Is Brown’s nightmare becoming reality?

To understand why Jane Kennedy has gone, ask yourself: what does Gordon Brown fear most? Not the spineless Cabinet. Not the PLP. But he could be ousted if someone uses on him the tactics he ruthlessly used to depose Tony Blair: line up junior government members and have them resign hour after hour.

Last summer, Brown instructed McBride and his other henchmen to identify and then “out” rebels like Siobhan McDonagh before they could co-ordinate and detonate themselves. It worked a treat. Looks like the Dear Leader is up to his tricks again. Kennedy, a junior environment minister, said she has left the government after being asked to give a statement of support of Brown which she could not do. No10 says she’s lying, but her account rings true to me. For years, Brown wanted to divide his critics: have some of them in government, some outside. Now in a panic, he’s pushing them all outside – leaving them mull around and plot.