Well is that it then?
It looks as though the attempt to get Blair to stand down straight away has already fizzled out with the old PLP left proving once again to be paper tigers.
If Gordon Brown is as canny as people say he is then he will surely be taking the sensible approach of waiting for an agreed changover, allowing him to go to the polls during the honeymoon period new leaders tend to enjoy. That would suggest, barring a major crisis, a leadership election sometime in late 2007 or early 2008 unless we have the (by now) novelty of a five year parliament. That should allow for the kind of trauma-free transition I was talking about yesterday.
But what will Blair do then? He is surely too young to just head off to some foundation or do the speaking tours of Washington.
Here is my suggestion – Blair for Foreign Secretary in a Brown government.
It is Blair’s foreign policy that we are told will be his ‘legacy’ and indeed his record of helping overthrow tyranical regimes is one to be rightly proud of. He could continue that work in a new role while Brown refreshes the domestic agenda.
Social democracy at home and pro-democracy abroad – its the dream ticket.