Far-right gains from Labour turmoil
Sunday 07 June 2009
Latest in UK Politics
Related articles
On Facebook
From the blogs
Taking away benefits from heroin users won’t solve anything
It was reported today that Ian Duncan Smith is threatening to stop heroin addicts from being able to...
Chelsea Flower Show 2012: The winners
Of course, gold is the top honour, but that shouldn't detract from the other medals. If someone wins...
Palestinian hunger strike comes to an end but the status quo is not sustainable
Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, being held without being charge and without trial by the Israeli ...
RadFem2012: Excluding on the basis of gender
As someone who is interested in feminism as a movement, I was pleased to find out about RadFem2012 -...
The far-right British National Party won its first seat in the European Parliament yesterday, a breakthrough that will add to pressure on Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The BNP gained the seat in the northern English region of Yorkshire and Humber at the expense of Brown's Labour Party, which has been hurt by a scandal over politicians' expenses and questions over Brown's leadership.
Labour also lost a seat in Wales, a traditional stronghold, where its share of the vote slumped 12 points to 20 percent and it was beaten into second place by the centre-right Conservatives.
Losing a seat to the BNP will give fresh ammunition to Brown's critics in the Labour Party after a traumatic week in which six senior ministers quit the government, one of whom called on Brown to quit and said he was an electoral liability.
Rebels among Labour members of parliament (MPs) are said to be canvassing support for a letter calling on Brown to stand down to boost their chances at a general election due within a year.
The Conservatives have a commanding lead over Labour in opinion polls and are on course to return to power for the first time since 1997.
Critics say the party lacks a coherent policy agenda and that Brown is indecisive, a poor communicator and unable to transfer his confidence on the world economic stage to domestic politics.
Labour members of parliament are due to meet on Monday when rebels could go public with their criticisms of the leader.
A change of Labour leader would raise the prospect of a snap election. Brown has not faced the electorate since he took over as prime minister from Tony Blair two years ago.
Last week, sterling was hit by speculation over Brown's future, and if he manages to survive the current crisis, it looks likely he will wait for as long as possible before calling the next election, due within a year.
Brown, who reshuffled his government team on Friday after the resignations, told supporters on Sunday he would not walk away from the country's troubles.
At a Labour event in London, staged to show Brown still had support among grassroot party activists at the end of a tumultuous week, he set out his policies on public services for the coming weeks and months.
He said the country had been through a "testing time" politically and economically, but added: "What would they (the public) think of us if ever we walked away from them at a time of need? We are sticking with them."
Brown is under pressure after a drubbing in Thursday's local election.
All the main parties have been tarnished by a scandal over expenses claims by MPs, but Labour is bearing the brunt of voter rage for having presided over the system.
- 1 Double trouble at JP Morgan: trader's losses could exceed $7bn
- 2 Brazil rocked by abortion for 9-year-old rape victim
- 3 Society: The only way is Finland
- 4 News in pictures
- 5 In pictures: The bewildering face of China
- 6 Ten adverts that shocked the world
- 7 Mark Zuckerberg loses friends on Wall Street as regulators probe $19bn slump
- 8 Christine Lagarde: Time is running out for George Osborne's Plan A
- 9 'Ungrateful little wretch': Piers Morgan responds to Jeremy Paxman's claim that he had taught him how to phone hack
- 10 Manal al-Sharif: 'They just messed with the wrong woman'
- 1 Double trouble at JP Morgan: trader's losses could exceed $7bn
- 2 Brazil rocked by abortion for 9-year-old rape victim
- 3 Queen tried to use state poverty fund to heat Buckingham Palace
- 4 Society: The only way is Finland
- 5 Portugal 'sells' Ronaldo to Spain in £160m deal on national debt
- 6 Manal al-Sharif: 'They just messed with the wrong woman'
- 7 Eden Hazard: Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United in race to sign a potential global superstar
- 8 Grace Dent: Personally, I'd fire bullying teens from a cannon and relocate the 'feral' kids to Chipping Norton
- 9 French in uproar over oral sex anti-smoking posters
- 10 Coke reveals its secret: It may need to carry a cancer warning
Experience the Heineken Hub
Get free wi-fi and exclusive i content while you enjoy a tasty pint of Heineken at participating pubs.
Can you imagine a career in teaching?
Be inspired to teach - let real teachers show you how rewarding the job can be.
Playing a game-changing role during the Games
Cisco is providing the solutions for London 2012's complex IT needs.
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Career Services
Day In a Page
Back in the thick of it... Alastair Campbell returns to work as a spin doctor
Supermarkets accused of ripping off shoppers with 'misleading' offers
Therapist who tried to 'cure' me of being gay thrown out – but the system is still broken
In a Sudanese field, cluster bomb evidence proves just how deadly this war has become
Diamond Jubilee river parade
Mining tycoon beats Wal-Mart heiress to title of richest woman
First Night: Posh, Duke of York's Theatre



Comments