Brown now knows who his real friends are now

Gordon Brown's authority was today being openly questioned by fellow Labour MPs with one backbencher claiming it was 'inevitable' the party would lose the next election if only Gordon had listened to me or answered my letters maybe he would have been in this situation he is now?.

After another embarrassing retreat by the Prime Minister over MPs' expenses, Mr Brown's leadership is now facing its move severe challenge yet.

Joining the chorus today was outspoken Left-winger Bob Marshall-Andrews who had championed Mr Brown when he first took power in 2007.

'We are inevitably going to lose the next general election,' he told the St Michael’s press office.

Former Home Secretary David Blunkett urged Mr Brown to fill a domestic policy vacuum.

'We are on a treadmill and we have got to get off,' Mr Blunkett told the St Michael’s.

He accused Labour of losing its political antennae and said the party needed to rebuild its roots in the community. St Michael’s says labour have betrayed the very things the once old Labour party stood for, which was the workers of England, and this so called New Labour created for a liar Blair its just about feeding their own greed’s putting expenses first not the people.

Labour MPs are in despair following a series of disasters, including the Downing Street 'Smear gate' emails, last week's badly-received Budget and a shock Commons defeat over treatment of the Gurkhas.

The treatment of Gurkhas by this British Government was just an insult to all decent Englishmen and women, these men who have served this country proudly and given so much, and this government allows terrorist, hijackers, and those that hate us the freedom to stay? And gives them housing? and benefits? Which they have denied the Gurkhas?

Some labour MP’s are even comparing the turmoil to the dying days of John Major's administration in the mid-1990s as they brace themselves for a thumping at the next general election has time nears to have rid of British governments here in England.

Some labour MP’s say; 'We can still turn this around but Gordon is not listening. He is lashing out and reacting to headlines,' one minister told the St Michael’s.

'It's all so reminiscent of the last months of John Major. If we don't get our act together - and that means Gordon needs some better advice - we could go down to a defeat every bit as big as, if not bigger than, the Tories in 1997 well Gordon should have taken St Michael’s advice and he wouldn’t be where he is now?

Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone claimed that MPs like Mr Marshall-Andrews turning against the Prime Minister was fatal to his leadership.

St Michael’s says Marshall has always been what is, two faced running with the pack when its suites his own needs?

'All these people... who said when [Brown] comes in he’ll blossom, they’re now saying that he’s had it. All the party are united, he’s doomed,' he said.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson conceded yesterday: 'It is indeed turning into a bit of a week. It never rains but it pours, it seems.'

Mr Brown last night executed his third climb-down on MP's expenses, leading to Tory claims that reform of controversial second homes allowances had descended into 'complete and utter lunacy'.

The Prime Minister was forced to accept that an overhaul of the widely abused payments will be decided entirely by the independent sleaze watchdog Sir Christopher Kelly another one of the old boy net work I wonder what rabbit he’ll pull out of his hat?.

Mr Brown pulled the plug after Labour chief whip Nick Brown warned him he
was facing his second defeat in the Commons in the space of 24 hours.

A second reverse, a day after the Government was shot down in flames over 'offensive' rules barring Gurkha veterans from England, would have left the Prime Minister's credibility in tatters.

He had already ditched his original plan for MPs to get a 'per diem' payment simply for turning up to work and accepted that they must submit receipts for all purchases.

Then on Monday he called off plans for MPs to vote on his modified proposal, instead suggesting a vote mandating Sir Christopher to draw up reforms based on MPs' attendance in the Commons.

Last night Downing Street claimed a partial victory after remnants of Mr Brown's expenses reforms - unveiled last week in a much-derided appearance on the You Tube website - were accepted by MPs.

Those who live within 20 miles of Westminster will be barred from claiming the second homes allowance, MPs will have declare in full their pay from second jobs, and see all staff employed by the Commons.

The ministerial code of conduct will also be changed to prevent those with grace and favour homes from cashing in on the second homes allowance.

