Ferrets in a sack

It certainly makes great entertainment as we watch the Labour party self destruct from within. According to the BBC piece here the rift within the Labour Party is deepening as Blair refuses to say when he will go and a number of MP's are openly talking about getting enough signatures to trigger a leadership election. I guess that view would be supported by Peter Black who writes here about the unrest amongst Labour Party MP's and AM's in Wales. Meanwhile Ed Balls has gone public in today's Observer and dismissed calls for a wide ranging policy debate before Blair departs. Doubtless he wishes his lord and master to take office unencumbered by any nuisance policy decisions. One particular bit had me rolling in the aisles when he says "Today's Labour party, by contrast, is not ideologically split or fundamentally divided on principles." Hmm I think not Mr Balls - tell that to the "Old Labour" MPs', Councillors and activists who know that they sold their soul for a chance at power and are now very unhappy with what they got. Finally The Observer Leader here says that Blair must stay on the grounds that this will allow a proper contest to ensue. I must admit to mixed feelings - the longer he stays the more damage the Labour Party will do to itself - on the other hand the sooner he goes the more likely it is that Brown is installed as the next PM. I may be wrong but I think Brown will find it very hard to disassociate himself from the current government and consequently I think he will find it harder to achieve a Labour majority at the next general election