You know you're in deep shit when not only your enemies, but even your closest friends are telling you that you're going to lose:
'The government's autumn horribilis has made Gordon Brown the underdog,' Sunder Katwala, the society's general secretary, wrote in an article to be published in next month's Fabian Review. 'The country must now hear his public argument for a Labour government.'
Katwala argued that 'bad luck', 'poor judgment' and 'inexplicable stupidity' was to blame for the government's poor poll ratings and warned that 'the possibility of a Conservative government is very real'. (The Observer)
The problem for Gordon Brown is that he has already had several opportunities to tell us his "vision" - immediately after he took over, at the Labour party conference, the Queen's Speech... yet he has failed miserably ever time. Thus we just have to ask, does he even have a vision for Britain - or even for what his government is to do next week?
But what do the Fabians think that Gordon Brown needs to do to start his "fightback"?
Secondly, party funding reform and an elected second chamber are now essential for a clean break. (Fabian Society)
The most important thing that this article is saying is that not only are the Conservatives "favourites to win the next general election" but that Brown has failed rather miserably since taking over - and even the Labour Party have to acknowledge that fact. What matters now is whether Brown has - and can express - a political "vision".
23 December 2007
"Brown, You Face Defeat"
One of Gordon Brown's closest allies, the Fabian Society, has said that the Conservatives are the favourite to win the next general election and called on the embattled leader to begin the fightback.
The full Fabian editorial is here.Firstly, a period of calm to restore stability is needed. A twelve year old government can not win on competence alone. But it is an essential foundation.
Of course, this ignores that this government has hardly had twelve years of competence, but far closer to the opposite. And that Labour have hardly demonstrated an interest in real transparent funding or an elected second chamber! The Fabians view of party funding, however, is that "state funding is necessary" - which, of course, it isn't.
