As I pointed out at 3pm on Wednesday, Labour plots struggle to gain traction for a variety of reasons - one of which is the lack of an effective mechanism to retire a leader who is unwilling to quit.
It’s one thing to oust Tony Blair with a handful of lightweight names. People tend to forget that Blair had already done a decade in Downing Street.
Getting rid of the ultra-stubborn Brown after just two years or so? Much harder. One rebellious MP told me yesterday that he and 14 pals had considered going out to get 10 signatures each – to make a petition of 150 names.
Like every other attempt so far, it fizzled out when the proponents realised it just wouldn’t work.
Jim Pickard
Kiran Stacey