Brown goes public on NEC snub - Guardian - Very important

[Screaming Lord Byron]

This is where Gordon Brown and Tony Blair part ways. It's an inoccuous headline, but the repercussions for Labour are immense.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labour/story/0,9061,1079011,00.html

[DFLforever]

1. Good! - I hope his timing is perfect and wish him great good luck!

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Not sure if it really is a huge event

At least, the fact that Blair kept Brown off the NEC. It may be significant that Brown has told everyone about it.

One possible reason for keeping Brown off the NEC is said to be Ken Livingstone. The ex-Labour mayor of London is presumably going to run again, and the smart money is on him to win - with an official Labour candidate in an embarrassing 4th place. So Blair wants to woo Livingstone back into Labour - which requires a bit of diplomacy from the NEC. While Blair may not like Livingstone much, Brown apparently loathes him, so keeeping him away from the NEC would be a prudent move.

All just rumour, of course - I can't remember where I heard it from - maybe Andrew Marr, the BBC's political editor.