Is your wager on deputy PM – not deputy leader? A couple of people have emailed to point out that the earlier version of William Hill’s deputy market was not on who would be deputy leader, but who would become deputy prime minister. At the time, nearly a year ago, the two roles were seen as being almost synonymous and they had not really checked the details. But things could change dramatically following the strong reports today that Brown is…
HenryG reviews the runners and the prices For those still amazed that Brown has been crowned Labour Leader without facing an election, one thing that must be a certainty is that his successor won’t be so privileged. No doubt in the bowels of Westminster some will be plotting their moves to ingratiate themselves with the new leader, others looking to pounce with an alternative agenda should Labour crash at the next election. The current Deputy Leadership contest will no doubt…
It looks like there will be a Betfair “Who’s in – who’s out” market? Further to the article yesterday on new Betfair markets it’s now looking likely that we will be able to trade very soon on who will be in and out of Gordon Brown’s first cabinet. And when we do what odds will be available on Ruth Kelly and Patricia Hewitt holding onto their places after their torrid times yesterday in the Commons? The sketch writers in this…
David Herdson checks out the runners for the Foreign Secretary job? With Blair as prime minister, being foreign secretary has been something of a thankless task for Cook, and especially Straw and Beckett – he’s done most of the work himself. After he stands down, the Foreign Office must look a more attractive post to cabinet ministers than it does now, and perhaps more attractive than the Treasury should Brown make the move from No 11 to No 10. While…
What’s behind these latest market moves? As the chart shows there’s been a big shift to Benn on the deputy leader market in the past few hours. Could it be that a new poll is about to come out that will reinforce Benn’s campaign? I don’t know but this just looks as though someone has some knowledge. Mike Smithson
Is the Education secretary worth his favourite status? After getting the most MP nominations for Labour deputy Alan Johnson has become the early favourite and although his price has eased a touch the best that can be had is 2.1/1. Yet the problem Johnson faces is that Labour MPs only represent a third of the electoral college that will decide the job – another third being the party membership at large and the final third being trade unionists who pay…
Is it worth betting on Brown taking over a lot earlier? The extraordinary situation that could see Gordon winning the Labour leadership by default this afternoon but having to wait until the end of June before taking over has already led to calls that the change-over should happen now. This is the front page editorial in the Independent this morning and the message could not be clearer. Brown is the winner – what’s the point of Blair struggling on for…
How is the new “humble” Brown going down with the voters? So far we have not had a proper polling reaction to the “wall-to-wall” Brown coverage that seems to have been dominating the TV screens since the Chancellor launched his campaign for the leadership last Friday. Yesterday’s YouGov poll was carried out last Thursday and Friday when Blair’s historic departure speech was dominating the headlines and only a proportion of the pollster’s internet voting panel will have completed their online…