Gordon’s Honeymoon Period
Recent political events make it look very likely that Gordon will get his greatest wish within the next 12 months and accede to the throne of Number 10 Downing Street. Like most new Prime Ministers before him, Gordon will doubtless be expecting the privilege of a honeymoon period, in which the press lays off their customary day-by-day attacks on the incumbent PM for at least a few months while he gets his feet under the desk.
Evidence is steadily mounting, however, that this may not be the case for Gordon. In fact, now that it appears that the toppling of Blair is fully complete, the press seem to have already declared open season on our dear chancellor, racing to get the early punches in to soften him up. This recent Observer article, for example, can be summed up with the following verdicts on Gordon’s performance:
Tax and benefits: Good if you are on a low income or have children. Bad if you are on a high income or are childless.
Homes and Inheritance: Bad for homeowners, who are not necessarily used to buying tax advice, but whose property values are dragging them into the IHT net.
Pensions: Generally disastrous.
Meanwhile the chances of Gordon reuniting a divided Labour party, and sweeping under the carpet his record as chancellor are looking slim. The following are the latest Betfair odds for Gordon to be worried about:
Betfair Odds for Gordon as Next Labour Leader: 1.45 (slightly lengthened from 1.42).
Betfair Odds for Next General Election: Labour 2.22 (lengthened from 2.1), Conservatives 1.83 (shortened from 1.93).
