What might be the result of Labour winning the next election?

So, what do we think will happen if Gordon Brown manages to pull off what at one stage seemed impossible and wins the next election?

Any number of things could happen, most of which are pretty depressing. Bankrupt nation with a cowed, nanny-dependent population is a distinct possibility. But as far as I can see, one of the worst possible scenarios is as follows.

A re-elected Gordon Brown would be empowered in such a way that he hasn't been since he ascended to power. In fact, within the Labour party, he'd probably be more powerful and influential than ever. And he'd be able to wreak his revenge on those who have made life so unpleasant for him. Ed Miliband would go - possibly even replaced by his even more stupid looking brother. Alastair Darling would certainly be chopped. And who do we think Brown would replace Darling with?

Why, that would be Ed Balls, perhaps the only senior politician in this country more poisonous than Brown himself.

Of course, Balls in Number 11 would be bad enough. But suppose - as I suspect would be the case - that Brown stepped down over the course of the next Parliament. Those rivals of Brown - like Miliband - would have been humiliated and would be unlikely to be credible successors unless they had performed spectacularly well on the backbenches. And Brown - who would have been the reason why many new Labour MPs had their seats in the Commons - would have considerable influence over who replaced him. And who would Brown choose? Why, the younger version of himself - his chosen Chancellor. Ed Balls.

So a Labour win at the next election could give us Prime Minister Ed Balls. Possibly one of the most terrifying prospects that one could imagine. The only upshot would be that with Ed Balls as Prime Minister, there would be no way in hell Labour could win a further election in 2015...