Timetable for Gordon Brown's demise

The Guardian has published a detailed timetable for the removal of Gordon Brown. That this even exists is extraordinary, but once you get past that you can understand why. One of the reasons for Gordon Brown's survival to this point is the apparent lack of a practical process for his removal. So, if you were attempting to do Brown it you need to deal with that issue. Hence the 'Knifing a Labour Prime Minister for Dummies' guide.

It goes like this:

4 June: Local and European election polling day.

5 June: Results from local elections; pressure mounts on Brown.

7 June: European election results expose the full scale of the electoral defeat suffered by Brown.

9 June: The prime minister is forced from office.

10 June: Labour's ruling national executive committee would meet and a new timetable would be announced.

The rebels have told the Guardian they think, and some senior trade union officials have even suggested to them, that the trade union involvement could be cut out altogether.

The advice of the three officials has assured the rebels that their shortened schedule would be "waterproofed" against legal challenge by the prime minister.

11 June: The parliamentary Labour party would meet and nominate their chosen new leader on the Thursday

12 June: Nominations for leader close.

16 June: Leadership ballot papers are distributed.

29 June: Selection of the new leader at a special conference held by the Labour party

2 July: Brown would formally resign and the new prime minister would be installed.

8 July: First prime minister's questions for the new leader

21 July Parliament breaks for the summer recess.