Gordon Brown should call a Labour leadership election before 2009

The number of disgruntled Labour MP's is growing. The Cabinet are fed up. It will soon time for a leadership election.

Should Gordon Brown follow John Major and force one himself? Major was regarded as necessary by pro-European Conservatives as he was opposed to the Eurosceptic views of John Redwood and most backbenchers.

He won a leadership election and even a general election, unlike Gordon Brown.

However, it is risky to delay elections, whether general or internal. Jim Callaghan delayed until the last possible minute, and conditions got worse. Brown's refusal to have a general election soon after taking office damaged him.

Hanging on until 2010 as Prime Minister could damage him and the Labour Party further.

Gordon Brown might win a leadership election if he calls one before 2009. He is less likely to win one the worse things get. John Hutton has indicated his unwillingness to condem the Labour rebels, and other ministers may follow suit.

Unless he stops splashing about like a small child at a leisure centre, Gordon Brown will be doomed to sitting on the backbenches, unless he is offered his old job back at the Treasury.

Calling a leadership election in November 2008 would give Still Prime Minister Brown (to paraphrase the excellent Daily Show) some time to turn things around.

He could appease backbench MP's by scrapping the plan for 42-day detention and ID cards. The money from the latter decision could be spent on reducing crime and poverty.

In 2006, the Home Office claimed ID Cards would cost £5.4 billion pounds. Other estimates have put the cost at a much higher figure. Some of that money could be spent on giving low paid vital workers such as police officers and nursers free travel on public transport, or on youth schemes to keep teenagers out of trouble.

If Gordon Brown carries on watching his party desert him, he will not be Prime Minister by the next general election. He must take action now.