Even the Guardian turns against Brown
Wednesday, 3 June 2009 12:00 AM
By Ian Dunt
The Guardian newspaper is urging Labour to drop Gordon Brown as its leader, in a surprising and significant intervention.
The centre-left newspaper, which was Mr Brown best ally in the media, launched a devastating critique of the prime minister in its editorial today.
"The truth is that there is no vision from him, no plan, no argument for the future and no support. The public see it. His party sees it. The Cabinet must see it too, although they are not yet bold enough to say so," it reads.
"The prime minister demands loyalty, but that has become too much to ask of a party, and a country, that was never given the chance to vote for him."
It continues: "The mechanics will not be easy to arrange. Change will always be a gamble. Mr Brown, on past form, may fight for his job. But he cannot last if his cabinet refuses to back him, faced with an inward-looking and isolationist reshuffle that leaves the prime minister at odds with the mood of his own parliamentary party.
"Labour has a year left before an election; its current leader would waste it. It is time to cut him loose."
The piece prompted a panic in party ranks, with deputy leader Harriet Harman quickly attacking it.
"I think the Guardian are wrong to say that Gordon Brown and the government has no plan and no vision," she said.
"They are absolutely wrong on that. The people who have no plan for the future and no values actually are the Conservative party."
The prime minister's attempts at a reshuffle were cast into doubt yesterday when a succession of Labour figures resigned, either as MPs or from the government.
Newsletter sign up