WHY ARE Bryan Gould and David Blunkett risking the boot from the front bench by putting on a lett face over devaluation and Are they hoping to emulate the calculated histrionics of Tory primadonna Michael Heseltine when he walked out on Thatcher?
Gould and Blunkett have been proven right on the first count by last week's ERM meltdown, and are arguing the sameline as Tony Benn, Dennis Skinner and Sucialist Outlook on the second.
Sources
As a result, 'sources close to John Smith' have been leaking thinly veiled threats of the sack to the national Papers Yet these men have never been their principles ahead their careers.
The crunch comes at the Wednesday 23 shadow cabinet meeting (the day after Socialist NALGO Labour's line is to be debated.
While no change of policy beyond a recognition of fait accompli is likely, the so-called doctrine of collective responsibility will thereafter be invoked to stifle dissenting voices.
Gould's stance is undoubtedly sincere. He was a confirmed Eurosceptic years before the term was coined.
Critic
When first elected to parliament in 1974, he became parliamentary private secretary to Peter Shore, Labour's foremost critic of what was then the Common Market, and has never wavered since.
During his recent double whammy bid for both the leadership and deputy leadership of the Labour Party, Gould elevated his opposition to ERM into his major principled difference with Smith.
Yet Gould had serious difficulties even getting 20 per cent of the parliamentary Labour Party to sign his nomination papers. prevent Smith being returned unopposed. When the votes came in, Gould was hammered in both contests.
In the shadow cabinet election, he was humiliated with the minor portfolio of shadowing David Mellor at Heritage, scarcely one of the great offices of state.
David Blunkett this year secured election into the shadow cabinet at the fourth attempt. Yet as Gould's campaign manager, he is scarcely in Smith's good books.
But now a massive head of see is baidide the par liamentary party. Proponents include • Benn, Skinner and most of the Campaign Group left • senior backbenchers like Alan Williams and Brian Sedgemore • confirmed rightwingers such as shadow attorney general John Morris anc oldtimer Shore.
Even Smith's campaign manager . Robin Cook reputedly privately in favour. Setting a new Gould standard Given the likelihood of imminent major reform of the electoral college system, speculation persists that Smith may have to seek a fresh mandate within two to three years, freeing himself of the so-called 'taint' of the block vote.
If Gould emulates Heseltine's 1986 Westland NALGO calls Londonwalkout now, leaving on an issue of principle with a cast iron guarantee of retrospective vindication, he may massively boost his presently slim chances of ultimately leading the party.
It would be a high risk strategy, but maybe it will pay