Is this what you look like when you are “Browned off“

Just going through the video of yesterday’s PMQs I was so struck by two brief cutaways of Kelly, Milliband, Denham and Blears as their leader was wrangling with Cameron over the Irish referendum result that I took the above screen shots. The four don’t look happy bunnies at all.

Miliband, of course, is the 5/2 favourite to succeed Gordon while Denham is at 7/1.

Yet what can they do about the situation? Their political careers are so tied up with Gordon’s that none of them is going to risk doing anything that will upset the apple-cart. Yet even though they would never publicly admit it they probably agree with almost every word of Jonathan Freedland’s analysis in yesterday’s Guardian.

For what is becoming blindingly obvious to many is that under the current leadership Labour faces a big defeat and the party could be out of power for several terms. Perhaps the only chance they have is with a new leader who can re-build the coalition that brought the party to power eleven years ago.

I don’t think it is going to happen – Gord is going to stay and Cameron will win the election.

Latest Next Labour leader betting.

PB Summer Barbecue. Just a reminder that this starts at 6pm at the National Liberal Club in Whitehall Place, just round the corner from the Embankment tube station. It costs £20 and there is a cash bar.

Mike Smithson