THE LADDIE'S FOR TURNING:

Brown widens Labour divide (JAMES KIRKUP AND FRASER NELSON, 9/28/04, The Scotsman)

TONY Blair was last night urged by his allies to crush Gordon Brown’s leadership ambitions and signal a new era where challenges to his authority will no longer be tolerated.

The Prime Minister’s confidantes pressed him to use his conference speech today to make clear that the Treasury can no longer be an alternative political power base.

But 10 Downing Street was last night preparing to offer yet another peace deal to Mr Brown, with Mr Blair praising his accomplishments and focusing instead on explaining the Iraq conflict to delegates and the country.

In the first full day of the Labour Party conference in Brighton, Mr Brown delivered an impassioned and personal speech where he praised the "public sector ethos" and laid out a personal manifesto for the third term.

While it drew a standing ovation from delegates, it infuriated Mr Blair’s allies who said the Chancellor was sending an anti-privatisation message to his supporters and must be dealt with firmly today.

If Britain only had a mildly competent conservative party, this is the moment to steal the Third Way back from Labour and recast themselves as compassionate conservatives eager to help Tony Blair pass real reforms. It would break Labour in two.

Posted by Orrin Judd at September 28, 2004 9:11 AM