A Government "Falling Apart Before Our Eyes?"

A time of great political upheaval has fallen upon the United Kingdom, the outcome of which is yet to be written. An almost perfect storm of the recent monumental economic woes with all it's accompanying damage, accentuated by a growing scandal over the expense claims of Members of Parliament (MP's), has created an increasingly untenable position for Gordon Brown's Labour government.

Last week was a particularly disaster with with at one point 3 cabinet members resigning in 3 days. The most damaging perhaps was the public letter published in The Times by promising young Work and Pensions Secretary, James Purnell, MP, who in resigning his cabinet post stated that "Gordon Brown's continued leadership makes a Conservative victory more likely not less likely". This prompted Conservative Leader David Cameron's remark that "what we are watching is a government falling apart in front of our eyes".

Further troubles ended the week with big losses by Labour in the local elections and a complete disaster over the weekend when Conservatives took a large share of the European Parliament seats. Even the ultra-conservative British National Party managed to gain a seat in the election backlash that clearly showed the distrust of the British voters of all the major parties.

Today Mr. Brown is trying to recoup, but he will face serious questions by his party's MP's tonight about why only 15% of those polled in this most recent election voted Labour. Some say it is time for the "men in grey suits" to advise Mr. Brown that his continued presence is detrimental, but so far he holds on with the an almost sureal tenacity.

This is a truly interesting time to be in the UK, observing all this strife first hand. Only time will tell the final outcome, but my guess is that sooner or later Mr. Cameron will finally have his chance.