Jack Straw has vehemently denied the assertion made by Nick Robinson in last night’s Ten o’Clock News that he was one of six cabinet ministers prepared to back Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt’s call for a ballot on a possible Labour leadership contest. He has accused the BBC of “substandard journalism” and also claims that he has received an apology from Nick Robinson over the matter. We wait to hear from Robinson if that is indeed true.
Most interesting was the inclusion in Robinson’s list of potential ship-jumpers of the International Development Secretary, Douglas Alexander. Alexander is regarded as a Brown ultra-loyalist and was, indeed, anointed by Gordon in his leadership acceptance speech as co-ordinator of Labour’s general election campaign.
If Alexander was indeed willing to ditch Gordon, it would undoubtedly be the cause of the most extreme consternation in the bowels of No. 10.
Speaking of Alexanders, is there any chance of a picture of the lovely Wendy?