Will Clarke Become Blair's Geoffrey Howe?

[Lucifer Box]

Charles Clarke has said he does "not agree" with Tony Blair's decision to sack him as home secretary.

Mr Clarke told the BBC he could have "carried through" the reforms needed to the Home Office following the furore over foreign criminals in the UK.

He said he had been offered "serious" alternative jobs within government by Mr Blair but had turned them down.

The prime minister had to make "hard judgements", Mr Clarke said.

Some comentators have said for some time that Clarke was angling to challenge Gordon Brown's accession to the leadership. Perhaps his balls up over those released criminals has been a blessing in disguise for a Tony Blair being urged from behind by Gordon Brown to ditch him? Perhaps Charles Clarke will feel emboldened in a "nothing to lose" sort of way and move to precipitate things by directly challenging Blair?

[AtW]

Perhaps Charles Clarke will feel emboldened in a "nothing to lose" sort of way and move to precipitate things by directly challenging Blair?

After such scandal when he got sacked? If he was against war in Iraq and that had him sacked, then he would have had a chance at leadership contest, but now he is a joke and will be happy to be in Govt under Gordon Brown, which he will suuurely promise in exchange for his support.

[Lucifer Box]

After such scandal when he got sacked? If he was against war in Iraq and that had him sacked, then he would have had a chance at leadership contest, but now he is a joke and will be happy to be in Govt under Gordon Brown, which he will suuurely promise in exchange for his support.

No, you misunderstand, Alexei. Geoffrey Howe didn't attack Margaret Thatcher because he thought he could be or because he wanted to be leader. He did it for revenge after being sacked in a cabinet reshuffle. It was that attack that emboldened subsequent challenges and precipitated her departure from office.

[AtW]

Well, I dont know details of what happened in the past, but Clarke compromised himself so much that he would not dare start contest, perhaps that's why Blair kept him around to make sure he is so deep in it that he cant fight back for this sacking.

[Lucifer Box]

Well, I dont know details of what happened in the past, but Clarke compromised himself so much that he would not dare start contest, perhaps that's why Blair kept him around to make sure he is so deep in it that he cant fight back for this sacking.

No, no, Geoffrey Howe didn't stand against Margaret Thatcher in a leadership contest, he knifed her in the back with a very critical speech in the house after being given the arse in a reshuffle. This emboldened others to stand against her. I postulate that Charles Clarke might do a Howe, i.e. stick the knife in to precipitate Blair's departure.

[AtW]

Well, here is what Mr Clarke said:

""I do not think it would be appropriate to remain in Government in these circumstances and so I shall return to the backbenches where I will be a strong and active supporter of this Government and the leadership of Tony Blair for his full Parliamentary term.""

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...166767,00.html

IMO the only way Clarke can do that is if Brown would encourage him and provides a good chance: every coup needs a provocateur.

[Lucifer Box]

IMO the only way Clarke can do that is if Brown would encourage him and provides a good chance: every coup needs a provocateur.

That's exactly what I'm postulating: that Charles Clarke may become the provocateur, as Geoffrey Howe did. As to what he said this morning, well he was hardly going to say "I'm off to plot Tony Blair's downfall, the bastard" was he?

[ASB]

Well, here is what Mr Clarke said:

""I do not think it would be appropriate to remain in Government in these circumstances and so I shall return to the backbenches where I will be a strong and active supporter of this Government and the leadership of Tony Blair for his full Parliamentary term.""

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...166767,00.html

IMO the only way Clarke can do that is if Brown would encourage him and provides a good chance: every coup needs a provocateur.

And Geoffrey Howe said much the same thing. It is what happens next in the speech he will give to the house that matters.

Personally I doubt he will go as far as Howe (who wasn't a provocateur merely vitriolic). However his "tony was wrong to fire me" type comments do suggest some fireworks to come.

[meridian]

I don't geddit.

Didn't Clarke offer to resign at first? If he thought the circumstances merited resignation, why does he think it's wrong to be sacked?

[AtW]

Well, will be interesting to see what happens later this year - Brown should become more active and make some mistakes, so far he executed his strategy flawlessly - not even his wife goes around the world making expensive lectures or having 7 grand haircuts.