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i really don't like the idea of gordon brown taking over without even a proper contest within his own party, never mind the country. there’s no renewal here, no change of course, not even a discussion about the way forward, just the current number two taking over top job. leading the discredited bunch running the show right now.
it contrasts very badly with the tory leadership contest, where you had four candidates with a wide range of approaches and ideas, and importantly a real debate on the future direction of the party.
still at least it means that labour will probably lose the next election, every cloud and all that...
Brown heading a one horse race?
One by one, those being championed as the "Stop Gordon" Labour leadership candidate have fallen by the wayside.
Alan Milburn, David Blunkett, Alan Johnson and now David Miliband have all had their time being urged and flattered by Blairites attempting to get them to step up to the plate.
And as each has failed to take that great stride, so the search has become more frantic.
There will continue to be speculation over whether Mr Miliband had been carefully keeping his options open until after the May local and regional elections, which he denies, and why he has now decided to rule himself out.
Was it a belief that his chances had been blighted by appearing to be the Blairite candidate, was it a realisation Mr Brown was unbeatable or was it that he calculated his time will come after the next election?
Whatever the background to his latest statements, there is no doubt it has come as a serious blow to the Blairites who had believed he might be prevailed upon to go for it.
In the bag
So, it now looks like the campaign is preparing to re-focus its attention onto the last man still standing - Home Secretary John Reid.
Mr Reid, whose opposition to Mr Brown is legendary, has persistently refused to rule himself out as a candidate, even though it appears he would stand little chance of defeating Mr Brown.
The chancellor has heavyweight union backing, is popular in the constituencies and is said to already have 200 backbench Labour MPs signed up to support him.
In other words - it should be in the bag for the chancellor. And a "coronation" still looks like the most likely outcome.
So what are the chances of Mr Reid launching what might look like a kamikaze mission and what would be in it for him?
His big speech at last September's Labour conference was certainly seen as a clear pitch for the leadership and his star rose dramatically.
Since then, however, he has been battling crisis after crisis in the home office and all the talk of a leadership bid has waned. There were even claims at the end of last year he had let the chancellor know he had no intention of challenging him.
Big question
However, he probably has little to lose in challenging Mr Brown - apart from face (not to be lightly discounted).
The chancellor may not be his number one fan, but it is widely believed he is planning to leave Mr Reid at the Home Office to finish the job he started when appointed by Tony Blair to sort the "dysfunctional" department out.
Whether that would be a punishment or reward is a matter of opinion.
So the suggestion that a Reid challenge would be a way of ensuring he keeps a Cabinet job under Mr Brown doesn't seem appropriate in this case.
Equally, though, running a leadership campaign - with all the consequential attention - probably wouldn't do him any harm unless, of course, he was humiliated.
And it is that which is the single biggest question facing Mr Reid, or any other would-be challenger.
And, as the big day draws closer, so the Brown juggernaut - now driven by Jack Straw - appears increasingly unstoppable.
The already-declared left-wing candidates John McDonnell and Michael Meacher are sniping at each other in the battle to win the support of 44 Labour MPs needed to launch a campaign.
And the unofficial leader of the "Stop Gordon" campaign, former minister Charles Clarke, is also said to face real problems getting enough names behind him.
He is said to be ready to stand if no one else does in an attempt to flush out a more serious candidate, such as Mr Reid or even work and pensions secretary John Hutton.
Just don't go putting any money on anyone other than Gordon Brown emerging as the next prime minister in a few weeks' time.
One by one, those being championed as the "Stop Gordon" Labour leadership candidate have fallen by the wayside.
Alan Milburn, David Blunkett, Alan Johnson and now David Miliband have all had their time being urged and flattered by Blairites attempting to get them to step up to the plate.
And as each has failed to take that great stride, so the search has become more frantic.
There will continue to be speculation over whether Mr Miliband had been carefully keeping his options open until after the May local and regional elections, which he denies, and why he has now decided to rule himself out.
Was it a belief that his chances had been blighted by appearing to be the Blairite candidate, was it a realisation Mr Brown was unbeatable or was it that he calculated his time will come after the next election?
Whatever the background to his latest statements, there is no doubt it has come as a serious blow to the Blairites who had believed he might be prevailed upon to go for it.
In the bag
So, it now looks like the campaign is preparing to re-focus its attention onto the last man still standing - Home Secretary John Reid.
Mr Reid, whose opposition to Mr Brown is legendary, has persistently refused to rule himself out as a candidate, even though it appears he would stand little chance of defeating Mr Brown.
The chancellor has heavyweight union backing, is popular in the constituencies and is said to already have 200 backbench Labour MPs signed up to support him.
In other words - it should be in the bag for the chancellor. And a "coronation" still looks like the most likely outcome.
So what are the chances of Mr Reid launching what might look like a kamikaze mission and what would be in it for him?
His big speech at last September's Labour conference was certainly seen as a clear pitch for the leadership and his star rose dramatically.
Since then, however, he has been battling crisis after crisis in the home office and all the talk of a leadership bid has waned. There were even claims at the end of last year he had let the chancellor know he had no intention of challenging him.
Big question
However, he probably has little to lose in challenging Mr Brown - apart from face (not to be lightly discounted).
The chancellor may not be his number one fan, but it is widely believed he is planning to leave Mr Reid at the Home Office to finish the job he started when appointed by Tony Blair to sort the "dysfunctional" department out.
Whether that would be a punishment or reward is a matter of opinion.
So the suggestion that a Reid challenge would be a way of ensuring he keeps a Cabinet job under Mr Brown doesn't seem appropriate in this case.
Equally, though, running a leadership campaign - with all the consequential attention - probably wouldn't do him any harm unless, of course, he was humiliated.
And it is that which is the single biggest question facing Mr Reid, or any other would-be challenger.
And, as the big day draws closer, so the Brown juggernaut - now driven by Jack Straw - appears increasingly unstoppable.
The already-declared left-wing candidates John McDonnell and Michael Meacher are sniping at each other in the battle to win the support of 44 Labour MPs needed to launch a campaign.
And the unofficial leader of the "Stop Gordon" campaign, former minister Charles Clarke, is also said to face real problems getting enough names behind him.
He is said to be ready to stand if no one else does in an attempt to flush out a more serious candidate, such as Mr Reid or even work and pensions secretary John Hutton.
Just don't go putting any money on anyone other than Gordon Brown emerging as the next prime minister in a few weeks' time.
it contrasts very badly with the tory leadership contest, where you had four candidates with a wide range of approaches and ideas, and importantly a real debate on the future direction of the party.
still at least it means that labour will probably lose the next election, every cloud and all that...
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