Thatcher and Kennedy were almost universally loved by party members - Blair clearly isn't. He still has fans (I include myself among those), but even they see that the writing is on the wall.

Also Thatcher had a rump of hugely loyal MPs on the backbenches who really didn't want to see her go. There's no similar rump in the PLP - there may be some who would like to see him stay a little longer, but there's no "go on and on" faction.

I don't see any kind of division emerging from getting rid of Blair.

Wintour is probably well sourced, but of course that doesn't necessarily mean the story is true.

When I read the comments on this blog it the comments are made by mature adults discussig a very important issue - unlike some of the Tory blogs.

Were Tony, Peter and Gordon "tittle tattling" when they had the vision of New Labour?

If Hilary says we are "tittle tattling" now then she must say they were "tittle tattling" then. Which she would never do.

So we must conclude she is pressing for censorship and repression of any thing not New Labour inside the Party. She won't be getting my vote in future.
 

The Leadership model resolution is:

Conference notes the call by the First Minister of the Labour Welsh Assembly Government on 10 August 2006 for clarity over the leadership of the Labour British government well before the Welsh, Scottish and local government elections in May 2007.

Conference notes with concern mounting electoral losses and public controversy about the direction of both domestic and foreign policy.

Moreover, Conference notes growing public concern and interest in a new constitutional settlement to ensure that future British Prime Ministers and their governments are held accountable to Parliament and the electorate.

Conference commends the achievements of its Party Leader since his election in 1994, and subsequently as Prime Minister through Labour's three successive British General election victories in 1997, 2001 and 2005.

Conference notes the Prime Minister's previous statement that he will not fight the next General Election as Party Leader or Prime Minister. Conference now believes that the next Labour Prime Minister needs as much time as possible in office before the next General Election, if Labour is to secure a fourth term.

Conference, therefore, calls on the NEC to use its powers under Clause VIII 3 (h)* to table a resolution at Conference for debate and ballot on Wednesday 27 September under Rule 4B. 2d (ii) to enable delegates to decide on a card vote whether or not there should be a Leadership contest before the 2007 Annual Conference.

<u>The URL is here</u>: http://www.savethelabourparty.org/060821_Model_Resolution_Leadership.doc

with a covering letter explaining the need for public support BEFORE conference if it is to have any chance of success - avoiding charges of division, or "union baron's" calling the shots or disgruntled Brownites gruntling: it must be party members who lead the move, precisely to avoid the pitfalls that the Tories and (to a lesser extent) the Lieberal-Democrats fell into after their leadership ejections and elections.

Apologies for posting this twice.

The most optimistic thing I've gained is that people are "confused" about Gordon Brown and the future direction of the Party. They say either Gordon is New Labour OR he is Not. If he's New labour then it's more of the same - if he's not then he doesn't have a mandate and should call a snap election.

The biggest issue is the perceived slide of the quality of life - due to "real inflation" and globalisation.  The common theme seems to be "I'm going to be worse and worse off and I don't see that changing." and I don't think that's a thing that can be changed before a snap election.

In conclusion, my best hope is that Gordon publically takes on the New Labour Mantle (to stop a snap election) and makes some major policy changes whilst giving the impression that things are the same.  

I do not advocate sensorship within political parties but for them to destroy the party and government in this way is Untenable.  I revelled in the demise of Thatcher and the Conservatives whose premise was to promote the interests of the rich and powerful.  This past week is reminiscent of the downfall of Thatcher and her cohorts  which I revelled in!  Those who resigned with such media fanfair this week forget that the so called New Labour with Tony Blair at the helm were the only answer to the depresseing state of this country at that time.... A traditional leftie could not reassure the middle classes who overwhelmingly benefited from the Thatcher years nor the working class who believed the hype of future prosperity and turned their back on Labour and benefitted through buying their council houses - at the detriment of their own children whose only avenue of having their own home now is to rent from the private sector filling the pockets of Thatcher's children. In many cases they have little prospect of owning their own home. New Labour at that time was the only answer.  

I actually do not support the PM in his foreign policies by any means specifically his relationship with Bush and the decisions made with regard to the Middle east.  However this weeks events are distasteful to me and many others.  

Watching the likes of the Sunday Programme this morning... the conservatives had not even bothered to send representatives in as is usually the norm to harangue Blair, Brown or even government policy in general.  They have stayed away because you are destroying yourselves.  You are likening yoursleves to the conservative party at  the lead up to and during their demise which means there is nothing that distinguishes you from them... you are all out for power regardless of what harm you do to individuals within your party (those who you previously - to the public at least - supported all those years ago so that you could obtain power) and the party in general.  You forget that despite the glorious (New Labour) policies, the lack of morals - personal and political, the lack of caring shown to those suffering economically and socially in this country by the conservatives was their downfall - the reason you are in power now.

It is likely time for Blair to go - but in a controlled and timely fashion giving Brown or other successor a chance to show the general public what he is all about.  He needs to show what his political passions are; his political resolve and his desire to continue to resolve the various social problems faced by this country.  He is still, in the eyes of the public, an excellent financial/economic wizzard but its not enough to get the country behind him as a leader who needs to be much more than a good accountant.  It is still required that the leader of a governement needs to show that he unswervingly believes in his policies and believes in the ability of his country to overcome some continuing social problems. At the same time he must recognise that in this era human nature, peoples wants and needs and aspiriations dictate that they want to succeed; they want to own their own home, have a salary which enables them to acquire the basics in life.  These basics are very different to 40 years ago so to you to the left of the party - Its not yet your time.