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Blair loses his first vote as PM, 90-day rule defeated by 31 votes.

MPs have gone for the 28 day amendment.

[Chris]

fantastic!

That's the best news I've heard all day.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4422086.stm

[JaseyBoi]

well well well wonder how lnong before Mr ANthony Blair is kiked to the kurb eh.....

On the news it said that wednesday the 9th of November at 16:34 2005 will go down in history as the downfall of tony blair..............

It was also on sky news last week that Mr Brown wants him out but that was 'reported' not actually said by himself

[Knight of Swords]

Ach they're saying Blair was happy for this to happen. Some of the stuff that he still wants to bring into Parliament is apparently even less popular than this, so he wants to make himself look like he's trying tough on terror (identifying with the middle-Englanders etc) but his plans are being sabotaged by Brown's camp.

Basically, if he gets the stuff through, he's quite happy and if he keeps losing votes and eventually loses his job, he's going to make it look like it was Brown's doing and that Brown has let a personal quarrel take more precendence than the security of the nation. One thing it does indicate from this is that Blair thinks Brown's going to be the PM soon (presumably Alan Millburn isn't going to get the job after all).

Forgot to say, the other thing that might happen is that the Tories will back Blair's policies whilst a large quantity of the Labour Party won't, which will rip Labour apart. I wonder if Blair's thinking is that since he can't get anyone to succeed him from his own camp, he's going to make sure Brown inherits a poisoned chalice.

[Dave]

It's not so much Brown vs. Blair as Old Labour vs. New. There is a difference. Blair knows that Brown's going to take over eventually, and that the only way Labour are going to win the next election is if the party can rally behind the new PM, so he has to get the unpopular but necessary legislation on the statute book now. It's not so much a case of sabotaging Brown's premiership, than a concerted effort to use whichever means necessary to implement the promises as set out under Labour's manifesto.

Watching the news last night made me feel vaguely ill. Has-beens such as Clare Short and Frank Dobson prosletysing in their usual smug and patronising manner revelling in their "victory", while joining Kennedy and Howard in their calls for Blair to go. There is a certain element within the parliamentary Labour Party that has never been comfortable in government and has continued to display opposition traits throughout the lifespan of this administration. They're going to do the same to Brown as well unless he capitulates completely to the awkward squad and runs on an old-fashioned left wing manifesto at the next general election, which he'll lose badly.

If Brown can use the momentum of his "honeymoon" period, however, he may well carry on in the style of Blair, challenging the Tories to vote down populist issues in Parliament and sticking to the centrist policies that got Labour three election victories in a row. He's not daft, is Gordon. He's a lot closer to Blair ideologically than people realise. The malcontents may be rallying around his flag right now, but he'll dispose of them once they've served their purpose.

[Stripey]

bbc news headline this morning is

Blair says MPs are out of touch
Tony Blair tells his Cabinet there is a "worrying gap" between some MPs and public opinion over the terror threat.

More like there is a worrying gap between blair and public opinion, am I right?

[Dave]

Originally Posted by gridlock

bbc news headline this morning is

Blair says MPs are out of touch
Tony Blair tells his Cabinet there is a "worrying gap" between some MPs and public opinion over the terror threat.

More like there is a worrying gap between blair and public opinion, am I right?

From a Populus poll conducted between November 4-6th

"Tony Blair is right to insist that the police should have the power to detain suspected terrorist suspects without charging them for up to 90 days"

Agree-64%
Disagree-32%

The poll breaks down to show that 71% of Labour voters back the PM, and 60% of non-Labour voters do the same.

Incidentally, others in favour of the 90 day measure were the police force, the security services, and Gordon Brown.

[JaseyBoi]

Financial Times

"Pack your bags cherie your leaving"

Removal and drivers needed please contact : 01877 number 10 number 10

[Hugh_Jazz]

Let's just hope that somebody we let out of jail after 28 days doesnt go and bomb us, because the police weren't allowed enough time to get the proper evidence.

It's a horrible situation for any innocents that are arrested, but I personally would prefer that the police have the option of keeping someone in for 90 days if it means a shitload of people dont get bombed.

I think Blair got this one right for once, and I hope we dont live to regret it.