2010: A year in politics

CHANGING times in politics and 2010 has been a very busy and chaotic year.  Demonstrations, recriminations, ramifications, blunders – it has had as much drama as a typical episode of Holby City.  A new coalition government, a new era or the same old story for some, this year has been the most dramatic in politics for some time.

DOOMED: Darling's budget bought grim news

It all began in January when Geoffrey Hoon and Patricia Hewitt tried to start a rebellion to usurp Gordon Brown from his position as leader of the Labour party.  This failed miserably, but it summed up the frustrations of some within the Labour government.  They were convinced that they were going to lose the General Election.  The bad press continued as three Labour MP’s were charged over their use of expenses from the devastating political scandal that ripped through the system in 2009.  Alistair Darling’s final budget as Chancellor of the Exchequer in March bought the predictable grim news that we were all fearing.  However, these fears would be briefly replaced by a sense of election fever.

TWIST: The leadership debates bought more intrigue

Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg went onto the campaign trail across the country.  Power swayed between the three political parties, which included live televised leadership debates.  Held on ITV, Sky and BBC for three consecutive Thursdays in April, the debates sparked a new form of interest to many, especially as these were held in primetime form.  Brown’s chances of staying in Downing Street took a significant blow, when he had a fateful meeting on immigration with long-time Labour supporter Gillian Duffy in Rochdale.  “That was a disaster, everything; she’s some sort of bigoted woman that said she used to be Labour. I mean it’s just ridiculous.”

FISTCUFFS: Adam Boulton vs Alistair Campbell live on Sky

Whilst UKIP leader Nigel Farage was lucky to escape with his life, after a plane crash in a final bid for campaigning votes on Election Day, the election went through with minimal fuss.  The country spoke and a ‘hung parliament’ was the outcome.  The Conservatives won the most amounts of seats, but not the magical number needed for a majority.  Coalition negotiations began between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, whilst Brown sat and waited in No.10, hoping for a miracle to survive.  To keep the election headlines going, Sky News political editor Adam Boulton and ex-Labour spin doctor Alistair Campbell had a near punch-up live on Sky’s Live at Five. 

On May 10, Brown announced he was stepping down as leader of the Labour party.  24 hours later, he decided to quit Downing Street.  As he walked away with wife Sarah and their two children, Brown’s final graceful words were; “As I leave the second most important job I hold, I cherish more the first I have, as a husband and father.  Thank you and goodbye.”

A few hours later, David Cameron rolled into Downing Street with wife Samantha to take the role as Prime Minister.  Nick Clegg took the Deputy Leader role and speculation began on his appointment; would it seem like a bad romance or a match made in heaven. . .

JOY: David Cameron cradles his new bundle of joy

Later that month, David Laws resigned from the new cabinet after claiming expenses to pay rent for his partner.  George Osbourne, the new chancellor delivered an emergency budget in June, stating; “This helps deal the country with its growing massive debts.”  “It pays for the past and plans for the future.”

The summer went past a little quieter, but for the Prime Minister, it bought a mixture of celebration and tragedy.  His father passed away after illness, but David Cameron’s wife Samantha gave birth to a beautiful baby girl whilst on a family holiday.  Florence Rose Endellion Cameron was born into the world at the Royal Cornwall Hospital. 

COMPETITION: Ed beat David to Labour leadership power

In September, Ed Miliband beat stiff competition from Ed Balls, Andy Burnham, Diane Abbott and crucially, his brother David, to leadership of the Labour party at its annual conference in Manchester.  Ed got the nod, as he was backed significantly by the trade unions.  Four days later, David Miliband elected to quit frontline politics to spend more time with his family... 

As the clocks changed, times changed for the coalition government too.  With Ireland in trouble financially, George Osbourne agreed to lend them a massive bailout.  The figure of £7billion was stupid, to help ‘a friend in need.’  Ugly demonstrations soon followed, when MP’s recently decided to increase University tuition fees.  Scenes in London not seen for twenty years horrified many, but bought the popularity of the government significantly down.

2010 has had a load of interesting political stories, far more happened than in the ‘boring’ old days of the 90’s.  Will 2011 bring even more?  What can be said is that 2010’s year in politics will never be forgotten.

David Miliband Quits Frontline Politics

Yesterday, David Miliband confirmed that he was stepping down from frontline politics, so he could spend more time with his family.  The MP for South Shields told Sky News’s political editor Adam Boulton of his decision at his home in an exclusive interview with the broadcaster.  Saturday’s shock defeat to his brother Ed Miliband in the Labour leadership battle has made him question and think long and hard about his political future, especially after he was the favourite for the role for months.

In the interview with Boulton, David admits the decision was not easy, but it is the right one, both for him, his brother and the future of the Labour party.

