Can anything stop the Brown coronation?

After David Miliband’s “I’m voting for Brown” statement yesterday the speculation this morning is that Tony Blair is ready to be the next in line to back the Chancellor getting his job.

According to Andrew Grice in the Independent the Prime Minister is ready to add his name to the growing list of Labour MPs who say they will support Gordon.

It is getting harder now to see how there could be a heavyweight challenge or even a lightweight one. With so many MPs backing the chancellor the chances of anybody else gathering 44 colleagues to support a rival nomination must look slim.

Gordon has been helped in this last crucial week by feeble performances by the Tories on almost all fronts culminating with the Greg Dyke for Mayor fiasco.

Brown only now needs some improved end of month opinion poll showings for Labour and a less than devastating performance on May 3rd to set the seal on his coronation. Provided ICM, expected in the Guardian tomorrow, doesn’t spring another surprise his aides can breathe a sigh of relief. Expectations within the party are so low that it won’t take much to cheer people up.

The weekend comments by Miliband have pushed the Brown leadership price to its tightest ever levels. Whether this is connected or not I do not know but on the “most seats at the general election” the Tory price has hardened even further to 0.7/1 and is within a whisker of its shortest ever position.

Mike Smithson