Can things get any worse for Brown?

Yesterday was bad enough, but today’s turning into an utter catastrophe for Brown. First, it emerged that the Tories enjoy a 4 point lead in Labour’s traditional northern strongholds, then Baroness Vadera leaves the government to work for the G20, and now another former GOAT, Lord Malloch Brown, tells the World at One that Brown was too “desperate” in his pursuit of a meeting with President Obama. Malloch Brown said:

“I don’t know whether they were frantic or not, they shouldn’t have been frankly so desperate.”

When handpicked former ministers make such statements it’s clear that the writing’s been on the wall for so long it’s started to fade. President Obama will probably say something today to indicate that he values Brown, but the damage is done. It’s a back-handed compliment, but Mr Brown’s survival and will to “fight on” speak volumes about his character. Aside from shaking Mugabe’s hand, the only way his situation could deteriorate any further is if there was a leadership challenge, but the time for that is surely past.