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With Labour members making speeches at the liberal confernece next week is it time we make cooperation a priority

Has he said anything useful since Brown came to power? I can't think of anything he's said that has helped the party and he's completely talked himself out of a return to cabinet anyway (maybe he thinks he can get in the next one if they get rid of Brown).

My latest column in the New Statesman

Something for us all to think about.

 

Oh dear. Charles Clarke, that veritable Vesuvius of former ministers has blown hot verbal lava all over the place in this morning’s Guardian. Again.

This time the big galloot claims backbenchers are “appalled” at Gordon Brown’s “British jobs for British workers” line; that Mark Malloch-Brown was a “foolish” appointment to the Government of all the Talents; and that Brown doesn’t support Ministerial colleagues enough ("Tony would always support his key people. Gordon should do that with his people").

Two former Cabinet Minister's have called for an 'open debate' on the party's future.

'Milburn and Clarke urge debate'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6400167.stm

'Milburn and Clarke e-mail'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6400299.stm

Nick Robinson's view: 'New ideas needed'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2007/02/the_future_for.html

I'm guessing this wo'nt be too popular here?

According to Charles Clarke Labour should consider extending charging to more areas of the NHS.

The Times political editor has a piece on Charles Clarke and his views on Labour so-called transition.

The ex-Home Secretary has doubts for the need for a early decison on Trident he said in a speech to the Fabian Society entitled 'The World after Bush':

"There is a strong case for prioritising our security spending on what are likely to be the main security threats we face in the future, rather than building new weapons to fight the last war."

Clarke also discussed a range of issues on the EU in terms of it taking a more proactive foreign and defence policy (e.g the Middle East).  Clarke also discussed issues relating to pre-war planning in Iraq.

The World After Bush- Charles Clarke
http://www.fabian-society.org.uk/press_office/news_latest_all.asp?pressid=578
(full speech or what the press office has put on the website)

Clarke comes out fighting against replacement for Trident - 'a new weapon to fight an old war'
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labour/story/0,,1960318,00.html

Clarke accuses Cabinet of rushing decision on Trident replacement
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2026820.ece

Still hoping for a job, if the elephant forgets
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labour/comment/0,,1960342,00.html
(Micheal White offers his analysis of Clarke's speech and Clarke's future job prospects).

The party cannot stand divided against itself. Only our opponents gain from the dismaying spectacle of a Labour Party dominated by briefing, counter-briefing and darkly looking in on itself.

Does anyone have any background to this story in the Guardian http://politics.guardian.co.uk/green/story/0,,1825607,00.html? Is Charles thinking of challenging GB for the leadership?

Clarke jumps in to row about party's future....

The title of this piece is a reference to the book, "We need to talk about Kevin". The book is about a boy who has gone off the rails and murdered seven classmates.

Now I am not suggesting Charles Clarke has quite gone that far but what on earth was he thinking in going on Newsnight last night to maul the Government and John Reid in particular, three days before three by-elections?