One of the more startling aspects of the nascent Labour leadership struggle is just how quickly it’s dissolved into a Blairite-Brownite feud. Of course, it helps that David Milband – the key, would-be challenger – was one of Blair’s most trusted lieutenants. Then that Blair memo appeared, to stoke the flames of internecine struggle. And now the papers report that Blairites such as Charles Clarke and Stephen Byers are drafting a series of policy challenges and proposals – their aim being to keep up pressure on Brown, and boost David Miliband’s cause.
The Blairites will be loving every minute of it. After Brown’s decade as Chancellor – during which he did everything he could to undermine Project Blair – this is their chance to exact revenge. And they intend to be brutal about it. But if they successfully enact Phase 1 of the plan, by getting Miliband into power, will they be happy with Phase 2 – a Miliband government? I’m not so sure.
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