Who will succeed Gordon Brown?
May 25, 2008TPT looks at the betting odds
Given that is increasingly likely that Gordon Brown will be forced to resign as leader of the Labour Party (and by implication Prime Minister) the question now shifts to the person who will suceed him. It is axiomatic that, if he is removed, his sucessor will not come from the Labour left, or from many of the senior cabinet members. I simply cannot see Harriet Harman, Alistair Darling (although odds of 100/1 might be a bit too long), Ed Balls or John Cruddas suceeding him. For me there are only six credible candidates; David Miliband, Alan Johnson, Jack Straw, Charles Clarke, Alan Milburn or James Purnell. Longshots whose odds are long enough to make betting on them worthwhile are: Hazel Blears, John Reid and (although I dislike his views on immigration) Frank Field. Of the six major contenders, Miliband, Straw and Purnell’s odds are simply too short while Johnson’s odds are about right.
My tips are: Alan Milburn (14/1), Charles Clarke (33/1), John Reid (50/1), Hazel Blears (100/1), Alastair Darling (100/1) and Frank Field (100/1).
