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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Clarke fears Labour 'destruction' | Clarke fears Labour 'destruction' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Labour is "destined to disaster" and "utter destruction" at the next election if it does not change, former home secretary Charles Clarke has said. | Labour is "destined to disaster" and "utter destruction" at the next election if it does not change, former home secretary Charles Clarke has said. |
| But there was not any "Blairite plot" to oust Prime Minister Gordon Brown, he writes in the New Statesman magazine. | But there was not any "Blairite plot" to oust Prime Minister Gordon Brown, he writes in the New Statesman magazine. |
| He says comments by Foreign Secretary David Miliband had been misrepresented by the "Brown political briefing team". | He says comments by Foreign Secretary David Miliband had been misrepresented by the "Brown political briefing team". |
| Mr Clarke, sacked as home secretary 2006, said there was a "deep and widely shared concern" among Labour MPs. | Mr Clarke, sacked as home secretary 2006, said there was a "deep and widely shared concern" among Labour MPs. |
| In his article in this week's New Statesman, he calls Mr Brown's decision - in his last Budget as chancellor in 2007 - to abolish the 10p rate of income tax "disastrous and unfair". | In his article in this week's New Statesman, he calls Mr Brown's decision - in his last Budget as chancellor in 2007 - to abolish the 10p rate of income tax "disastrous and unfair". |
| The comment comes a day after the government announced several new economic policies - dubbed by many as the start of a "relaunch" for the prime minister. | The comment comes a day after the government announced several new economic policies - dubbed by many as the start of a "relaunch" for the prime minister. |
| 'Not a guide' | 'Not a guide' |
| Mr Clarke, MP for Norwich South, said Tony Blair had been an "outstanding" prime minister, but added: "Blairism as a concept offers little by way of rescue. It is certainly not a guide to action. | Mr Clarke, MP for Norwich South, said Tony Blair had been an "outstanding" prime minister, but added: "Blairism as a concept offers little by way of rescue. It is certainly not a guide to action. |
| Blairite" (even "über-Blairite") is a lazy and inaccurate shorthand Charles Clarke | Blairite" (even "über-Blairite") is a lazy and inaccurate shorthand Charles Clarke |
| "Equally, however, it is inaccurate and misleading to dismiss as some kind of Blairite rump those who fear that Labour's current course will lead to utter destruction at the next general election." | "Equally, however, it is inaccurate and misleading to dismiss as some kind of Blairite rump those who fear that Labour's current course will lead to utter destruction at the next general election." |
| He said there was "no Blairite plot, despite rumours and persistent newspaper reports". | He said there was "no Blairite plot, despite rumours and persistent newspaper reports". |
| "There is, however, a deep and widely shared concern - which does not derive from ideology - that Labour is destined to disaster if we go on as we are, combined with a determination that we will not permit that to happen." | "There is, however, a deep and widely shared concern - which does not derive from ideology - that Labour is destined to disaster if we go on as we are, combined with a determination that we will not permit that to happen." |
| The former home secretary goes on to say the term "Blairite" (even "über-Blairite") is a lazy and inaccurate shorthand. It is intended not to illuminate but to diminish, marginalise and insult. | The former home secretary goes on to say the term "Blairite" (even "über-Blairite") is a lazy and inaccurate shorthand. It is intended not to illuminate but to diminish, marginalise and insult. |
| "It was, for example, the stock phrase used by the Brown political briefing team to traduce David Miliband's Guardian article in early August." | "It was, for example, the stock phrase used by the Brown political briefing team to traduce David Miliband's Guardian article in early August." |
| New Statesman political editor Nick Brown | |
| That article warned against "fatalism" ahead of the next general election and failed to mention Mr Brown once when discussing Labour's future. | That article warned against "fatalism" ahead of the next general election and failed to mention Mr Brown once when discussing Labour's future. |
| This was interpreted by Labour's opponents as setting the platform for a possible future leadership bid, which Mr Miliband denied. | This was interpreted by Labour's opponents as setting the platform for a possible future leadership bid, which Mr Miliband denied. |
| Mr Clarke, seen as a leading Blair supporter, has been critical of Mr Brown on several occasions. | Mr Clarke, seen as a leading Blair supporter, has been critical of Mr Brown on several occasions. |
| In January, he accused Labour of suffering from a "debilitating" lack of direction under him. | In January, he accused Labour of suffering from a "debilitating" lack of direction under him. |
| But senior Labour backbencher Helen Jones said Mr Clarke was not representative of most Labour MPs. | |
| She said: "This week our Labour government has started to outline further initiatives to help hard working families - help for first time buyers, and a £120 tax cut this month which will help pay the bills. | |
| "That's the sort of thing the public wants to hear from all Labour MPs. | |
| "Charles is not speaking for the bulk of the parliamentary Labour Party." |