...I would probably have tried to do some sort of deal with the LibDems. At the moment it's not playing too well for him - with the LibDems accusing him of going behind Ming's back to offer Paddy Ashdown the NI job - but the Brownites may be calculating that, in the medium-term, it will make their man look less partisan and something of a bridge-builder. The fact that Ming had private talks with Brown is certainly good for the Tories and gives us our 'Vote LibDem, Get Brown' campaign for Tory-LibDem marginals. It appears that LibDem MPs in southern seats were most appalled at the prospect of being seen to team up with Labour.
Here are a few other things I would do in my first week as Prime Minister (if I was Mr B):
- Sack Tessa Jowell and Patricia Hewitt. They are the unacceptable faces of Labour sleaze and incompetence. I would also put personal loyalty aside and sack Des Browne, too. I would give big promotions to Miliband and Johnson and Cabinet positions to the likes of James Purnell and Liam Byrne to show that my Government would have a fresh dynamic.
- I would offer the British people a referendum on the EU Treaty. A new poll from Open Europe says that 83% of Labour voters want a vote. It would also do me a lot of good with The Sun and The Daily Mail.
- Call for Guantanamo Bay to be shut down as soon as possible. [A timetable for withdrawal from Iraq might be a temptation for Mr Brown but this would be a safer way of distancing the new Prime Minister from America without undermining the Iraqi government].
- Write to all of those people who signed the Number Ten Road Pricing Petition with these words:
"I think there are a lot of potential benefits from road pricing but I want to lead a Government that genuinely listens to people. That's why I'm writing to you to say that there will be no national road pricing scheme for ten years. Thank you for signing the petition and I hope you will use other petitions on the Downing Street website to communicate what you want from my Government. It won't always be possible for me to agree to what you want but I will always pay close attention to what you say."
Not sure we should be offering good advice to Brown Tim. Suprised that you are asking for Guantanamo to be closed it's hardly likely to endear him to Bush is it?
In this spirit though he should also sack Falconer who is (a)useless (b)dishonest and (c) only there because he was TBs flatmate.
Posted by: malcolm | June 21, 2007 at 12:45
Far too pedestrian. Why would he want a referendum on the EU? Once the Constitreaty is safely stitched up, Gordon might as well invite all party leaders to form a social club and let Brussels rule. They could abolish the monarchy to give themselves something to do, and move into Buckingham Palace. They could have a big party after the coronation - King Gordon The First. Cameron probably wouldn't attend.
Posted by: Tapestry | June 21, 2007 at 12:46
The other way he could certainly win over a lot of friends would be to admit the ID card system is a costly bit of unnecessary authoritarianism and declare the idea dead.
As much as the other items you mention this policy has been symptomatic of the Blairite era's desire to control the people.
Posted by: Richard Tyndall | June 21, 2007 at 12:48
If I was Gordon Brown I'd enroll for an Economics course followed by one on tax and accountancy.
Posted by: michael mcgough | June 21, 2007 at 13:41
Day one - Outlaw that newsreel clip of Tony buying me an icecream in the 2005 election. Imperative that history books are re-written immediately so that everyone forgets I was Tony's right hand man.
Posted by: Vicky Ford | June 21, 2007 at 13:51
Why are you giving advice to Gordon Brown?
Posted by: Richard Hyslop | June 21, 2007 at 13:56
1.Because we know he is too arrogant to take it and it is nice to be able to say 'told you so' later on.
2. Because like it or not he will be PM for a while and as such the best we can hope for is that he will isten to some sensible advice and not waste even more money taking away even more of our liberties and selling them to the EU.
Posted by: Richard Tyndall | June 21, 2007 at 14:07
Ashdown would make rather a good Labour Northern Ireland Secretary and an even better Labour Defence Secretary. If he were Defence Secretary, mightn't that enhance the chances that we would intervene in places like Dafur - after all, he spent a lot of time complaining about Srebrenica.
Posted by: Andrew Lilico | June 21, 2007 at 14:10
The advice on road pricing is very good. Let's hope he ignores it!
Posted by: bluepatriot | June 21, 2007 at 14:22
If I were Gordon Brown...
I would appoint a Secretary of State for England.
Posted by: Victoria Street | June 21, 2007 at 14:39
Because we know he is too arrogant to take it and it is nice to be able to say 'told you so' later on.
I wouldn't count on that.
If Brown thinks there are likely to be votes in something he'll do it regardless of whose idea it was in the first place.
A lot of people on this blog have been underestimating Brown for a very long time. It may just be wishful thinking, but it's dangerous.
