Comment Central: 5 other momentous anniversaries to mark

June 4 has often been a landmark date in history when the people send a statement of intent to the powerful. On this day in 1989 students faced troops and tanks in Tiananmen Square and, in Poland, Solidarity toppled the first of the communist dominoes to fall in Eastern Europe.

Nobody in the Britain of 2009 needs to be delivered from oppression. But a moment has arrived, all the same, when the public can enter a verdict on a play that is currently being staged in Westminster by, and for, political insiders. Today’s elections are important in their own right. They should also be a prelude to two other elections: an election for a new leader of the Labour Party, and a general election.

A government that cannot govern itself cannot govern the country. A prime minister without authority cannot govern the Government.

As extraordinary as the events of the past 48 hours in Labour politics have been, still more extraordinary is their timing. It is unprecedented for a major party to allow itself to become embroiled in such a row in the week of national elections. Normally, political leaders have too much respect. They have respect for their activists who have been campaigning for seats in councils and the European Parliament and will be furious that their hard work has been wasted and their seats lost because of shenanigans in Westminster. And political leaders have respect for the voters. They generally wait for the verdict of the electorate before having a row about the results.

Labour now lacks, under Gordon Brown, the patience and self-discipline to show this respect. A party incapable of such basic things needs new leadership.

The political case for a leadership challenge is thus overwhelming. But much more is at stake. Sometimes the squabble over Mr Brown’s leadership has sunk to the depths of briefing about each other’s house sales. Sometimes it has risen to a discussion of the Labour Party’s very survival. But it has never climbed to the heights it needs to. It has never risen to discussing the leadership of the country and the direction of its government.

For this reason, the Labour Party has lost the right to choose, on its own, the country’s leader. The moment it has selected the person it wants to lead it into an election campaign, such a campaign should follow. Then the country can have what it wants, a debate about how to meet the challenges posed by our fiscal and political crises.

Polling day allows Labour politicians a moment of reflection. For today they will be busy in their localities getting out what remains of their vote. While they do so, they should ponder their responsibilities. To leave a prime minister wounded, but not dead, serves their party and the country ill. A week ago, The Times called on members of the Cabinet to make a choice: either to stand up to Mr Brown or to stand alongside him. A week later, it is a choice that they cannot avoid. It is their duty to act.

Of course, to tell a serving prime minister that it is time for him to stand down takes some courage. But at the same time it involves doing something very simple. It just requires telling the truth. Mr Brown is an intelligent man with a formidable grasp of political history. He will recognise the truth when it is set before him, even if he requires some persuasion to act on it.

The next government of Britain will inherit one of the worst fiscal positions in our history. It will also need to address the terrible loss of trust in politics. It can only do this if it has a self-confident leadership, endorsed by the voters.

Political parties in deep difficulties turn inwards, become self-obssessed. The first faltering step towards recovery for Labour is to understand that Mr Brown’s leadership, the country’s leadership, is no longer simply a matter for them.