Harriet Harman as deputy leader of the Labour Party...

[katelyle]

....good thing or bad thing? I was hoping for Hilary Benn - but I am very old fashioned!

[beansprout]

I'm really pleased that she has won. She is, amongst other things, very committed to family friendly work policies. I'm glad they didn't just go for the Prescott replacement of Johnson.

[SenoraPostrophe]

really, I was hoping for Hilary too. He talks a lot of sense that man.

haven't read much about Harriet.

[Peachy]

I like Hilary benn but think Harriet harman better than Hazel Blears or Alan Johnson so oculd be worse

[policywonk]

Makes you wish they'd had a proper leadership election, eh?

[Peachy]

Ah I like Gordon Brwon. Sorry and all, but I do. We'll see in a few months but give the bloke a go.

And how can you have an election if nobody is rpepareed to stand- vote for Noddy?

[policywonk]

Ah well, no, the idea of people standing was sort of implicit in the whole leadership-election scenario...

I am dreading Brown. But then, I hated Blair.

[Peachy]

Like I sad I'll give him a go- let hm hang himself ro save himself.

Glad tos ee Blair out!

[Genidef]

Please can someone clarify something?

IS Harriet Harmon Deputy Prime Minister? She is Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. GB is Leader of the Labour Party and PM. Ergo, I assume is Deputy PM.

What was different about her position, as I understood it, was that it was announced today she is also Chairwoman of the Labour Party(and I think outsted Hazel Blears from a job.)

My husband claims to have just heard on the BBC news that she is Deputy Leader of the Labour Party but NOT Deputy PM?

Did he mishear? If not, how can this be? Was it some arbitrary decision?

Please help. Thanks

[Genidef]

Sorry, "I assume she is Deputy PM."

[Piffle]

cannot say deputy PM as GB not PM just yet
She will be Dep PM as of tomorrow

[edam]

No, she's not dep PM - the post of deputy leader doesn't automatically confer deputy PM-ship.

I heard the same thing on the news, that she'll be the chair of the Labour party but not dep PM.

Am glad she's back, thought it was a shame she went, really.

[clutteredup]

Am I the only one who is concerned that we are about to have an unelected PM? Who incidentally is Scottish and therfore may have interests beyond the UK as a whole?

[Piffle]

oh quite right he gets to choose his Dep PM eeeks
looks like he may go for Jack Straw...

[expatinscotland]

There goes the neighbourhood . . .

[clutteredup]

Nothing agaist Scots just a bit concerned about GB's interests - sorry should have made myself clear - too late to start a row -I've actually poseted elsewhere I'd like to move toScotland, life's better there I hear.

[clutteredup]

Yes but he chose himself in that case how more unelected can you get?

[expatinscotland]

Oh, no worries there, cluttered, Scotland is the last thing that man is interested.

He'd sell his own Scottish granny if he thought there was some power (or a fiver) in it.

[edam]

Well, no PM is ever personally elected. It's not like standing for president. People vote for the party, not the man/woman (clearly we all know who the leader is but there's no 'Blair for PM' box on the voting paper). And when all those people voted Labour last time, they must have realised there was a good chance they'd be getting Gordon before too long. In fact, hadn't Tony said that was his last election?

[edam]

Disagree, expat, having met him, seen him in action and worked for a long-standing friend of his. He's a politician, of course he loves power, but he's not unprincipled, far from it.

[expatinscotland]

I can't afford principles, especially not Brown's, which nearly left us homeless whilst I was pregnant.

That man's the closest thing to hate I've ever felt other than George Bush, Jr.

[clutteredup]

erm yes but I didn't vote labour so i didn't vote for Gordy - like to point out I didn't votr Tory either - Liam Fox is our MP and he makes me cringe. TBH there's not many I would have, but if Boris Jonson were leader of the Tory Party I might be inclined to vote for the Tories just for fun!!

[expatinscotland]

My soul purpose in naturalising was to be able to vote against Labour.

[clutteredup]

Soul or sole - I guess soul as you sound very sincere and dedicated to the cause

[edam]

Agree with you about Liam Fox, used to have to deal with him for my day job and he made my flesh creep.

How come Brown left you homeless, expat?