"I will serve to my utmost," "But staying in the shadow cabinet would be a route to real difficulty.  "Instead of focusing on winning in 2015 and beyond, the team would be subject to permanent scrutiny of body language - everything from sneezes to comments.  "Ed needs open field to lead as he sees fit. I will be a loyal supporter from the backbenches.  "It is the cleanest and clearest decision to take, though not the easiest."

On the reaction to the news, Ed Miliband was clearly disappointed, but had nothing but praise for David’s commitment and integrity towards the new Labour generation.

"I spoke to David earlier, and while it would have been fantastic to have him serving in my shadow cabinet, he has made a thoughtful and gracious decision.  "It is thoughtful for the family and gracious in terms of the future of the party."  "He is a massive talent for our party, and indeed for our country, I'm not going to hide that fact."  "We would have been a stronger team with him in it.  "But I think that he is right to have made the decision that he has, it is the right decision for him.

If Ed Miliband is going to do the job he is assigned to do, which is to get Labour back into Downing Street in five years time, he already knows how hard the job is going to be and without his brother, who was one of the strongest people in the doomed Gordon Brown regime, it has only got tougher.  He now has to show his commitment to the party on his own and take on the coalition government with all the passion he has available to him.

Ed Gets The Labour Nod of Approval

Ed Miliband has been chosen as Gordon Brown’s long-term successor to lead the Labour party into the next General Election and maybe beyond.  After months of hard campaigning, Ed surprised many by just getting enough votes to edge out his brother and favourite with many bookmakers, David Miliband.  The news was announced at the weekend, at the start of Labour’s annual party conference.  He will take over from Harriet Harman, who has been standing as acting deputy leader during the transitional period in British politics.

After four rounds of vote counting, Ed received a 1.3% bigger majority share to win the role and become the figurehead into challenging the coalition government for the next testing period that politics has to deal with, which is the inevitable spending cuts.  Fellow candidates Ed Balls, Andy Burnham and Diane Abbott were a distant third, fourth and fifth in the final votes, with the leadership already looking like it was heading to one of the Miliband brothers.

In his acceptance speech, Ed was full of praise for his brother:

“David, I love you so much.”  “To the country, I know we lost touch, I know we need to change.”  “Today begins a new generation for Labour.”

There is now intense speculation about the future of David Miliband political career.  Many insiders are expecting him to quit frontline politics to spend more time with his family.  Whatever he decides, his support for the Labour party must remain strong if the party is going to recover from the devastating blow of losing power in Downing Street when we went to vote back in May. 

Can Ed Miliband turn around the fortunes of the Labour party….he certainly has a tough and challenging job on his hands…..

The Labour Leadership Contest Gets All Brotherly

   

He may have only vacated Downing Street and the most important job in politics one week ago, but the race is already underway to become Gordon Brown’s long-term successor of the Labour party.  Whilst Harriet Harman is standing in for now, whilst the party attempts to rebuild itself as an opposition force, it is the forthcoming battle between the Miliband brothers that could be the new storm in British politics.

As the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats settle into their coalition partnership, and sorting out pressing issues, such as the economy, our troops in Afghanistan and taxes, Labour gets ready to become an opposition force after thirteen years in power.  As MP’s return to duty on Wednesday, following the six week election campaign, it will be interesting to see who can lead Labour out of the doldrums on a long-term basis.  Already, former Chancellor Alistair Darling and Peter Mandelson have ruled themselves out of the race, whilst Harman has insisted she will not run long term, only interested in providing the much-needed stability that the party requires now.  However, fellow Labour MP’s, particular from the female side, want Harman to stand to prevent an all-male leadership contest.  Ex Schools-Secretary Ed Balls, an outspoken figure is expected to launch his bid this week, whilst there have been outside mentions for fellow MP’s Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper.

However, the frontrunners appear to be the Miliband brothers.  On Saturday, the outgoing Energy Minister Ed Miliband announced his intention to stand for Brown’s vacant position.  The MP for Doncaster North, who launched his campaign in London, has insisted that there is no rivalry with his brother, David Miliband.  He also claimed he would support David, should he win and went out with the comment ‘Win or Lose, we will still be the best of friends.’  Whether that will happen, remains to be seen….For David Miliband, this is his chance to take control of the party.  Twice before, he could have challenged Gordon Brown for the leadership, but elected to support him rather than stand against him, and now with the vacant position open, he is the bookmakers favourite to land the Labour role.  A recent YouGov poll showed him coming out with 32% of the vote, more than half the percentage of the next closest, Harriet Harman with 11%.  The former Foreign Secretary, an MP for South Shields since 2001 and having served Labour on the Cabinet for eight years, is known to have some wide support from many sectors of the Labour fraternity.  Many already see him as the figurehead for the fightback to Downing Street.

There is unlikely to be such a complex deal, as there was with Gordon Brown and Tony Blair in 1994, after the untimely death of the popular John Smith, but there could well be many more twists, before the expected announcement, Labour’s annual party conference in September.  The race to be Gordon Brown’s long-term successor is well and truly on and it is really more closer than home than many may have anticipated.