Gordon Brown to quit as Labour leader

May 11 2010 by William Green, The Journal

GORDON Brown last night gatecrashed David Cameron’s hoped for coalition with the Liberal Democrats by announcing he was quitting as Labour leader.

The announcement came on an extraordinary day at Westminster as the three parties jockeyed for power and the pressure on the leaders and negotiators rose to boiling point.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg asked for formal talks with Labour, having previously indicated any deal was impossible if Mr Brown remained as Prime Minister.

Mr Brown paved the way for a Labour-Lib Dem deal when he promised to step down as his party’s leader within months as he scrambled for a “progressive” coalition deal with the Lib Dems to keep the Tories out of power.

It was three years to day since his predecessor, Tony Blair, had announced his own intention to resign. Speaking last night, Mr Clegg said no “comprehensive” deal had been reached with the Tories and it was right to open talks with Labour given the “urgency” of the situation.

But in a dramatic counter-move shortly afterwards, the Conservatives offered a referendum on voting reform.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne said the promise of a referendum was a “final offer”.

Last Thursday’s general election produced a hung parliament, leaving the Tories and Labour fighting to secure a deal with the Lib Dems.

Mr Clegg initially launched talks with Mr Cameron after the Conservatives won the most seats and votes.

But problems yesterday emerged with Lib Dem MPs seeking “clarification” on what the Tories would offer on voting reform, while some Lib Dem grassroots supporters openly attacked any deal with the Conservatives.

However, any agreement with Labour would require a “rainbow” coalition with other small parties to ensure any sort of a stable government.

And Mr Brown would remain as Prime Minister for six months, while his replacement would have no direct mandate from the electorate.

Last night, Ron Beadle, the Lib Dem’s defeated parliamentary candidate in Newcastle North, claimed voting reform was a “red line” for many of Lib Dem members and said he did not want a deal with Mr Cameron. He said: “Many Liberal Democrats I have spoken do not believe that the Conservatives have any willingness on the new politics.

“Gordon Brown has said Labour has that willingness and I am delighted at this turn of events.”

Senior Newcastle councillor Sir Jeremy Beecham, a member of Labour’s national executive committee, praised the Prime Minister for his “statesman-like and “dignified” decision and raised hopes of a deal with the Lib Dems.

Dave Anderson, Labour MP for Blaydon, said: “I hope that history is kind to Gordon for his tremendous work for improving the work of the public services in 13 years and also particularly for preventing a global recession turning into a global depression.

“And I look forward to him planning a key role in the Labour movement in whatever he does in the future.”

Defence Minister Kevan Jones, Labour MP for Durham North, said the Mr Brown was a “driven and thoroughly decent individual” and that his legacy would be steering the country through the worst economic crisis in a generation.

“Without his leadership at the right time, the North East would be a very dark economic place today,” said Mr Jones. But he warned a deal with the Lib Dems could be difficult for some Labour MPs and councillors to stomach after a bruising election battle across the region.

And while a referendum on voting reform was acceptable, Mr Jones maintained: “Proportional representation would be difficult for many in the Labour Party to agree.”

James Wharton, the new Conservative MP for Stockton South, said the key issue was forming a stable government that could act in the best interests of the country and make some of the “difficult” decisions needed to deal with Britain’s continuing economic problems. He also backed a referendum on electoral reform if that meant stable government.

Speaking in Downing Street earlier, Mr Brown insisted that an administration could be formed with the Liberal Democrats to command a majority in the House of Commons.

Referring to the hung parliament, the Prime Minister said: “As leader of my party, I must accept that as a judgment on me.

“I therefore intend to ask the Labour Party to set in train the processes needed for its own leadership election.

“I would hope that it would be completed in time for the new leader to be in post by the time of the Labour Party conference (in September).

“I will play no part in that contest, I will back no individual candidate.”

Mr Brown said his aim was to ensure a “stable, strong and principled government” was formed.

And he argued that it was sensible and in the national interest to respond positively to a request from Mr Clegg to begin formal talks.

“The first priority should be an agreed deficit reduction plan to support economic growth and a return to full employment,” said Mr Brown.