Labour is cutting off its nose to spite its face

Britain's Labour Party is in turmoil, diminishing its chances of challenging the opposition Conservative Party in the general election next year. Whenever the party fares badly in opinion polls, local elections or by-elections, members of parliament (MPs) point fingers at their leader, Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Last year, after the party lost seats in by-elections and the party's opinion polls ratings deteriorated, they plotted a failed attempt to force a leadership contest at the party's annual conference in autumn.

Ever since former prime minister Tony Blair handed over the Labour leadership and premiership to Brown, Blairites have sought to humiliate him. Exploiting legitimate fears among Labour MPs that they could lose their seats in the next elections, these figures seek to blame Brown for Labour's growing unpopularity.

It could be true that Brown's personality is not to everyone's liking, but this does not mean he is wholly responsible for Labour's disengagement with the public. Labour leaders such as John Reid, Alan Milburn, Charles Clarke and Stephen Byers served under Blair for his 10 years as prime minister. The legacy of those Blair years constituted the root of public resentment of Labour, and though Brown was a principal figure in Blair's Cabinet, he was not the man in charge.

Though the attempt to topple Brown last year failed, Blairites have not given up on the idea of making him a scapegoat for the party's woes. The media, too, have not stopped attacking Brown. This seems to have less to do with his policies than with his personality. Unlike Blair, Brown is not a showman and he is not admired by media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who very much preferred Blair. This is significant, as the Murdoch media empire includes the Sky channels and The Sun, The Times and Sunday Times newspapers.

The most recent direct and open challenge to Brown came from a rising Blairite, work and pensions secretary James Purnell, who resigned from the Cabinet and sent a letter to his boss asking him to "stand aside". But it was the resignation of communities secretary Hazel Blears hours before a European Parliament election that sent Labour into disarray. Blears was known as a hypocritical Blairite and was associated with many controversial policies. For example, she was the Home Office minister responsible for anti-terror laws saga.

Another Blairite, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, quit the Cabinet at the time of the reshuffle on Friday. But Blears' resignation, and its timing in particular, struck a telling blow. Purnell, meanwhile, adopted the strategy of his mentor and friend Blair with his ruthless and direct attack of Brown. Media reports say that Purnell didn't meet with Blair, who was in the Commons recently talking to a select committee on his role as Middle East envoy. But nobody knows for certain who spoke with Blair and who sought his advice on party affairs.

This infighting in the ruling party is not helping it regain public confidence, and even if Brown were sacrificed, people won't easily support those who can't shoulder responsibility in difficult times and opt for the easiest way out - blaming the boss. People will vote on different grounds in the upcoming general election, and Labour could lose simply because it has been in power for three consecutive prime ministerial terms and the electorate decides it is time for a change.

Moreover, the expenses scandal has eroded trust in mainstream politics and politicians. Brown can't be blamed for this, even though he has a responsibility to shoulder as a leader. The argument that Brown must go so that the party can win the next election is nonsense. The Blair era can't be revived and it will take a long time for the party to adapt and get rid of those figures who cannot let go of the past.

As for Brown, his options are limited and he had to reshuffle his Cabinet earlier than he had planned. But even if this buys him some more time in his position until the next election, he might not regain full control of the party. If his opponents succeed in doing more than weakening him, they - regretfully for Labour supporters and the country's political process - will have struck a hammer blow against their own party. Demolition is easy, but rebuilding is difficult and time-consuming.

Dr Ahmad Mustafa is a London-based Arab writer.