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Originally Posted by :
David Miliband and Harriet Harman are preparing the ground for a leadership election, Times Online can reveal.
Many in the Labour party now believe that a revolt against Gordon Brown is highly likely, with the probability that it will take place at the start of September.
A number of ministers are considering standing down in early Autumn, possibly refusing to serve in a Brown reshuffle, it was reported by The Times today
It is alleged that Ms Harman was spotted on Thursday night, watching the scale of Labour's defeat in the Glasgow East by-election on the television, telling aides "this is my moment". This comes despite public protestations of loyalty from Labour's deputy leader, who is "minding the shop" in Downing Street this week while Mr Brown is on holiday.
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"I think most people have accepted that it is over and only a handful of people in Downing Street are trying to stop anything happening," said a senior government source.
Friends of James Purnell, the Work and Pensions Secretary, have confirmed that he has reached an agreement with David Miliband so that he would represent the Blairites in any contest. He is understood to have been quietly sounding out colleagues about a Miliband candidacy.
Senior party figures are urging Alan Johnson to agree to serve as Mr Miliband's deputy in a so-called "dream ticket".
The operation to canvass support for the Foreign Secretary includes senior Labour figures in the Lords, who have been contacting peers to prepare the ground for a bid. He is believed to be the best hope for the Blairite wing of the party, despite his failure to challenge Mr Brown for the leadership last year.
Meanwhile Ms Harman's private speech to the National Policy Forum in Warwick on Saturday night was seen as a bid for the leadership.
As well as making jokes at the expense of Jack Straw, another possible contender, she laid out the need to put equality and fairness at the centre of the Labour government - believed to be the centrepiece of any campaign.
Labour sources believe she has a serious chance of becoming leader if a contest is held. "The public do not have a say in any contest, just the Labour Party, and people easily forget she won the last time a vote was held. She has quietly been working on the unions, with her husband Jack Dromey, and is popular amongst the membership, as well as having the backing of a large number of MPs."
There are fears in Labour circles that up to six candidates could stand - like the deputy leadership contest - because the signatures of only 45 MPs are needed to enter the race. However, one source believes that the race would fold down into a contest between Ms Harman and Mr Miliband.
Mr Brown's performance at the National Policy Forum on Friday lunchtime, where he talked at length about India and China and the significance of the iPod, made by US giant Apple, is being spoken about as the event that convinced some they had reached the point of no return.
The most significant outcome of the Forum - which was meant to agree an agenda for the next Labour manifesto - was an agreement with the unions to sit down again in the next 18 months. This is because union leaders think there is little point in negotiating with Mr Brown before the next election.
Originally Posted by Ea of Dune:
As for Milliband, I can't stand him, he reminds me of Gollum from LoTR, skulking around in the shadows plotting and what not :-)
Originally Posted by Unionist:
Incidentally, I don't think Miliband is 'creepy'. Accepting that few here are going to share his politics, he is still a talented politician nevertheless.
Originally Posted by brian pearson:
'Talented politician'. There lies the problem! Another career politician.
Says the 'right' things....does the 'right' things.....never done owt in the real world. Flaming robot!
Originally Posted by Unionist:
I meant that he is a politician who is talented, not that his talent is as a politician (though presumably that is true too).
He worked for the Institute for Public Policy Research for some years and was also secretary (IIRC) to the Commission on Social Justice, the main report of which was instrumental in setting the groundwork for reform in the Labour party even before Blair took over. He then spent six years as head of the Downing Street Policy Unit. He is someone who understands policy issues better than most politicians.
Parliament is stuffed full of lawyers and trade union hacks. I don't see that their experience is necessarily more valid. You need different skills in parliament and Miliband has important skills to offer as well as an intellectual capability that is much higher than the parliamentary average, I would suggest.
Sometimes you have to recognise people's personal and intellectual qualities even if you disagree with their views.
Originally Posted by :
The Foreign Secretary has held private talks with the "ultra Blairite" former health secretary about taking a senior role in a Miliband Government.
In a sign that his plans to become Labour leader are at an advanced stage, Mr Miliband has told friends that Mr Milburn, a hate figure for many of Mr Brown's allies, would play a central role in trying to revive the Government's fortunes.
Mr Milburn, a former Health Secretary who has been critical of Mr Brown's leadership, is understood to have told Mr Miliband he would be happy to accept the Treasury.
Mr Miliband has emerged as a potential challenger to Mr Brown's fragile authority after last week outlining his personal manifesto for reviving Labour and repeatedly refusing to rule out a bid to oust the Prime Minister.
The revelation of Mr Milburn's agreement with Mr Miliband is likely to infuriate Mr Brown.
It is the clearest sign yet of how advanced the Foreign Secretary's plans are, despite his public claims that he is not running a leadership campaign.