London - After surviving a string of ministerial
resignations, a humiliating election defeat and an attempted
rebellion, Gordon Brown - down but not out - is battling on to save
his premiership.
Cartoonists portray the 58-year-old veteran politician, often
described as the 'giant' of the Labour Party, as a boxer who is down
but not out for the count - while uncertain whether the next blow
will be the knock-out.
Brown, while bruised, emerged smiling from a tense make-or-break
meeting with Labour's parliamentary party (PLP), where a handful of
backbenchers challenged his leadership openly, but an attempted
rebellion fizzled out.
Participants said a 'contrite and very honest' Brown had attempted
to defuse the febrile mood by admitting to weaknesses and promising
to change his ways towards 'more inclusive government.'
But he had also warned his party of the risks of 'returning to he
political wilderness' of long years in opposition if he was kicked
out at the height of a recession, and one year away from the next
general election.
'There is no serious threat to Brown,' said parliamentary party
leader Tony Lloyd after the meeting. 'The moment has passed for now.
The momentum was not there,' admitted a rebel.
But others were more scathing, saying the party had clearly
decided to 'go down with the captain on the bridge.'
One critic said that, after the turbulence of the last 10 days, it
was too late for Brown to be saved, because the 'electorate has made
up its mind about him.'
But, for the time being, Brown seems to have convinced the party
that he is a survivor, drawing on depths of stubbornness, stamina and
years of political experience.
'Brown may still be standing. But he has suffered some deep
wounds, which could yet prove fatal,' said political commentator
George Jones.
The main reason for his stay of execution was the mauling Labour
received in the European elections, where its share of the vote
slumped to an historic low of 15 per cent.
The sheer scale of the defeat had made it clear to many Labour
members of parliament (MPs) that the party would face certain
annihilation in an early general election.
'It has dawned on them that precipitating an early general
election would be rather like turkeys voting for Christmas,' said
Jones.
Brown, meanwhile, was not out of the woods. 'The plotters have not
gone away. They have just made a tactical retreat,' he said.
If there was no sign of a recovery in the government's fortunes -
and that seemed unlikely given the deep divisions within the party -
then, 'like the Terminator, they'll be back.'
The next danger period for Brown is the Labour Party conference in
September, largely seen as the moment Brown could be forced out - or
be persuaded to accept that he must make way for a new leader.
With his authority weakened, the prime could now become a 'hostage
of his cabinet,' forced to make compromises and concessions he would
prefer not to make.
Brown, said Jones, could soon come to be seen as the leader of a
government who 'is in office, but not in power.'
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