Friday, 5 June 2009



FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2009

+++ Caroline Flint Resigns +++

Timed exquisitely for the middle of Gordon’s post re-shuffle press conference.  Guido apologises for his earlier disparaging of her.

UPDATE :  She has just said that Gordon Brown treated her as female window dressing and accused him of running a two-tier government of cronies and the rest of the cabinet. Ouch.

+++ Hoon Quits +++

Break open the good stuff…

UPDATE :  The disgraced Tony McNulty has resigned as well. He may yet face questions from the police…


Barrels Being Scraped

Hain is we are told heading back to the Welsh Office.  Is it because of his brilliance?  When Gordon sacked him last time it was for incompetence.  

Is it because he is clean when it comes to his expenses and will demonstrate the sincerity of Brown’s plans to clean up politics  This is the man who failed to declare £100,000 laundered through a think tank / slush fund for his deputy leadership campaign.  Hain, do not forget, was the cabinet minister who argued for the change in the system that allowed ministers to designate their London home as their second home, he “employs” his 80 year-old mother at the taxpayer’s expense to look after his interests, such a shame she never actually visits his office…

Hain has played his hand well, Guido heard a rumour that it was to be him who was going to berate Brown at Monday’s PLP meeting.  Perhaps Brown’s henchmen heard it too, bringing him back buys Hain off.  The barrel is really being scraped in the effort to prop up Gordon…


Back Him, Or He’ll Sack You

A Blairite source tells Guido that last night Brown’s henchmen started calling ministers from 10 pm when Purnell’s bombshell exploded, demanding in no uncertain terms  that they publicly back Brown if they wanted to keep their jobs in today’s re-shuffle.

Caroline Flint, who is not a renowned fan of Gordon, issued a statement of support last night.  Might as well keep the ministerial pay and perks for as long as possible…

UPDATE : Is it only the Fink and Guido who are amused that last night Hutton released a statement saying Purnell had made the wrong decision to resign, before resigning this morning?


Browndemonium

This reshuffle is all about survival, Gordon Brown’s survival.  He is trying to buy off his enemies, placate cabinet colleagues who could destroy him and stabilise his government.  It looks like he is too weak to be able to put Ed Balls into the Chancellorship, so all last week’s public dithering about Darling’s position was pain for no gain.

Yvette Balls looks set for promotion so the bunker team is not without advance.  Guido can’t help wondering what Mandelson is thinking.  The serpent could, if he wanted, strike a fatal blow at any moment…

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2009

+++ Purnell Pulls the Trigger +++