or hate you as PM. But once they start to feel sorry for you, it’s the end. Get our your hankies.

Anonymous Minister: “I may have to resign soon” - over Brown’s leadership « Tony Blair Says:
September 16, 2008 at 12:56 pm | Reply

[...] other one. « Labour members call for Blair RETURN as PM via Glenrothes by-election NEC decision (Brown absent, for a change)- ‘NO’ to Voting papers for leadership [...]

Tony Blair