BROWN BACKLASH BEGINS

23-06-2007

Blimey! Gordon Brown isn’t even in power yet, and Labour backbenchers are already getting restless. Two MP’s have put their name to a parliamentary motion slagging him of for inviting Paddy Ashdown to join the Cabinet.

Gordon Prentice and Kelvin Hopkins have both signed an early day motion, pointing out that “the right hon. Member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath” told party conference in 2003 that “the Labour Party is best when we are boldest, best when we are united, best when were are Labour”.

They say that “these sentiments sit uneasily with his offer to Lord Ashdown to take a seat in the Labour Cabinet as Northern Ireland Secretary” and they note with regret “that he did not disclose his plan to bring Liberal Democrats into Government when he formally announced his candidacy for Labour Leader and Prime Minister on 11th May.”

It will be interesting to see how many others sign up and commit the political equivalent of hara-kiri; there are certainly plenty who will nod sagely and mutter under their breaths that they’ve got a point.