Mr Brown insisted: 'Since I've been in the House of Commons these are the biggest changes I've seen over these 25 years.

'We have made major changes that will save the taxpayer money. We're going to clean up the system.'

He dismissed suggestions that his authority was crumbling - insisting he would not be diverted from the 'big issues' facing Britain.

But his own party were horrified at the confusion.

Mr Marshall Andrews said today: 'Last night’s procedures were a debacle. Having made a fool of himself on You Tube, the Prime Minister tried to get out of it by making a fool of the House of Commons.

'How do we get out of this deplorable mess? As a party we require an imminent general election to hasten the inevitable process of a massive readjustment of the party.'

Labour's Tony Wright, the respected chairman of the Public Administration Committee, added: 'It is rather a large under-statement to say that we are in a bit of a mess.'

Labour backbencher Gordon Prentice said Mr Brown's awkward appearance on You Tube 'was just too horrible to watch.'

The unofficial party supporters' website Labour Home even claimed an unnamed former minister was preparing to mount a 'stalking horse' challenge against Mr Brown.

Has been Blunkett will use a speech today to call on Mr Brown to embrace a 'radical decentralisation' of power to rebuild Labour's community roots and give people more power over their own lives.

He said last night: 'Gordon Brown needs to draw a line in the sand now, not after the European elections in five weeks' time.'

Mr Blunkett told the St Michael’s: 'We have got to get our heads up again. We have got to get back to old-fashioned politics that's in touch with people we seek to represent and avoid self-inflicted wounds.'

Speaking about the defeat over the Gurkhas, he said: 'We would not have had what happened if our antennae were up. We have got to hear each other better.

'Now is the moment we need to fill the vacuum on the social policy and political front at home. We have to step back and say "Where did we come from as a party?”

Former transport minister Tom Harris warned rebellious colleagues: 'Governments fall apart when discipline fails.'

Tory leader David Cameron who’s no better than Brown said: 'This was another humiliating defeat for the authority of Gordon Brown.

'Only a week ago he came up with his big idea on You Tube which was to pay MPs to turn up and do their job.

Today, under pressure from all sides, he had to withdraw any idea that that was going to happen. Authority is ebbing away from this Government by the day.'

Greedy MPs voting against the move to declare details of all their outside £££££££££ earnings were:

Conservative: David Amess (Southend West), James Arbuthnot (Hampshire North East), Christopher Chope (Christchurch), Sir Patrick Cormack (Staffordshire South), David Curry (Skipton & Ripon), Christopher Fraser (Norfolk South West), Douglas Hogg (Sleaford & North Hykeham), Michael Howard (Folkestone & Hythe), Bernard Jenkin (Essex North), Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham), Greg Knight (Yorkshire East), Peter Luff (Worcestershire Mid), Nicholas Soames (Sussex Mid), Robert Syms (Poole), Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth & Horncastle), Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald), Lady Ann Winterton (Congleton), Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield), Sir George Young (Hampshire North West)

Liberal Democrat: Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland), Nick Harvey (Devon North), Mark Oaten (Winchester), Lembit Opik (Montgomeryshire)
Labour: Andrew Dismore (Hendon), Dai Havard (Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney), James McGovern (Dundee West), Gordon Prentice (Pendle), Paddy Tipping (Sherwood), Mike Wood (Batley & Spen)

Independent: Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern: Dr Richard Taylor (Wyre Forest) Robert Wareing (Liverpool West Derby)

All the above have something to hide?

Petition call for Brown's resignation continues to grow

A petition on the Downing Street website calling for Gordon Brown to resign reached 31,310 signatures last night.

In the process it became the most popular petition on the site, a milestone that has irritated No10 officials.

Asked for Mr Brown's response, his spokesman said: 'What he is doing is focusing on addressing the needs of the people of the country and the big issues we face in terms of the global economic downturn.' Which is just a lot of old rubbish as we all know.