Resigned Blairite Ministers plotted to topple Brown
June 7th, 2009 - 3:34 pm ICT by ANI
London, June 7 (ANI): Cabinet ministers supposedly loyal to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, reportedly coordinated a plot to force incumbent Premier Gordon Brown to step down.
Cabinet Ministers Hazel Blears, James Purnell, John Hutton and Caroline Flint all claimed that they were working alone when they handed in their resignations to Number 10, but The Sunday Telegraph discloses they were part of a group of Blairites that met secretly for months and tried to co-ordinate last week’s resignations.
Their intention was to force Brown to stand down in favour of Alan Johnson, the then Health Secretary.Brown faced fresh embarrassment last night after a leaked email showed that Lord Mandelson said the Prime Minister was “self conscious”, “insecure” and “angry”.
The Prime Minister faces another damaging poll defeat on Sunday with the announcement of the result of the European Parliament elections.
Brown will come under further pressure on Monday when he addresses backbenchers at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
Meanwhile, a survey of Labour backbenchers by the paper discloses that almost half of those who responded either refused to support Brown or wanted him to step down. (ANI)
- Purnell warns Brown to stand down to stop Labour's inevitable election defeat - Jun 05, 2009
- British PM accused of 'female window dressing' - Jun 06, 2009
- Fourth British minister quits, Brown urged to step down (Lead) - Jun 05, 2009
- Brown's wife launches 'lasagne offensive' to woo cabinet members - Jul 06, 2009
- Cameron had secret talks with Blair over Libya crisis - Mar 03, 2011
- Brit minister accuses Brown of using women ministers as 'female window dressings' - Jun 06, 2009
- Labour MP admits calling Gordon Brown 'a f****** disaster' as PM - Dec 23, 2009
- Third minister steps down from Brown's government - Jun 05, 2009
- Blair says Brown "effectively blackmailed" him over cash-for-honours scandal - Sep 01, 2010
- When Tony Blair did not want to fight Gordon Brown - May 30, 2010
- UK MPs spend millions of taxpayers' money to clean their flats - May 08, 2009
- Blair felt Brown was 'mad, bad and dangerous' - Jul 14, 2010
- Blair sought Fergie's 'hairdryer treatment' advice to deal with 'troublesome' Brown - Sep 02, 2010
- Brown told Blair 'You ruined my life': Book - Feb 25, 2010
- Brown's closest ally plotting to throw him out of PM Office - Jun 14, 2009
Tags: alan johnson, british prime minister, british prime minister tony blair, cabinet ministers, caroline flint, european parliament elections, former british prime minister tony blair, hazel blears, health secretary, james purnell, john hutton, labour backbenchers, mandelson, minister tony blair, parliamentary labour party, prime minister tony blair, resignations, secretary brown, sunday telegraph, tony blair
