[blair and brown] it all could have been avoided

There are known knowns and known unknowns. We knew the moment Tony Blair made his rash statement, all hell would break loose. It has, on Gordon Brown: "deluded control freak", "massive weakness is that he can't work with people", " totally, totally uncollegiate" etc. And it all could have been avoided. Why oh why will the British not look at the parallel situation in Australia where John Howard also has Peter Costello waiting, disgruntled, in the wings but has done it far more cleverly? Downunder - Guardian and Independent type polls and the media circus can’t get a foot in. Or failing that, why not look at the Bush situation?