Commentary and opinion on national and regional politics by Seema Malhotra

Sunday 9 May 2010

Gordon Brown must stay holding the fort

I am quite bemused by the newspaper attacks on Gordon Brown for staying in Number 10 and dealing with the business of government whilst a deal is discussed by Cameron and Clegg. Suggestions of squatting are totally disingenuous. On the one hand, the markets are reliant on politicians keeping stability at the top. On the other hand, those papers who are supporting David Cameron seem to want to put him in the near impossible position of trying to negotiate a coalition deal the likes of which we havent seen for nearly forty years, and at the same time form a Government. As Helena Kennedy rightly said on the Andrew Marr Show today, Gordon is actually doing his constitutional duty by staying in place. I for one am quite relieved we have Alastair Darling and Gordon in place to deal with the European bail out this weekend to help contain the crisis in Greece.