Reply #7: Not quite like that

[T_i_B]

Remember, Brown wasn't elected...his rise was negotiated...a way to get Blair out without the Liberals having to go through a bruising election.

Actually Gordon Brown as Chancellor was prime minister elect for many years and when Blair stood down the other potential challenger (an unknown leftie called John McDonnell) failed to even get enough nominations to get his name on the ballot paper. it wasn't so much "negotiated" as nobody else in the Labour party can match Gordon Brown for internal support and experience anyway.

BTW, the Liberals are a separate party, the Liberal Democrats, who are the 3rd party behind Labour and the Conservatives.