Sorry Bob - I'm missing something.

These are Labour MPs supporting a Labour Government. They ARE running the country (and making a spectacular mess of it too !)

I agree entirely but I would also argue that part of the reason that the plot appears to have failed is that the 'rebels' (if you can call them that!) do not appear to be linked by a real ideological goal as Livingstone's rebels and those within the Conservative Party who ousted Thatcher were. Yes, Blears is obviously a Blairite but Purnell on the other hand (to my knowledge) appears to be more closely aligned with the Brownite wing of the party. This appears to be an almost entirely personal attack as a result of a dislike for Brown's style of politics and successive electoral failures.

Whatever you think of Brown (and I'm a Conservative so have no affinity with him whatsoever) he appears to have succeeded in shoring up his position, dividing the rebels within the PLP and placating the majority of those within the cabinet who have sufficient stature to seriously threaten his leadership. Make no mistake though, Brown is an electoral liability and Labour will need a new leader before the next general election if they are to stand any chance of avoiding a heavy defeat.

On the other hand, for the Conservatives this is probably the best possible outcome as Labour continues with a severely weakened leader and contempt grows within the country without the Conservatives needing to flesh out the majority of their policies, possibly for another six to nine months.

And they want us to think they could run the country?

They have at least shown they're more capable than Brown, admittedly not a big hurdle.

Bob,
I agree that the so called plotters seem to have demonstrated a singular spinelesness ineptitude. Gordon Brown on the other hand has spent 12 years proving that he can only run the country by sqandering vast sums of other generations money as well as our own.

The only legitmate solution is for Brown to call a General Election. The new Parliament can then decide on the necessary reforms.

The other lot can then have a go at sorting out Brown's mess for a few years whilst you and your colleagues try and salvage something from the wreckage of the Labour Party.

Chris, Purnell is an unashamed Blairite. One of his only 'jobs' was working for him.

Bob... how have they shown that?

Charlie, as someone who would prefer not to defend his seat on General Election day, I have a sympathy (and vested interest) in an early election. However, I suspect that in their heart of hearts neither Clegg nor Cameron want one now, whatever their public pronouncements. Yes Labour was badly beaten, but in the current 'bash an MP'-a-day mood, no-one could feel safe defending their seats, and it is no atmosphere in which to fight an election.

If labour said election now they all have to rush through policies both Clegg and Cameron have been holding back on these.

But then again so has Brown of late.

But hell these MP have done sod all in the real world to them Politics must seem like hard work.

Surely you wouldn't praise Ken's anti-democratic trick of conning the elctorate into voting for a party with a particular leader and then prompty replacing that leader with a less electorally friendly model?

Or perhaps you would? Though it doesn't seem to have worked so well at the national level does it?!