Will Gordon succeed Tony?

Gordon Brown is widely expected to become the next British Prime Minister when Blair retires next month.

Will he though?

Brown has (and I write as no fan of the Blair government) been by far the most successful British Chancellor (finance minister) in living memory. He is the longest serving modern holder of the office and has presided over the longest period of sustained growth in British history, as well as achieving consistently low inflation and unemployment. Britain is now thought of as a rich country - it wasn't when I was a kid!

If he becomes PM, he is almost certain to be defeated at the next election.

One would have thought that he might want to be remembered as a highly successful Chancellor rather than a failed half-term PM (after the fashion of James Callaghan - John Major got re-elected).