Leicester MPs praise Gordon Brown for making 'right decision' to resign
City Labour MPs have praised Gordon Brown for making "the right decision" to resign as Prime Minister and leader of his party.
The shock news came on a day of intense drama in Westminster, in which Labour and the Conservatives tried to out bid each other to win the support of the Liberal Democrats.
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Gordon Brown
In a statement, Mr Brown said that if Labour and the Lib Dems could form a coalition, he would oversee the process as Prime Minister to ensure stability.
But he his tenure would not last beyond his party's next conference in October, when he would step aside for another figure to take power of both Labour and Britain.
Leicester South MP Peter Soulsby said: "He has been very dignified and statesmanlike and he has made the right decision.
"The Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has made it clear that a coalition between his party and Labour, while Mr Brown was in power, would be unacceptable and so this opens the door for a progressive majority Government to come about.
"I have huge admiration for him for taking this decision.
"The party has lots of people who may step into his place and I think a leadership contest would help to renew Labour after the outcome of the General Election."
Meanwhile, Leicester East MP Keith Vaz said: "Gordon Brown has served the country well both as Chancellor and as Prime Minister. He has made the right decision."
Yesterday morning, Labour leaders had to watch while Tory and Lib Dem officials were locked in power-sharing negotiations.
Rumours emerged that a deal had been hammered out, but by mid-afternoon the Lib Dems announced that while talks with the Tories would continue, Mr Clegg's party would also be open to formal discussions with Labour.
Soon afterwards, Mr Brown stepped out of Number 10 and announced that talks between his party and the Lib Dems would go ahead.
He explained that in the event of a deal being struck with the Lib Dems, he would remain in Downing Street until his party had run a full leadership contest – no later than October.
But the idea of Mr Brown and Labour remaining in Government angered Tory MPs in Leicestershire.
Loughborough MP Nicky Morgan said: "This would see yet another unelected Labour leader taking power when people have voted for change.
"They were voting for change in part from Brown and in part from Labour and they won't see how having voted for that they are ending up with more of the same."
However, Mr Brown's move prompted the Tories into offering the Lib Dems a referendum on whether to bring in a measure of electoral reform – a key goal of Mr Clegg's party.
Under the Tory offer, the country would decide whether to switch to the "alternative vote" electoral system.
The system – in which voters rank candidates in order of preference – is already used to elect members of the European Parliament in the UK.
Charnwood MP Stephen Dorrell said: "I just don't think voters will understand how two parties that did badly in the election could come together to form some sort of rainbow coalition.
"There is only one governing coalition that is possible and that is the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats."
29 Comments
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by BK, Leicester
Wednesday, May 12 2010, 8:15AM
“He said vote LIBDEM and you will get Labour..... another promise broken!
Politicians ... never trust them to deliver”
by David, Great Easton, Rural Leicestershire.
Wednesday, May 12 2010, 7:14AM
“This is a great day for politics!! With Brown, albeit late in the, resigning and stating he will leave politics altogether the country will be rejoicing today.
This is the end of New Labour, thank God, now Cameron has the biggest job in his political career - getting this nation solvent again and out of the terrible mess which is Brown's and New Labour's legacy.
Thanks a bunch!!”
by Kulgan, Crydee
Wednesday, May 12 2010, 7:04AM
“Peter,
You cannot be serious!!! as McEnroe says.
Labour inherited a healthy economy (as usual) and left us an economy in the worst state in recorded history. Remember for 10 years of that Brown was Chancellor.
Brown was a ditherer. Effective he was not.”
by bob, leicester east
Wednesday, May 12 2010, 12:20AM
“RB Leicester.
Labour attempting social engineering ? I don`t think so ,perhaps eugenics would be a better description .As for the "working man" I`m still looking to see what they actually did for him ,even my union is embarrest if put on the spot . I have a work collegue who is on a disciplinary at the moment and according to Labours laws he is guilty untill proved innocent and because the company does not recognise unions he is not allowed to be represented by his union untill it goes to court !!!
Lets face the truth Labour by it`s own admission finally admitted that it "forgot" about the working man till this year .perhaps that says it all but lefty morons still vote for them .
I personally feel for the generations of youngsters that have been bertrayed and brainwashed by this pack of PC thieves and liars . what hope have they ? sod all and you know it Their attempt to control immigration from outside the EU is still a farce and all Labour MP`s know it.”
by Peter, Wigston, Leicestershire
Tuesday, May 11 2010, 11:43PM
“Gordon Brown is ten times better than Cameron the Con will ever be. And I have never voted Labour. Not yet!
The torymail news hounds wouldn't have needed to be quite so ridiculously poisonous about him if he hadn't been so effective.”
by Rob, Leicester
Tuesday, May 11 2010, 8:29PM
“Good riddance !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1”
by Kulgan, Crydee
Tuesday, May 11 2010, 7:40PM
“At long last the failure of an ex-Chancellor and unelected Prime Minister has resigned.”
by R.B., Leicester
Tuesday, May 11 2010, 4:37PM
“Reuben B. Reynolds, Thatchers social engineering brought about the chance for the working class to stand on their own two feet for once, anathema to Socialist beliefs in the'nanny state.' Labour's social engineering (unfettered immigration), disadvantages the British populace in an attempt to retain power at all cost! It was on Labour's 'watch' that the banking crisis happened due to lack of regulation....albeit after 13 years of Labour.... government! We are more regulated in thought and speech, taxed and spied upon more than the people of almost any other nation, hence my use of the word 'reich' which I think is appropriate for the state of Labour Britain today!”
by Darren, Leicester
Tuesday, May 11 2010, 4:00PM
“Dignified my ass, he timed it perfectly to try and scupper the Con/Lib talks.
He could have made the announcement immediately after the election when it was apparent that most of the electorate (or should I say most of the English electorate) wanted him to pack his bags.
The first opportunity people had to put their opinion of an unelected PM and they kicked him out, if Labour try introduce a second unelected PM he'll get the same response!”
by David, Great Easton, Rural Leicestershire.
Tuesday, May 11 2010, 3:12PM
“Reuben, I doubt if a rightful minority Conservative Government would be any worse than the shambles we had to endure over the past 13 years!!
Brown eventually saw the light albeit late on. His announcement and conceding the Election should have been made last Friday.”