Brown gives an impression of reliability and solidity. Compare that with some of our own enthusiasts who have plummetted from frothy triumphalism to 'Save Dave' and a relaunch before you could say 'David Cameron'
The message is that we now need a firm hand on the tiller, and there's still time to make that change.
After all, isn't 'Change' what the modern Conservative Party's all about?
Posted by: Traditional Tory | June 21, 2007 at 15:21
"That's why I'm writing to you to say that there will be no national road pricing scheme for ten years".
Followed by...........as I can raise the same money via another stealth tax anyway.
Posted by: mark | June 21, 2007 at 15:29
Ummm, nice wish list Ed.
How about we ask him to sack himself and go to the Country for a mandate? The Labour insistance that Peers at Westminster should be elected and not there by default might then sound a little less hypocritical... well, it's ok to dream once in a while.
Posted by: Adam Tugwell | June 21, 2007 at 15:53
This just in from CCHQ...
Commenting on Gordon Brown’s botched attempt to recruit Lord Ashdown into his first Cabinet, Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet, William Hague, said:
“This represents a giant snub to Gordon Brown. It is a very incompetent start to his efforts to form a new Cabinet. Gordon Brown has had years to plan this, and the first thing he does is a disaster. A new kind of politics will need new politicians. But he is not a new politician. There needs to be a real choice and a real alternative government for the country. Gordon Brown cannot provide that, only David Cameron can.”
Posted by: Editor | June 21, 2007 at 16:04
Forming a government of all the talents surely requires a PM with some political talent. GB's likely to be the loser here.
Posted by: Victoria Street | June 21, 2007 at 16:07
Victoria Street says:
"If I were Gordon Brown...
I would appoint a Secretary of State for England."
That's far too conciliatory. Wouldn't it be more apt to appoint a Governor General? One of the dimmer Scottish MPs would do nicely.
Posted by: Londoner | June 21, 2007 at 16:10
I've blogged about the day I met Paddy Ashdown if anyone is interested.
Posted by: Miles | June 21, 2007 at 16:18
RE: Hague's comments: "is a very incompetent start to his efforts to form a new Cabinet. Gordon Brown has had years to plan this, and the first thing he does is a disaster." Hmmm...I guess he means as opposed to our own masterful attempts to go outside our own party in order to select a London mayoral candidate. Anyone fancy throwing another stone from inside this glass house?
Posted by: Andrew Lilico | June 21, 2007 at 17:27
Surely Gordon would insist that Guido remove the dreadful olfactory video of Gordon in the Commons, which is so popular with the plebs.
Posted by: Watervole | June 21, 2007 at 17:42
Potential Brown Cabinet:
Chancellor: Alistair Darling
Home Affairs: Alan Johnson
Foreign Affairs: Peter Hain
Defence: Jack Straw
Health: Hilary Benn
Education: David Miliband
Treasury: Ed Balls
Intl. Development: Ed Miliband
Trade & Industry: Ruth Kelly
Local Government: Yvette Cooper
Environment: Douglas Alexander
Work & Pensions: Dawn Primarolo
Justice: Harriet Harman
Culture: Hazel Blears
Transport: James Purnell
Commons: Caroline Flint
Lords: Baroness Scotland
Northern Ireland: Des Browne
Chief Whip: Nick Brown
Party Chairman: Jon Cruddas
Europe: Andy Burnham
Posted by: Adam | June 21, 2007 at 17:43
ie the same bunch of party hacks we have at present - recycled .
If Brown institutes a referndum in England only for an English parliament he will win hands down -
and become popular - there is no other way for him to achieve poularity
Posted by: Jake | June 21, 2007 at 18:12
CCHQ drivelled:
"A new kind of politics will need new politicians."
Yes, I agree. The kind of politicians who for the sake of democracy, agree to be bound to a maximum two terms in office as an MP.
No more bed blockers in rock-solid safe seats, no more careerists, just people (most likely later in life when they have more real-world experience) doing their bit.
It would be hard for the 'new politics' brigade to disagree following the Livingstone stunt; well that is, if they are not really a bunch of self-serving 'old politics' MP's trying to deceive us. ;-)
Posted by: Chelloveck | June 21, 2007 at 18:18
Liam Byrne seems to be in everyone's list of probable newcomers in The Clunking Fist's new Camarilla.
Before we all run off at the mouth about what a nice guy he is, everyone should be FORCED to read this cheery little piece (http://tinyurl.com/2j3sqs).
That should tell you just how scary Blair's proto-Fascist scheme to inflict ID cards upon Free Englishmen for the first time in peace-time actually is.
England Awake!
Posted by: The Huntsman | June 21, 2007 at 21:43
IiwGB
I would introduce an English Parliament based on proportional representation.
Posted by: Opinicus | June 22, 2007 at 00:04