... and some people who are not Brownites don't rate him because of the disastor of the Scottish campaign.

My feeling is that it is too early to tell. Many of the "next generation" only got their place in the cabinet last June, when Gordon brown became PM (Blair was not big on promoting newbies, he liked familiar faces). They have mostly been rather tentative. It's taken a good year before they've been able to go on TV and speak with authority -  for most of last year, they kept their heads down. However, we are starting to see people like Miliband, Purnell, Alexander and others begin to pop their heads above the parapet. 

They need another 2/3 years before they are ready IMO. Let's see how they develop. Incidently, it will be a good thing if they do develop, because we can at last have a cabinet all pulling their weight - that's been sadly lacking in the last year, with the result that Gordon Brown bears the burden for everything in a way Blair never did.

Has anyone considered that the next leader might be a woman? Jacqui Smith is the first home secretary in an age who seems to be handling that poisoned chalice of a department without too much angst. If she can handle the home office, she can handle anything. 

But she's in a marginal seat. She's a contender for the leadership if she wins her seat at the general election and the succession takes place after the election. Lots of other suitable candidates are in the same position. Another reason for us not to make hasty decisions about leadership this side of the general election.

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