Tuesday, May 02, 2006

The problem isn't Prescott, Clarke or Hewitt - it's Tony Blair

"This Government does not need another relaunch, still less another shifting of the deckchairs on the Titanic. It needs putting out of its misery – and fast."

That's my verdict on the Government's current troubles, as set out in my Saturday Column and accompanying Podcast.

Charles Clarke is clearly on the way out and I doubt that John Prescott will be that far behind him - but I don't think either of these things are going to fundamentally alter the fortunes of this increasingly wretched government.

Only a change at the top will do that.

3 comments:

skipper said...

Nice to see you back Paul and I'm sorry for your bereavement. I generally agree that Blair should now step down- though interestingly Hattersley says the opposite right now-and have argued he should have resigned around the time of Hutton. But his great skill has been to fool most of the people most of the time and I think that, like Lloyd George, he has boundless faith in his own ability to persuade and hence overcome difficulties. So he ain't going to go unless the writing is writ hugely and unmistakably on the wall. Just bad local election results won't do it- it'll need something like a delegation representing the major part of the PLP. I'm not so sure this won't come to pass over the next week or so.

Ellee Seymour said...

Hi Paul, I very much doubt that Charles Clarke will step down, he is far too thick skinned. Though the repercussions from this cock-up is much worse than David Blunkett's, in my opinion.

Incidentally, I've started writing a blog column for my local rag, the Cambridge Evening News, I believe it's a first, as opposed to hosting local blog sites.

I live in glorious Fenland, would be nice to trek up a few of your mountains someime.

Anonymous said...

Please no...

That titanic cliche!

NO...!!!