Blears resigned because she was about to be pushed and thought she may as well damage Brown, who she dislikes and is on opposite faction divides from, while she did. Well, shes next thing to a thief so no real sympathy, but making a powerplay out of an immenenet firing… well eh. Since its for a good cause…

Well, sure, be disgusted with labour MP’s- be disgusted at them for their past nominations of Brown, and for being pathetic whip fodder throughout that. A measured process of leadership change? That can only happen with leaders who are willing to consider leaving. Since that is almost never the case, now as with 1990 its only with much wailing and gnashing of teeth that change can happen. If you want to blame someone for that now blame the fool who has continued to cling to the job he has so manifestly failed to do well.

As for Johnson, even if he was gunning for the PM he would be acting loyal. If you are going to stand in a leadership election in which unions and members can vote you don’t act disloyal the day before an election, thats as basic as it gets (and probably why whichever leading lefty was hawking the letter didn’t want the press to know).

I mean you say its stupid, but why is it? Really, the stupid thing was leaving it this long, and it seems they are finally seeing sense (or the writing on the wall). Either way, we can be hopeful of marginally better government shortly and opposition parties can mourn the loss of a great asset.

Laurie, best LibCon article title ever. You rock.

They didn’t listen to parliament

Well – I was and am against both the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, but on the latter, the government did give parliament a chance to vote on it, and a majority did vote for it. Still – they ignored everyone else.

Slightly o/t here – but who reckons we will see a great deal of policy difference under Cameron? He hasn’t mentioned what any of his policies will be, so I assume he’ll just borrow those of Brown’s (i.e. shit, totalitarian, inefficient and ineffective) and pretend as if anything has changed.

Why don’t they just change the name of “new” Labour to the Blair party?

Spot on Laurie. Absolutely spot on.

This media attempt to turn her into a bloody martyr of some kind is so sickening it’s enough to make you vomit.

She should have gone ages ago. Along with Purnell, Darling and Brown himself.

‘…tiny designer handbag…’

Meeow!!

Glad to see the back of her but attacking her for her accessories is just as mysoginistic as criticising other women MPs for their shoes or lipstick.

We don’t see male MP’s criticized in these terms.

Shatterface: nah, that was just bitchy . Also, I’ve met her, and I’m jealous of the handbag.

So the “Guardianistas cackling armchair anarchy into their Cappucino’s” who normally write for and post to this site won’t be inviting Hazel Blears to their dinner parties then!? Pity, because she might have some good anecdotes to literally dine out on. In order to raise the level of debate I would suggest discussing recipes…I do a good pasta al forno with meatballs and I also know a veggie version with aubergine balls instead of meat.
Of course you might all be busy studying for your exams and so don’t have either the money to buy or the time to read the Guardian and so the accusation of you being “Guardianistas” might be unfair. Apologies!

Never mind handbags what about this bit of wardrobe?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6425772.ece

[7][9] Cheer up, Laurie, at least you didn’t say Blears was “a bit glam”…

Well said, Penny.

Yes where are the Robin Cooks and John Smiths now?

Laurie: I suspect the only support Blears will get now is from the Ginger Liberation Front (Salford Chapter).

Rayyan:

Slightly o/t here – but who reckons we will see a great deal of policy difference under Cameron? He hasn’t mentioned what any of his policies will be, so I assume he’ll just borrow those of Brown’s (i.e. shit, totalitarian, inefficient and ineffective) and pretend as if anything has changed.

Equally off topic reply: expect more of the same, without the jokes or the public spending, and with the swivel-eyed ideological certainty of the Bush/Cheney years.

Will: Why don’t they just change the name of “new” Labour to the Blair party? I’m sure the likes of Tessa Jowell would have suggested it given half the chance, backed up with supportive articles from John Rentoul, Martin Kettle or David Aaronovich (I’d have added Polly Toynbee, but she seems to be casting doe eyes at Alan Johnson these days).

“Watch out America. Europe’s had this for years. It will get much uglier too. Fight!”

To your keyboards, counter-Jihadists! And send a spray of capitalisations that will mildly bemuse the enemy into submission…

Hey, hey. Hazel is a bit Glam…

…if you’re talking this kind of glam:
(n.b. the red leathers even feature, bottom left pic…)

http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=Dave+Hill+Slade&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGGL_en___GB229&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=EPonSsaDAtS2jAf-85HrBw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dwKkl7Nydw

Better quality:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heWJuAPO9zw&feature=related

Ding-dong the witch is dead:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jun/04/james-purnell-resigns-gordon-brown-cabinet

Purnell’s gone but not in circumstances I’d like. What in the blue blazes is going to happen now?

It’s depressing that all the negative elements are leaving the cabinet to preserve their future. Almost makes me want to cheer on Brown so that they can languish and fade away like they deserve

Haha, almost indeed… I’d like to see the reaction to a Purnell vs. Brown Leadership contest

I am speechless at the shifting loyalties of the ultra-Blairites. First Brown managed to drive a wedge between Blears and Purnell, Flint coming-out for Blears. Now Purnell has followed Blears, and Flint… has apparently come out swinging for Brown. I can’t help but think that they are all individually vying for their own best place in a leadership contest after the next election.