Reid prepares to stand against Brown?

Well I did say on Wednesday that it was all about timing when it comes to deciding to run in a leadership election. John Reid appears to understand that so after a few months of nothing he is making noises about leadership through anonymous briefings in the press.

As much as Labour would love to portray the next few weeks as being all about local elections the real story of interest is not their expected decimation at the polls but actually the moment the hare is set from the trap when Blair resign.

We have about four more Sundays to go before that moment comes (if predictions are right) and I think we can expect to see more and more "friends of X" talking to the press about how Brown is not suitable and Miliband must run.

Today we have a "close friend" of John Reid telling the Sunday Telegraph he will back Miliband against Brown but also that he will stand himself if Miliband won't. The Sunday Telegraph also quote "Ministers close to Mr Blair" saying that Blair thinks "Brown would "wreck" New Labour's achievements".

I think, and I accept that I may be hopelessly wrong (it's rare I know), that Reid will, in the next few weeks (probably in his keynote speech to the Young Fabians) make a strong indication of his intention to stand. When the moment comes for Blair to resign he will then stand aside if he can convince Miliband to run against Brown instead.