Peter Hoskin

The vultures circle ever closer

The vultures circle ever closer
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Is the bad news stacked against Gordon Brown reaching some kind of critical mass?  The newspapers today are absolutely stuffed with stories about banks, bankers and bonuses that are either embarrassing or downright ruinous for the PM.  And, to top it all off, Trevor Kavanagh begins his Sun column asking why Brown hasn't resigned after the events of last week.  Sure, it's highly unlikely that we'll see that particular resignation before the next election; but there's still a growing sense that it's not so much chickens as vultures that are coming home to roost on the roof of 10 Downing Street.

Unfortunately for the PM, his party's now losing most - if not all - of the day-to-day battles with the Tories.  The continuing furore over bankers' bonuses is a good example of that.  While the Cabinet has been at loggerheads over how to act, David Cameron came out yesterday calling for a £2,000 cap on the payouts made to staff at taxpayer-owned banks.  You may have quibbles over the sum the Tory leader proposes, but there's little denying that his proposal keys into the public mood and solidifies the image of Brown the Ditherer.  Crucially, it also dilutes the Government's latest (disingenuous) attack, that the Tories have a lax attitude towards the City fat cats.  All in all, the PM's escape routes are dwindling.