Et tu, Jackie?

Few journalists have been closer to or more respected by Brown’s inner circle than Jackie Ashley, so it is significant to see her calling on Labour to topple Brown. Ashley praises Brown as a “decent, uncorrupt, highly intelligent and serious man with good values, inspired by public service” but she warns that he is leading Labour to “meltdown”.

The question is will any Cabinet minister have the coverage to confront Brown. As Ashley puts it, “at some basic level, most ministers seem almost physically scared of Brown.” (The reason for this fear is probably Brown’s temper. Ashley reports that she has “spoken to too many people who have been on the receiving end of his famous rages – three senior ministers say they have never been spoken to like that before.”) Given that the Brownites are briefing that any delegation of men in grey suits would be told to go away in no uncertain terms, the plotters will not act unless there is safety in numbers.