• Home
• /
• Opinion

Besieged Brown

BRITAIN’S Gordon Brown is finding himself increasingly underwhelmed and isolated since he took over from Tony Blair some months ago. Adding to his troubles is the tough stand taken by the supporters of the former prime minister, who, are baying for Brown’s blood.

Fresh evidence about the backroom games comes in the form of this Labour bloc setting a May deadline to review Brown’s performance and, if need be, look around for a replacement. What message does it send to the general public, and the party’s own rank and file?

Clearly, the Blair faction is doing a disservice to the party when it fails to stand by the leader heading the party’s government, especially at a time when he is on the defensive on more than one front. The fact remains that the alienation of the people from the Labour began when Tony Blair was at the helm.

And Brown had to do his best to stem the tide of disapprovals coming in the way of the ruling party, and at the same time, give it a new lease of life and image.

Brown enjoyed very high popularity ratings at the beginning of his innings as PM. Now he is witnessing a sharp decline in his ratings. In all fairness, it was to be expected; at least too an extent. For, Brown’s days of honeymoon with the public, in his capacity as prime minister, are over. Now, he is faced with the grim realities of politics. This is the time for him not only to carry forward a legacy, but also to go an extra mile if only to repair the damage inflicted by his predecessor, especially in the context of Britain’s widely unpopular Iraq military engagement with no matching benefits to the nation.

It may be sensible for Labour to grant Brown more time to prove himself as a leader in his own right. A few months are not enough to judge a leader. Moreover, Brown has a standing of his own, with his excellent management of Britain’s financial affairs in his capacity as Chancellor of the Exchequer. If Britain’s economy had to gain further strength, hopes were that Brown was the best bet to lead a government. But, time is of essence.

It is one thing to fish in troubled waters; quite another to put up a show of unity and win the hearts and minds of the people. Unity is of top priority for a party on the defensive. By digging Brown’s grave, Blair supporters are only digging the party’s grave and their own too.