Brown to quit as leader of Labour

**Butterfly** · 10-05-2010, 11:33 PM

first casualty of the election

BBC News - Gordon Brown 'stepping down as Labour leader'

Gordon Brown has said he is stepping down as Labour Party leader.

Mr Brown, prime minister since 2007, said he wanted a successor to be in place by the time of the party's conference in September.

Mr Brown announced his intention to quit in a statement in Downing St in which he also said his party was to start formal talks with the Lib Dems.

The Conservatives won the most seats and most votes in the election and have been in talks with the Lib Dems.

Mr Brown said Britain had a "parliamentary and not presidential system" and said there was a "progressive majority" of voters.

Voters' judgement

He said if the national interest could be best served by a coalition between the Lib Dems and Labour - he said he would "discharge that duty to form that government".

But he added that no party had won an overall majority in the UK general election and, as Labour leader, he had to accept that as a judgement on him.

"I therefore intend to ask the Labour Party to set in train the processes needed for its own leadership election.

"I would hope that it would be completed in time for the new leader to be in post by the time of the Labour Party conference.

"I will play no part in that contest, I will back no individual candidate."

He said Lib Dem leader Mr Clegg had requested formal negotiations with Labour and it was "sensible and in the national interest" to respond positively to the request.

He said the Cabinet would meet soon and a "formal policy negotiation process" would be established.

It emerged earlier that the Lib Dem negotiating team, who have held days of talks with the Conservatives, had also met senior Labour figures in private.

The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said one of the stumbling blocks to any Lib Dem-Labour deal had been Mr Brown himself.

**Stinky** · 10-05-2010, 11:40 PM

Brown had no other choice, if Labour dont form an alliance with Lib Dems and stay in power he's gone anyway. Good bloody riddance too!

**StrontiumDog** · 10-05-2010, 11:49 PM

Indeed, now maybe they can find someone with some ability...

Always disliked him. He was said to be a great Chancellor but the truth was he was very lucky. He tinkered but never actually made any significant changes. He rode his luck. That luck ran out thank god.

He has the personality of sulky child and the charisma of dirt. An arrogant man detached from reality.

On a positive note, it is nice to see he did the honourable thing.

**Stinky** · 11-05-2010, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Indeed, now maybe they can find someone with some ability...

Always disliked him. He was said to be a great Chancellor but the truth was he was very lucky.

I'll say he was lucky, Chancellor in a time of unprecedented economic boom, he could hardly have failed.

He has the personality of sulky child and the charisma of dirt. An arrogant man detached from reality.

Could not agree more, Mr personality he was most definitely not, with the charm of an Adder and the tact of and arrogance of a premiership footballer on the piss.
He'll not be missed!

**dirtydog** · 11-05-2010, 12:47 AM

Can you imagine a Thai standing down

**aras** · 11-05-2010, 05:38 AM

brown made me think of nixon, only way more uncharismatic and just a unpleasant person so screw him.

**kingwilly** · 11-05-2010, 05:42 AM

I dont think anyone will be shedding any tears for him, I guess he saw the writing on the wall.

**toslti** · 11-05-2010, 05:54 AM

**Mr Lick** · 11-05-2010, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

On a positive note, it is nice to see he did the honourable thing.

Great to see that this very loathsome man has taken a beating. He should have stepped aside last year when his party members required him to but unfortunately he was too powerful and arrogant.

I believe that he was cornered into giving up his postion of PM rather than doing the honourable thing.

He held on for 4 days following the election results hoping that the LibDems would make a pact with Labour but like most politicians they couldn't see a way of working with the man.

Even Mandy agreed that he should step down immediately following the loss of 100 Labour MP's but Brown still didn't get the message.

An abhorrent man who will not be missed in politics.

**Butterfly** · 11-05-2010, 08:14 AM

he had the right ideas, but he is a poor practitioner

Blair had all the poor ideas, but was a great executioner

**agudbuk** · 11-05-2010, 04:32 PM

I see the £ has gone up a bit

**Bower** · 11-05-2010, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by Butterfly

he had the right ideas, but he is a poor practitioner

Blair had all the poor ideas, but was a great executioner

Have to agree here. Its a shame really, i never thought he was PM material.
Clearly an honorable man, i wonder how long he will have to be the caretaker.

**superman** · 11-05-2010, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

On a positive note, it is nice to see he did the honourable thing. __________________

Why couldn't he have been a Jap and done the "honourable thing" ?

**superman** · 11-05-2010, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by Mr Lick

An abhorrent man who will not be missed in politics.

I'm sure he'll be given a nice unelected position in Brussels ?

**Bower** · 11-05-2010, 11:35 PM

Lord Brown of Kirkcaldy................i think and very soon

**graym** · 11-05-2010, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Indeed, now maybe they can find someone with some ability...

That would be refreshing...

**slackula** · 12-05-2010, 11:19 AM

"Cameron & Clegg negotiate to fill Brown slot."

**good2bhappy** · 16-05-2010, 03:07 PM

so which Milibrand bro?

**good2bhappy** · 16-05-2010, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by D Mac

a man after power and money. I dont trust them

so just your average politician then

**good2bhappy** · 16-05-2010, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by D Mac

a liberal conservative

a change from the closet conservative that he was

**toslti** · 19-05-2010, 03:13 AM

error

**toslti** · 19-05-2010, 03:15 AM

error

**HarryHoudini** · 19-05-2010, 06:31 AM

Thank God he has gone...

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