Ex-UK ministers fuel Blair successor speculation
Source: Reuters
By Adrian Croft LONDON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Two former ministers launched a debate on Wednesday on the future of Britain's ruling Labour Party, sparking speculation finance minister Gordon Brown could face a serious rival for the leadership when Tony Blair goes. Blair, 53, is due to step down this year after a decade in office but he has only given a lukewarm endorsement to Brown, his close colleague and longtime rival, leading some to believe he is wary of entrusting his legacy to the finance minister. Former Health Secretary Alan Milburn and former interior minister Charles Clarke -- both seen as backers of Blair's reformist ideas and Brown rivals -- appeared together to launch a Web site, "The 2020 Vision" (www.the2020vision.org.uk). "The next election will not be won by relying on what we have done but on what we are planning to do and that requires new ideas, new policies and a full and open debate," Milburn told a news conference to launch the web site. The debate would cover issues such as the environment, tackling inequality and making the welfare state and public services more responsive to people's needs, he said. The two denied it had anything to do with who will lead the party -- but the project stirred intense media speculation it could open the way for a heavyweight challenger to Brown. John McDonnell, a left-wing politician challenging for the Labour leadership, called Clarke and Milburn's call "a smokescreen for the launch of a pre-emptive coup against Gordon Brown by the Blairite ultra-right". Brown, 56, is seen as virtually unassailable favourite to replace Blair. So far only McDonnell and another left-wing Labour member of parliament have said they will challenge him and analysts say they have little or no chance of success. Most cabinet ministers thought to have a chance of giving Brown a serious run for his money have said they will not stand. STALKING HORSE However, many Labour Party members would like a contest because it would open debate on policies. Labour's popularity has suffered from Blair's decision to go to war in Iraq and it is trailing the opposition Conservatives badly in the polls. One theory is that Clarke could stand as a "stalking horse" to draw rising star Environment Secretary David Miliband into the leadership election. Miliband has said he would not run. Clarke also refused to rule out a tilt at the leadership. "I've said frequently ... that I expect Gordon (Brown) to be the leader and I expect I will be supporting him but I don't rule anything out," he said. Clarke said he and Milburn had told Blair and Brown about their plans, which will also include events around Britain. A source close to Brown gave a guarded welcome to the project. "The chancellor (Brown) encourages anything which contributes to a constructive, progressive and unifying debate on the future of the country, and we are assured that this latest Web site is intended in that vein," the source said. Milburn said Labour would be making a huge mistake if it allowed the opposition Conservatives under new leader David Cameron to set the policy agenda. About 15 Labour members of parliament attended the Web site launch and several said they welcomed the initiative. "We've reached a crossroads after 10 years in government and there are two questions: Who's going to drive the vehicle and what is the direction of travel?" said Labour legislator George Howarth. (Additional reporting by Katherine Baldwin and Sumeet Desai)
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