Papers link Brown and blizzards

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/8444896.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Many of the papers cannot resist linking the Arctic weather to the latest goings on at Westminster.

The <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-the-faulty-reasoning-of-the-westminster-plotters-1859929.html">"winter revolt"</a> is how the Independent describes the challenge to Gordon Brown's leadership.

The Times says Mr Brown has <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/leading_article/article6978390.ece">weathered the storm,</a> but it believes Foreign Secretary David Miliband left a cloud over his authority by taking seven hours to issue a less than effusive statement.

<a class="inlineText" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jan/06/gordon-brown-labour-leadership-ballot">"The snowstorm mutiny melts"</a> is the Guardian's verdict.

'Yet more damage'

The Sun has the figure -10C over a picture of a snowy Downing Street. And <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2798082/Gordon-Brown-rocked-by-coup-bid.html">that's just the temperature inside Number 10,</a> the paper says.

In common with most papers, Benedict Brogan in the Daily Telegraph believes Gordon Brown will survive the challenge to his leadership - but he says the PM will be <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/benedict-brogan/6943460/Mandelson-will-save-Brown-until-he-can-be-properly-sacrificed.html">"properly sacrificed" at the general election.</a>

But the Daily Mail thinks the whole episode has <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1241024/Gordon-Brown-crisis-Geoff-Hoon-Patricia-Hewitt-ballot-Labour-leadership.html">inflicted yet more damage</a> on the prime minister and his party.

The Daily Star thinks it would be <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/115863/New-Labour-are-revolting-against-Gordon-Brown-/">an unnecessary diversion.</a>

'True grit'

The Daily Express <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/150196">tries to conjure up the spirit of the Blitz</a> to see out what it describes as the "worst winter in 100 years".

TheSun says "well done" to all those who showed <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2797994/Britains-going-snowhere-fast.html">"true grit"</a> and struggled to work.

The Daily Mirror believes <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/01/07/snow-brings-a3-m-one-of-britain-s-busiest-motorways-grinding-to-a-halt-115875-21947695/">the fortitude of people is inspiring.</a>

But the Guardian reports that some of the UK's biggest employers have <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/06/snow-store-staff-wage-freeze">refused to rule out penalising staff</a> who do not turn up for work.

Daily rows

According to the Times, the US believes the suicide bomb that killed seven CIA officers in Afghanistan was planned by Osama bin Laden's close allies.

The paper says this has raised <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/Afghanistan/article6978302.ece">fears that the al-Qaeda leader is enjoying a lethal resurgence.</a>

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail has details of a survey suggesting that the average couple spends <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1241161/The-40-minute-chore-wars-How-couples-spend-hours-arguing-didnt-washing-up.html">40 minutes a day arguing about household chores.</a>

The main bugbear, apparently, is leaving clothes strewn around the home.