Daniel Hannan has had a thought

On the back of Brown’s ‘I want your sympathy’ interview yesterday, the number of theories on how our failed leader could depart the scene grows this morning.

First, we have Simon Walters in the Mail on Sunday visiting a route which some of us have already trodden, all which has been denied by Downing Street.  To counter this, the NOTW has a further interview with Brown attempting to be Churchillian:

It is because of my purpose in politics that I'm determined to lead Labour to the next general election. We must and will win.

Secondly, we have the far more interesting take on possible future developments for us Brown watchers.  Here is one Daniel Hannan in the Sunday Telegraph.  He starts off:

But his [Mandy] first allegiance, these days, is to Brussels. There is no other way to explain his behaviour over the past month.

When you have thought about this remarkable statement, we will continue.  Ready.  Hannan then launches forth about why Mandy did not throw Brown overboard:

So what the devil is he playing at? Viewed from the Westminster lobby, it seems an impenetrable mystery. From the perspective of Brussels, though, the answer is obvious. European Commissioners are obsessed with the need to keep David Cameron at bay until the Lisbon Treaty is ratified.

You see, the Conservative leader has promised a referendum on Lisbon – and, unlike the other two party leaders, he means it. He has even instructed his lawyers to draw up the Bill in advance, so that he could introduce it on his first day in office. Eurocrats are understandably determined to keep the Tory leader out until after the second Irish referendum in October. (There is a universal, if somewhat insulting, assumption in Brussels that the Irish will roll over this time.) Mandelson is their agent, their man in Westminster.

You at the back.  Are you following all this? To continue:

If my theory strikes you as fanciful, recall Mandelson's interview in The Daily Telegraph last week, in which he spoke of the likelihood of a new challenge to Gordon Brown in the autumn. Why, having seen the rebels off a few weeks ago, should he positively invite them to have another go after the recess? Because it won't matter by then. The Euro-constitution will be in force.

That is it then.  After the Irish vote yes, Mandy sweeps into Downing Street and turfs Brown out of office.  His motivation for doing so being that Brussels would be as happy as drunken sailors to have Cameron as prime minister by then.

I understand that Mandy is making arrangements to have Hannan carted off The Priory Clinic for a few days rest.