One major cabinet minister who has kept his silence today is Alistair Darling, chancellor of the exchequer. Why? We know he is a friend of both Geoff Hoon and Bob Ainsworth (who, you may remember, was expected to resign last summer – but stayed for a cabinet promotion).
As I understand it they have been regular dining companions for years with Jane Kennedy (who stepped down last summer to savage Brown). Perhaps Darling’s silence is innocent. His team say he has been busy in meetings all afternoon. But let’s wait and see.
Also: Having studied the statement from the prince of darkness Lord Mandelson, I can’t help thinking it’s a bit lacking in enthusiasm for the prime minister. Here it is:
No-one should overreact to this initiative. It is not led by members of the Government. No-one has resigned from the Government. The Prime Minister continues to have the support of his colleagues and we should carry on government business as usual.
It looks rather like a holding statement, in my view.
UPDATE
Where is Jack Straw? Why the silence from the justice secretary?
Harriet Harman, meanwhile, has put out an entirely random statement, as Paul Waugh points out.
FURTHER UPDATE
Darling’s statement has come out. Like Mandelson, it is not a ringing endorsement of his party leader.
“The prime minister and I met this afternoon and we discussed how we take forward economic policies to secure the recovery. I won’t be deflected from that.”
Nothing about his undying love for Mr Brown. It also hints, perhaps, at some kind of deal between the chancellor and the prime minister to retain the former’s loyalty.
LAST UPDATE at 7pm
There is plenty of despair within Labour that this is all playing into the hands of David Cameron and his ultra-disciplined (relatively) party. Check out these postings by Hopi Sen or Sunder Katwala.
If Labour MPs aren’t entirely convinced that Gordon Brown is worth fighting for, then what hope is there for the party’s dwindling band of councillors and activists ahead of the general election?
Once again, the current result – Brown survives but weaker than before – is a success for Cameron.
Jim Pickard
Kiran Stacey
