Geoff Hoon has given an interview to GMTV on Sunday in which he nails his colours firmly to the Gordon Brown bandwagon, if such a thing exists.“I believe we have an excellent candidate in Gordon Brown, someone who has enormous experience, has run the economy remarkably successfully over a long period of time. I think we’re quite fortunate, the country’s fortunate in having such a powerful figure clearly ahead of any others who might consider standing so managing that process I accept at the start of this interview, here’s a difficult challenge for the government, it’s one that I think we have to take an interest of the country, not simply an interest of the Labour Party.”
Hoon also reckons that the Dear Leader hasn't made his own mind up yet on the timing of his departure.
“I do not know, let me make it clear, when Tony Blair has judged that it is appropriate for him to leave the job. Because I do not know that and I suspect he may not yet have made up him mind.”
Well, Blair's only got 30 days to announce it, otherwise I lose my bet...
13 comments:
Just what Brown needs a Loonatic on his side.
In any normal reality, the support of Hoon would be the final blow to the campaign. In the topsy turvy world of New Labour, this is considered momentum. Goodness.
Buff's second revenge in as many weeks for the humiliation of his demotion from Cabinet in May. (The first was his flattering reference to David Cameron).
Since around May/June, I have consistently said that Blair would be gone by the end of September. I haven't changed my mind.
Although Hoon deserves to be despised more than most among the ranks of New Labour (something of an achievement)for his glorious work at Defence and during the Kelly affair, it would be wrong to underestimate him as a politician. As leader of the House he had to answer for all the follies of the government and the opposition did not lay a glove on him:he was articulate, confident, amusing, amazingly well briefed and, when required, oozed sincerity - a PR dream. In the slimy world of party politics I should imagine he would be a good man to have on your side.
New Labour organised a lovely reception when Blair entered No10, but something tells me that his exit will be by the back door!
Buff Hoon the eptiome of NuLab minister. "I am only here for the pension and perks. Tony shafts me regularly, routinely humilates me but what the heck I am unemployable other than as a virtual minister. If my tongue was good enough for Tony its good enough for Gordon. Each extra year of service adds anough £7500 to my index linked pension. Who is your Buffoon now? I ask."
"Well, Blair's only got 30 days to announce it, otherwise I lose my bet..."
Iain, if your bet is with Betfair, you've probably lost it already since their market is based on the date the CHANGE of leadership takes place, as opposed to Blair's announcement and it would take longer than a month to arrange the ballot, always assuming one is required.
My bet is for Q4 2007, following next year's party conference, available with Betfair at approx 8.5/1 last time I looked. But DYOR folks!
You're all as mad as Tony wanting Tony to go.
Tony is worth 2 points in the polls for every month he stays.
Please stay Tony you really are a great leader, don't listen to all those voices their mad.
Geoff Hoon was subject to some extremely bad taste comedy about Blair turning off his life support machine in front of cheering crowds on Time Trumpet last night... but it was rather funny in an extremely blackly humourous way
Hoon has always reminded me of a rat, for some reason. Not the cuddly anthropomorphic little creatures like Ratty in Wind in the Willows. The kind that jump off sinking ships.
Wasn't there a rather nasty kind of plague that was spread about by rats scuttling from one cosy bolthole to another?
javelin said...
"You're all as mad as Tony wanting Tony to go.
Tony is worth 2 points in the polls for every month he stays.
Please stay Tony you really are a great leader, don't listen to all those voices their mad."
Not sure you are right about "2 points in the polls for every month he stays", but in essence you are correct - TB has been a huge asset for Labour and no one else comes close.
This is, in the main, a right of centre blog and that's precisely why most on here wish to see GB installed as leader asap, thereby ensuring the beginning of the end of this lot. Got it?
Dear Anon 8:14pm
From my culinary enthusiasm for such creatures, I rather suspect that Mole's friend Ratty may have been a water-vole
Sadly it seems that moles & water voles (like Farmers & British Manufacturers) are increasingly out of place in the Neu-Labour Project
Your obedient servant etc
G Eagle
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