Brown allies plan campaign

[JoFerret]

Well - we can dream....

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labour/story/0,9061,1207451,00.html

Ewen MacAskill and Kevin Maguire
Saturday May 1, 2004
The Guardian

Prominent allies of Gordon Brown are planning a lightning campaign to secure the Labour crown for him as a "leader-in-waiting" if Tony Blair stands down before the general election, according to well-placed supporters of the chancellor.

Labour MPs in the chancellor's circle have told the Guardian they would try to set a bandwagon rolling in favour of Mr Brown in the hope of emulating last year's orderly transfer of power in the Tory party when Michael Howard was elected unopposed.

One MP in the chancellor's camp said of Mr Blair: "I think he will go. Until that day, everyone will have to keep saying that he intends going on, or he might as well go now. I think it will be this year, this summer. The attempt is being made . If it is this year, it will be by acclamation."
<snip>

But Neil Kinnock, a Brussels commissioner, also caused consternation in Downing Street last week when he said it would be "human and understandable" if Mr Blair were to "hang up his boots" after a third election victory.