Gordon Brown heading for coronation as UK Prime Minister

[T_i_B]

Source: Daily Telegraph

Gordon Brown was last night on course for an unopposed "coronation" as the next Labour leader and prime minister after securing the backing of the overwhelming majority of Labour MPs.

By 6pm yesterday, just over 24 hours after nominations opened, he had been proposed by 282 of Labour's 353 MPs. His only challenger, the Left-winger John McDonnell, had 27 supporters and needs another 18 by tomorrow to secure a place in the ballot.

Although Mr McDonnell claimed he was making "good progress", there were growing doubts at Westminster that he would be able to secure the required 45 names.

Michael Meacher, the other potential Left-wing challenger, pulled out of the leadership contest on Monday. Although he urged his backers to switch to Mr McDonnell there was little sign they had done so.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/16/nbrown16.xml

[dipsydoodle]

1. Gordon getting coronated ....lol

is the trade off for losing the Tiny Blur. Blur was the poodle and doubtless Gordon will brown nose Dimson.

[bdamomma]

3. yes, this should be very interesting in regards how the UK

interacts with *, and how France's new president will react to Bush's policies. I think Gordon Brown is not a fan of *, France's president maybe a new ally. What do you guys think?

[dipsydoodle]

4. They will be allies

with respect to the fact that neither will allow a referendum on ratification of the european constitution amendments.

[T_i_B]

7. All friends together

Brown will most likely want to preserve the "special relationship" with America and there are those in the Labour party such as Denis MacShane who have welcomed Sarkozy's election as French President.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Will he still take his summer vacation on Cape Cod? nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. BBC has called it for Brown

Brown will enter No 10 unopposed

Gordon Brown has secured the backing of enough MPs to ensure he will not face a contest to become the next Labour leader and prime minister.

Mr Brown has 308 nominations, prompting his only rival, left-winger John McDonnell, to concede. He was 16 nominations short of the 45 required.
...
Labour MP for Cannock Chase, Dr Tony Wright, earlier told the BBC he had nominated Mr Brown as leader, but it had not yet been added to the Labour Party website.

This gives the chancellor more than the 308 nominations needed to avoid a contest.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6660565.stm

[pescao]

6. john4leader2009!

john mcdonnell is the legitimate prime minister. new labour stitched him up, the big labour-affiliated unions put the knife in and all the deputies went for brown, how outrageous that he needed 45 nominations from labour MPs in the first place - that's not democracy.

[struggle4progress]

8. Britain's Brown pledges new style of government

By Katherine Baldwin and Sophie Walker | May 17, 2007

LONDON, May 17 (Reuters) - Gordon Brown, confirmed on Thursday as Britain's next prime minister, promised a new style of government to rebuild trust in a demoralised and unpopular Labour Party after a decade of Tony Blair. ~snip~

On Iraq -- a policy that in part forced Blair's early exit from office -- Brown has said mistakes were made but has refused to withdraw troops immediately. ~snip~

Labour parliamentarian Ian Davidson said he welcomed signs that Brown would stand up more for Britain's interests.

"We are much less likely to be seen in future as America's poodle as we have been until now," he said.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2007/05/17/britains_brown_pledges_new_style_of_government/