Should you take the 20/1 against PM4PM before 2020?

Should you take the 20/1 against PM4PM before 2020?

Have you joined the great Mandelson gamble?

The news this morning that efforts are being made to find Peter Mandelson a safe Labour seat in County Durham for the general election has set off a big gamble on the political betting markets.

Both Ladbrokes and William Hill have issued press release – the latter now making Mandelson 8/1 to be the next Labour leader. The Ladbrokes prices is a more comfortable 16/1.

Ladbrokes say that for every pound at the moment they are taking on other contenders there’s five pounds going on Mandelson

But the bet I really like is the 20/1 from William Hill that Mandelson will become Prime Minister before 2020. As yet this has not gone up on their website but you can get the price by phone – my guess is that it won’t last long at that level.

For you can envisage circumstances in which Brown had to pull out on health grounds in the run-up to the election when the NEC would have to choose a new leader immediately who would be PM.

Given that Mandy would be an MP after the general election it would be a lot easier for him to be made the emergency choice.

In any case if that does not happen you you could still win if Mandy got the job during the next ten years.

Everything has seemed too much of a coincidence in the past eight weeks. Mandy uses his influence to stop the revolt against Brown after the Euro results. Then we get news that the law is being changed to allow Life Peers to renounce their titles so that they can stand for the Commons. And now we have this morning’s story about a safe seat being lined up for him.

The 20/1 is a great bet – get on before it tightens or gets pulled completely.

Mike Smithson

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