Blair faces motion at conference to resign

[T_i_B]

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=446446

Grassroots members of the Labour Party in Brent East want to oust Tony Blair as Prime Minister because of the party's surprise defeat in last week's by-election.

Labour sources said yesterday that the party in Brent, north London, would table an emergency motion at Labour's annual conference in Bournemouth next week calling for a leadership contest. Some members have complained that the Labour campaign was "taken over" by figures from the party's national headquarters.

When Labour is in power, a leadership contest can be triggered only by the conference voting for one by a simple majority on a card vote. Other local parties are also expected to submit emergency motions calling for a leadership election.

The Labour hierarchy is expected to ensure that the motion is not debated. The trade unions hold 50 per cent of the conference votes and, while some have been critical of Mr Blair, there is little stomach for a divisive leadership contest. "People may want a different leader and different policies, but very few want six months of self-flagellation," said one left-winger. "It would be mutually assured destruction."

[jamesinca]

1. This is a huge thing

I thought I had read some time back that the British parliment had given Blair till 12/31/03 to come up with WMD or they would pursue such actions. I guess his own party is not willing to wait that long. I would be real curious to see if this would have any ripples in the U.S. I am also waiting for the Spanish elections to take place. Blair and Aznar are both distancing themselves from Bush, he is bad politics and these guys want to keep their jobs.

[Spentastic]

2. Not a chance

Pissing in the wind. This will have any impact.

Unfortunately.

[dudeness]

3. never underestimate rank and file determination

labour needs to be rid of blair..he is now a liability to the movement ..history tells us a political death in the labour party can be painfully slow..

[emad]

4. Bowel motion more likely....

having shat on his electorate and having helped Dumbo shit on his, Poodle is hoping that his natural boyish charm and the sight of the lovely Cherie's gorgeous legs will win the day in Bournemouth next week....

[xchrom]

5. charming description

[Jack Rabbit]

6. The Democrats should do likewise

Just as Labour should not be led by Blair, neither should we have to be led by the "Blair Democrats".

The war against Iraq has been exposed for what it is: a colonial invasion that has made the world more dangerous and terrorists more powerful. It accomplished it real goal, which was to remunerate Bush's campaign contributors by looting Iraq. In terms of any goals that were important to average Americans who simply don't want rightwing nuts like Osama smashing jets into their work places, the war was a blunder. Those who bought into it need to be contrite or pay a heavy price.

[T_i_B]

7. Don't bet on Blair being toppled

From the article

The Labour hierarchy is expected to ensure that the motion is not debated. The trade unions hold 50 per cent of the conference votes and, while some have been critical of Mr Blair, there is little stomach for a divisive leadership contest. "People may want a different leader and different policies, but very few want six months of self-flagellation," said one left-winger. "It would be mutually assured destruction."

Blair will fix thingas as much as he can. Indeed if "new" labour were able to change and to listen to its grass roots then chances are that there would be a damm sight more people in the party. There are an awful lot of real Labpur people out there who realize things are going wrong but also realize that "new" labour is in effect little more than a Tony Blair fan club and is not inclined to reform from within.

Just be glad you Yanks have the primarys. We Brits could really do with own own Howard Dean at the moment.