The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

Revealed: minister rumoured to resign is Tessa Jowell

But she has assured No 10 she’s staying

By James Macintyre Published 05 January 2010 20:20

Rumours abound this evening that another cabinet minister is set to resign over Gordon Brown's leadership. That minister is Tessa Jowell.

But the anti-Brown plotters will be disappointed to learn that Jowell has been on the phone tonight reassuring Downing Street that she's staying after all. "Tessa is in a good place with Gordon right now," a well-placed source tells me.

This, despite her recent reported complaints that the prospect of a "class war" against the Tories is "hideous".

For more on this story, read: "Jowell, anti-Brown plotters and 'the last throw of the dice' ".

Follow the New Statesman team on Twitter

Special Offer: Get 12 issues of New Statesman magazine for just £12

Tags: Labour leadership

More from James Macintyre

View the discussion thread.

7 comments

Tue, 2010-01-05 20:32 — Andrew Dobson

I really do wish people would stop being in a good place, a bad place, or any other kind of place.

Tue, 2010-01-05 21:24 — David Wearing1

How reassuring, when the Tories are planning to foist "austerity" on us so we can pay their City mates' gambling debts, that a Labour minister thinks its "hideous" to complain about such things.

Tue, 2010-01-05 22:37 — Jack (not verified)

I think you'll find Labour have been in power these last twelve years. Brown has had plenty of 'City mates', and indeed he used to praise them very often indeed. He even said “I want us to do even more to encourage the risk takers”
(Mansion House speech to the City of London, 17 June 2004) among many other such comments. Leave the cheap anti Tory bilge to the goons in government.

Tue, 2010-01-05 22:40 — Max Atkinson

If only someone had published my advice to the Labour party 5+ years ago ('Can Labour Afford to Back Brown') and the party had taken note, they would never have had him as leader in the first place - too late now, I fear:
http://maxatkinson.blogspot.com/2008/09/wisdom-of-forethought.html

Wed, 2010-01-06 01:51 — paulstpancras

This from the woman who would have, girlish crush of a 50 year old, thrown herself to save Saint Tony.

A woman who gave up a husband to save Saint Tony.

For G-d's sake woman, get a grip and walk the plank with the modicum of dignity left to you.

The Labour Party has no place for Cameroon 5th columnists.

Wed, 2010-01-06 10:45 — Peter Knight-Barnard (not verified)

The adorable Ms Jowell is to be dumped in Gordon's pre-election reshuffle. This, at least, should save her the trouble of resigning.

Wed, 2010-01-06 11:27 — David Wearing1

Jack - I agree. Labour can only offer this critique of the Tories with any credibility by making a clean-break with the neo-liberalism and deference to the City that caused the recession. My only problem with Brown's few and weak remarks about the Tories and class is that its such outrageous hypocrisy coming from him, a man who has entrenched inequality and poverty during his time in high office.