Gordon's First Five Days

Although Gordon Brown replaced Tony Blair as Prime Minister yesterday, he took over Tony's former role as Party Leader five days ago on Sunday.

So far, the democratic socialists who remain in the Labour Party have seen a worrying pattern develop.

Five Days, Five Failings

1. He started out by placing himself firmly in the New Labour camp and sort to detach himself from Labour's heritage with the words "there will be no return to the failed approaches of the past".

2. He quickly moved to propose a downgrading of the role of the Trade Unions within the Labour Party, undermining what used to be known as the "Labour Alliance".

3. He floated the notion of an alternative form of alliance which would draw in Liberal Democrats and others. It is early days, but he has arranged for Shirley Williams who vigorously attempted to divide and destroy the Party in the past to take on the role of an adviser. He has also provided an opening for non-Labour people to attend Cabinet Meetings by giving Malloch Brown a government post.

4. He gleefully accepted the strange Tory MP, Quentin Davies into the Labour Party. Then quickly, he promoted a past Tory deserter Shaun Woodward into the delicate post of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

5. His Cabinet is made up of a mixture of people from the former Blair and Brown camps. No effort has been made to cast the net wider, with the possible exception of the appointment of John Denham who rebelled over the issue of invading Iraq.

What Next?

Tomorrows appointment of Junior Government posts is likely to be used to illustrate the general thrust of his administration. It is unlikely to make any serious effort to incorporate left-leaning Labour MPs in its ranks.

I will comment further when I have seen the names and will access what scope is likely to remain in the Gordon Brown Labour Party for democratic socialists.