Are Labour’s backers going on strike?

Everywhere I go and almost everybody I talk to seems to have their own theory on what will bring Gordon’s tenure at Number 10 to an end.

“It’s going to be David Miliband who’ll put the party ahead of his prospects”; “It’s going to be on health grounds”; and today it’s the suggestion that it will be pressure from party donors that will finally determine the issue.

This was from Rachel Sylvestor in today’s Times: “But one group is not about to take defeat lying down. The wealthy donors who have contributed to the Labour Party over the past ten years did not get rich by backing losers. They are used to hiring and firing people in their professional lives and they are unsentimental about their politics too. I bumped into one rich businessman, who has given substantial sums to Labour, rushing into the House of Lords last week..“I’m not going to give them any more money while Gordon Brown is leader,” he declared. “It’s time for the next generation to take over.” Another former donor admitted that he was deeply disappointed by the Labour leader’s performance “He’s just not up to the job,” he said. “Being Chancellor played to all his strengths but Prime Minister seems to bring out every weakness.”

One thing I feel sure about – if there is a move by ministers then Gordon would not fight it all the way to a ballot. Elections are the one thing he is going to avoid as we have seen in his past career.

Next Labour leader betting.

Mike Smithson