***Breaking News*** Nick Robinson Names Cabinet Names

Nick Robinson has just named the names of those in Cabinet that were standing by as Geoof Hoon and Patricia Hewitt too the heat for their letter.

Harriet Harman

David Miliband

Douglas AlexanderJack Straw Jim Murphy Bob Ainsworth The dirty half dozen who were waiting to pounce.

Was their intended successor a Miliband?

Nick Robinson said that you can expect their offices to be issuing denials immediately. At least a lot faster than the statements of support for the Prime Minister earlier in the day.

President Blair's Titanic

Well Capt. Brown had ordered the stoking of the engines and it was full steam ahead for the 'good' ship Blair to sail to the European Council Presidency.

Whoops! Mere hours after the captain gave a strong backing in a press conference, just as news that Vaclav Klaus appears ready to sign up the Czech Republic sign up to the Lisbon Treaty, it has run aground on an iceberg.

Neither Nicolas Sarkozy nor Angela Merkel are 'terribly enthusiastic' about the idea of President Blair. His main backer outside of his good captain is Silvio Berlusconi guess all those holidays in the Italian leader's villa haven't quite paid off as expected for the Blairs, as such an endorsement may as well come from Silvio Briatore or John and Edward in today's political circus.

Indeed Sarkozy, the French president, and Merkel, the German chancellor,discussed the position over dinner at the Elysée palace on Wednesday. They are understood to have agreed the post should be filled by a central right member of the EPP grouping in the EU, so there goes the hopes of any UK Tory as well.

The reason for the French lack of support was summed up by Jean-David Levitte, Sarkozy's most senior foreign affairs adviser who said:

"The UK is not in the eurozone, nor in the Schengen [free travel area in the EU] and it has a number of opt outs. These are not advantageous in this search for a candidate."

Very valid points, hard to lead Europe if you keep asking for exclusion. The list if the Tories take over would be even longer, opting out of the EU convention on Human Rights, pulling out of the cross border police agreements, even seeking to unravel the treaty that is about to be signed.

Bizarrely of course both Labour and the Tories say they want to lead Europe, but on their own terms. It is clear from the view of our EU members that is not the view that is tenable across the rest of the members. The decision of David Cameron's party to pull itself away from the mainstream centre right grouping is putting even more distance between us and the people who should be our closest allies.

Does this bode well for Labour's fall back of David Milliband for the the other new position, that of high representative for foreign policy? Personally I think Milliband is right to distance himself from seeking the role, as he is likely too to fail on similar grounds. Add in there though the view of the UK as a foreign aggressor by many in the world and this role surely is beyond the hope of any member of the ruling party in the UK just now.

So while the cabinet plays on it looks like the Brown/Blair Line's ship Titanic is sinking in the cool, cold waters of European politics.

Watch Out Gordon We're Coming to Get You

Gordon Brown may be taking a vacation but everyone seems out to get him just now.

First David Miliband calls on his colleagues in an article in the Grauniad to offer the electorate real change. Many in the Main Stream Media see it as the opening salvo in a leadership bid from the one many see as Brown's likely successor. He talks about the need for change, "a new phase", that the summer shouldn't be about introspection. Saying:

"The odds are against us, no question. But I still believe we can win the next
election."

Then sets out an agenda of what has been done wrong and what should be done better. Finishing off with a rallying cry of sorts:

"New Labour won three elections by offering real change, not just in policy but in the way we do politics. We must do so again. So let's stop feeling sorry for ourselves, enjoy a break, and then find the confidence to make our case afresh."

The speculation of course is just was does he imply by afresh?

Meanwhile Deputy Prime Minister, Harriet Harman, is denying claims that she too is preparing a leadership challenge. Looks like the knives may well be being looked at in the draw if not yet getting sharpened in the Labour camp.

Then you have Nick Clegg stating that there is no such thing as a safe Labour seat and redirecting Lib Dem attention and funding to focus on the 50 most vulnerable Labour seats at the nest General Election. He says:

"And at the next general election, they will lose in their heartlands to the
Liberal Democrats. A Labour vote is now a wasted vote."

It is a shift from 2005 when the party looked at the vulnerability of Tory seats such as those of David Davis and Theresa May but reflects the gains on councils and control taken in some traditionally Labour dominated areas. With all the uncertainty over what Labour's next roll of the dice may be he warns.

"You never know how quickly things will change. Gordon Brown may find the
guts to call the general election we should have had last year.

"He
may be replaced with yet another unelected Labour prime minister.

"We've
got to be ready for anything. Britain needs a break from Labour.

"Britain needs a young party with fresh ideas for today's families -
that's us. So let's make it happen."

So after having one by election taking us into the traditional slow period for politics it looks like we may well have an interesting summer season ahead of us long before the resort towns hold the party conferences in September.