Who is the Next Geoffery Howe?

With the pressure mounting on Gordon Brown, it is inevitable that there will be a concerted attack on the Prime Minister after the Local and European elections. So the question remains, who will be the first senior Labour MP that attempts to stick the knife in?

More that likely it will be Hazel Blears, there is an almost personal feud between the PM and the poisoned chipmunk. But the attack might not be that vicious, by now she is almost considered damaged goods.

However, if Gordon Brown plays a bad hand with his cabinet reshuffle it could be even worse. If he does not handle the position of Chancellor well, he could create a monster in Alistair Darling. Even today Gordon Brown talked about Mr Darling and his achievements in the past tense. This certainly does not bode well for the badgered-eyebrow one.

Geoffrey Howe damned Margaret Thatcher by claiming "It is rather like sending your opening batsmen to the crease only for them to find, the moment the first balls are bowled, that their bats have been broken before the game by the team captain."

But by sacking Mr Darling, it is more like sending your opening batsmen to the crease only for them to find, the moment the first balls are bowled, that their opening bowler is your captain.