The speculation continues...

The speculation over when the PM will stand down continues in the Sunday papers with MP’s in both the Blair and Brown camps fuelling the debate (read it here). Let’s face it though, the speculation over the PM’s departure is never going to end until the PM actually stands down. I suspect that even were he to name a date, the speculation would continue until that day came.

Blairite, Stephen Byers in the Sunday Telegraph has called on any potential leadership challenger to use this time to outline the direction they would take the Labour party and the policies they would introduce.

Another Blairite, Alan Milburn in the Sunday Times has also called for a debate to be held. He cites the transition from Thatcher to Major and the fact no debate took place then as the reasons behind his views.

Ed Balls, Treasury Minister, firm Brown supporter and who I believe will be the next Chancellor has stated Byers’ and Milburn’s call for a debate to be held on future policy as “absurd” in the Observer. He is quoted as saying "I do not believe the Conservative party can win the next election. But we must make sure we do not lose it.” So he appears to be suggesting that a policy debate will be divisive, which would be costly when the next election comes.

However this could be an attempt to avoid Brown having to spell out where he would take the Labour Party. Would he stick with new Labour reforms? Or take the party back to more old Labour ways? Perhaps Brown has his own “new Labour” type rebranding? Who knows, this is something that will need returning to.

Whatever the future it is quite clear that there (like always) is a split between those in the Blair and Brown camps. With the Blairites calling for a debate and the Brownites saying there is no need. I think the Blairites have the upper hand on this, as even if no official debate takes place, one is sure to happen via the media.