Tom Watson, the highly-rated West Bromwich East MP, has taken a calculated risk in kicking at what he imagines are the crumbling gates of Blairism. By resigning as a junior minister and publicly calling on Mr Blair to stand down, Mr Watson has led the battle to oust the Prime Minister.
He has therefore scrapped any hope of a career under the Blair regime. But he presumably has some hope that when Gordon Brown takes over he will be summoned to Downing Street for the friendliest of chats.
So the Black Country MP has seemingly staked his career on an orderly transfer of power with the clear successor taking over from the present leader.
The only snag is that in the history of modern politics such a thing has hardly ever happened. The Westminster landscape is scattered with the corpses of seemingly surefire leaders who fell victim to what Harold Macmillan described as “events, dear boy, events.”
On this clear September day, nothing looks more certain than Tony Blair stepping down in the next few months and handing over to Gordon Brown.
But then it once seemed certain that John Smith would lead Labour to victory. Mr Smith died. Gordon Brown would surely succeed him. But Mr Brown stood aside.
When Mrs Thatcher quit, it seemed either Michael Heseltine or Douglas Hurd would take over. Who would have put money on John Major not only succeeding her but winning the 1992 General Election?
And let no-one forget that today’s Tory leader, David Cameron, was once running a poor second to David Davis. One weak speech at Blackpool was all it took to scupper the Davis campaign.
What if Tony Blair simply refuses to go? What if Gordon “Prudent” Brown’s economy starts to go belly-up? What if Labour MPs demand a leadership election?
Tom Watson’s brave gamble may come off.
But if he finds himself 12 months from now as a passed-over backbencher under the wrong leader, he will remember Macmillan’s words: events, dear boy, events.
You got off lightly this time, Russell
Rod Stewart has had his share of romance but the old rocker is famously discreet and proud of his children.
So no wonder he was furious when the bed-hopping comedian Russell Brand implied, at an awards ceremony, that he had seduced Rod’s daughter Kimberly. The singer promptly forced Brand into an embarrassing retraction.
Brand is 31. By now he should have learned that boasting of your conquests is pitifully juvenile and that doing it in front of their fathers can seriously damage your health.
Wise words MP should remember
He has therefore scrapped any hope of a career under the Blair regime. But he presumably has some hope that when Gordon Brown takes over he will be summoned to Downing Street for the friendliest of chats.
So the Black Country MP has seemingly staked his career on an orderly transfer of power with the clear successor taking over from the present leader.
The only snag is that in the history of modern politics such a thing has hardly ever happened. The Westminster landscape is scattered with the corpses of seemingly surefire leaders who fell victim to what Harold Macmillan described as “events, dear boy, events.”
On this clear September day, nothing looks more certain than Tony Blair stepping down in the next few months and handing over to Gordon Brown.
But then it once seemed certain that John Smith would lead Labour to victory. Mr Smith died. Gordon Brown would surely succeed him. But Mr Brown stood aside.
When Mrs Thatcher quit, it seemed either Michael Heseltine or Douglas Hurd would take over. Who would have put money on John Major not only succeeding her but winning the 1992 General Election?
And let no-one forget that today’s Tory leader, David Cameron, was once running a poor second to David Davis. One weak speech at Blackpool was all it took to scupper the Davis campaign.
What if Tony Blair simply refuses to go? What if Gordon “Prudent” Brown’s economy starts to go belly-up? What if Labour MPs demand a leadership election?
Tom Watson’s brave gamble may come off.
But if he finds himself 12 months from now as a passed-over backbencher under the wrong leader, he will remember Macmillan’s words: events, dear boy, events.
You got off lightly this time, Russell
Rod Stewart has had his share of romance but the old rocker is famously discreet and proud of his children.
So no wonder he was furious when the bed-hopping comedian Russell Brand implied, at an awards ceremony, that he had seduced Rod’s daughter Kimberly. The singer promptly forced Brand into an embarrassing retraction.
Brand is 31. By now he should have learned that boasting of your conquests is pitifully juvenile and that doing it in front of their fathers can seriously damage your health.
This time, a red face. Next time, a black eye?
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