Gordon’s coronation comes one step nearer

The Education Secretary, Alan Johnson, this afternoon confirmed what has seemed likely for a few weeks – he will not be standing against Gordon Brown in the coming Labour leadership contest but will run for the deputy job instead.

His position had seemed in doubt following the October Populus poll when he did not seem to be making a mark compared with Brown against Cameron. In this month’s Populus Poll Gordon’s position against Cameron had moved considerably with the survey showing that with him leading the party it would only be 4% behind.

So the only person who has said that he will oppose Brown if he can get the nominations is John McDonnell – the former Deputy Leader of the GLC who was sacked by Ken Livingstone for wanting to be too confrontational against the Thatcher government in the 1980s.

In the betting Brown is now at 0.27/1 with John Reid moving in a touch to 11.5/1. McDonnell is at 159/1.

Mike Smithson