Labour Party

By Al Jazeera Staff in Middle East on February 10th, 2011

From our headquarters in Doha, we keep you updated on all things Egypt, with reporting from Al Jazeera staff in Cairo and Alexandria.  

By Alan Fisher in Europe on September 28th, 2010
Reuters photo

It’s a big day for Ed Miliband – the biggest in his short political career.

He’s only been an MP since 2005 – but now he’s got to deliver a speech which could well dictate if the Labour Party has a chance of winning the next UK election in four and a half years.

For the past few months, he’s criss-crossed the country, talking to party activists, articulating why he would be the best person to take over from Gordon Brown. Enough people bought into that vision to elect him leader.

Now in his first major speech since taking charge, he’s got to go beyond that.

By Alan Fisher in Europe on May 10th, 2010
Photo by AFP

Even in these unpredictable days - this was truly an astonishing moment.

The podium Gordon Brown uses for announcements was lifted into place. A young assistant made a quick sound check and then moved respectfully to the side.

Just a minute before five, he walked out, notes in hand, the thick black writing he needs because of his eyesight problems clearly visable.

He began talking about the business of government, what he and others had done today. The formality gave no hint of the importance of the announcement.

He revealed his Labour party was to begin formal talks with the Liberal Democrats about forming a government - something that clearly wasn't going to happen while Brown stayed in place.

"I have no desire to stay in my position longer than is needed to ensure the path to economic growth is assured and the process of political reform we have agreed moves forward quickly," he said.

It was clear now he felt his time was up.

By Al Jazeera Staff in Europe on May 5th, 2010
Photo by AFP

Britain has held what appears to be the tightest election race in a generation.

The Conservative party took the lead but failed to gain a clear parliamentary majority, leaving the UK with a hung parliament. Eyes are now on the Liberal Democrats, as the two main parties attempt to woo them into forming an alliance.

You can follow the the latest news from Al Jazeera's UK election team right here.  

1636 GMT It's not just Nick Clegg that David Cameron is going to have to convince of the merits of a coalition. As this story from the Financial Times shows, he faces a battle persuading his own party.

By Alan Fisher in Europe on April 29th, 2010
Picture from AFP

The Labour Party in the UK  has had a bad election campaign.  Never in front in the opinion polls, now trailing in third place. 

Gordon Brown has failed to excite the electorate - and the unfortunately named 'bigotgate' scandal where he insulted one of the party's core supporters has undoubtedly had an impact. 

Labour is hoping that it's support stands up in traditional areas, the inner cities of England, large parts of Scotland and the urban areas of Wales. 

There is a chance that even trailing in behind the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats in the share of the vote, the party could still win the largest number of seats. 

Yet, if they're basing the final result on the opinion polls, Labour supporters and politicians could be in for a very big shock.

A quick analysis of the polls and the reality of the last four elections will make deeply uncomfortable reading.  In the elections in 1

By Alan Fisher in Europe on April 27th, 2010
Photo by AFP

When Gordon Brown stands in front of the electorate in the third and final UK leader's debate, he will be fighting for his political life.

With all the polls indicating a hung parliament, it must make depressing reading for the man who wanted the top job for so long.

His ruling Labour party is heading for third place in the vote, and their worst performance since 1918. 

The final debate will concentrate on what everyone thought would be the issue to dominate this election - the economy.

That just happens to be Gordon Brown's specialist subject.

By Alan Fisher in Europe on April 6th, 2010
Photo by AFP

Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, has announced the date of the country's general election as May 6.

Opinion polls suggest Brown's ruling Labour Party is trailing the opposition Conservative Party.

Follow the story as it develops here. 

By Alan Fisher in Europe on February 21st, 2010
Photo by AFP
Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, might be about to surprise us all. 
 
For months most people have thought that he'll cling on to power until the last possible moment and only go to the country when he has to. So that points firmly towards early May being the polling date.
 
So why might he go earlier? Let's outline the case.
 
Firstly the big interview he did last week. 
 
Here the father who famously dismissed using his children to help him politically by annoucing "they're people not props" told us about the loss of his baby daughter, his son's ongoing illness and how he rather clumsily proposed to his wife.
 
By Alan Fisher in Europe on January 2nd, 2010
Photo by AFP

In a business where we live on the unexpected, there is one thing we can guarantee in 2010 - there will a general election in the United Kingdom.

The actual date is in the gift of the British PM, Gordon Brown, but constitutionally it must be held by June 3rd at the latest.

There are some who believe the most likely date for the poll is May, but there is a growing number that think March is now a real possibility. The thinking behind that is all based on the global financial crisis.

Britian is expected to come out of recession early in 2010. Good financial figures will give the Government a bounce in the opinion polls and rather than risk a sudden downturn, the ruling Labour party will go to the polls seeking a new five year mandate.

By Hamish Macdonald in Europe on October 27th, 2009
Photo by Getty Images

It was a shock to switch on British domestic television today to find the former Australian Prime Minister (now happily retired) turning up on a political chat show. Since his loss at the last election to Kevin Rudd's Labour party, John Howard has hardly said a word in public, much less on British television.

Despite a couple of years of near silence, it seems John Howard is still standing by his old mates. Remember the "coalition of the willing"?

So, on the topic of the day: should Tony Blair be given the new post of European President? Howard's reply:

"Its none of my business, but I'll express my view anyway ... I think the concept of a President of Europe is not one that appeals to me ... as an individual I had a great respect for Blair. I found him intelligent, I got on very well with him and the whole time he was Prime Minister of Great Britain I was Prime Minister of Australia."

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