Split Ends

Did James Purnell act alone? It’s a bit like the Lee Harvey Oswald question. Forty-six years after the assassination of President Kennedy controversy persists over whether Oswald was the lone gunman. I suspect that political historians will take a similar time to mull over the events of the night of 4 June 2009.

It was in those hours that the resignation of the MP for Stalybridge and Hyde could have brought down Gordon Brown. The version accepted by most people seems to be that Purnell’s decision was an individual one. However, others I have spoken to believe his close Blairite friends, the Foreign Secretary David Miliband and the Barrow MP and former Defence Secretary John Hutton, were set to follow immediately. They were deterred by the instant loyalty offensive organised by Peter Mandelson.

Hutton’s later decision to praise Brown but leave the Commons altogether was very surprising. It is easier to explain if, after failing to support Purnell, Hutton realised Brown was going to stay on and that he might lead Labour into years in opposition that he wanted no part of. Until the moment of his departure I had Hutton down as a very ambitious politician indeed.

But then until a few weeks ago “the ginger chipmunk” was also scrabbling vigorously up the greasy pole. Rarely has a political career imploded so quickly as that of Hazel Blears. The ill-judged article poking fun at Gordon Brown’s YouTube appearances was followed by incredulity that the wicked media had misinterpreted the piece. Then came her “flipping” expenses, followed by the spectacle of the minister responsible for local government quitting on the eve of major council elections. The “rock the boat” badge that Blears wore was the last straw for many.

Hazel Blears said she wanted to return to her constituency. The question now arises whether her constituents want her. Her name is mud in local government, certainly amongst the defeated Labour councillors I met at the Lancashire count in Preston. Furthermore, Salford voters seem to have turned against the woman who, to be fair, has done a lot for the residents of Ordsall and Langworthy. Let’s not forget that the Salford Labour Party has a ready-made alternative. The Eccles seat represented by Ian Stewart is being abolished and he lost out in a selection battle with Blears for the merged constituency. Could the canny Scot make a comeback?

It’s been a depressing time for those of us yearning for the next Barbara Castle to emerge in the North West. Bev Hughes, the Stretford MP, is to retire. She was minister for the North West as well as holding down the important job of children’s minister. If the Prime Minister is serious about us having a regional champion, the next one should do the job full-time. The Liverpool MP Jane Kennedy has also gone. She built her reputation fighting Militant and claimed the same macho culture was now being practised by the Prime Minister’s henchmen.

This extraordinary period in British politics, from the expenses revelations, through the resignation of the Speaker
and Cabinet ministers, ended for me watching Nick Griffin winning a place to represent the North West in the European Parliament. Sir Robert Atkins, the leading Tory MEP, can be a bit pompous at times. But his speech denouncing the BNP was courageous and eloquent.

So where does all this leave business people still battling the worst of the recession? It looks as if wavering Cabinet ministers and backbenchers felt that a change of leader would have precipitated a disastrous early election. It is now likely that Gordon Brown will remain leader until a May election next year. He will hope that his efforts to clean up politics and introduce constitutional changes coupled with signs of an economic recovery will at least reduce the scale of Labour’s defeat.

However the prospects of a certain clear Tory victory have been clouded. In the council and European elections Cameron fell below the share of the vote that would indicate power is within his grasp. Furthermore all the main parties could be damaged by alienated voters determined to support fringe parties free of sleaze.

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