Matthew Parris tells us that one of his not very political friends agreed, for £75, to take part in a forum on young mothers, jointly organised by the Fawcett Society and the Equal Opportunities Commission. The special guest was one Gordon Brown. Here’s what Parris has to say about his friend’s response:
My friend, who had not been unsympathetic to Mr Brown, had until then only seen him on TV. She said he was a dreadful disappointment. In fact she was shocked by how bad he was. A forced smile, a prescripted announcement, for which this visit and these women were really just the media frame, and an apparent inability (or disinclination) to listen to or engage with what any of them were saying, answer their questions or show openness to their ideas and testimony left her feeling cheated and angry.
Parris goes on to make the assumption that Labour will therefore lose the forthcoming general election. As Brown is a cautious man he wont risk an early election, even if he stands to gain from a Brown Bounce. He is more likely to hang on until at least 2009 perhaps longer if he senses he might lose. This will allow more time for the sort of impression of Brown given above, to spread to more of the electorate.
As Chancellor, Brown has not been in the limelight anywhere near as much as his Prime Minister, and so his inability to engage has been less obvious than it will inevitably be once he becomes Prime Minister. Personally, at the very least, I think Labour will struggle to obtain a working majority at the next election, possibly only through coalition with the Lib Dems. Labour MPs must surely be asking if Gordon Brown is the man who can deliver them a fourth election; all the polls suggest he’ll struggle, and if the impression above is anything to go by, he definately will.
19/03/2007 at 11:13 |
One can’t help but get excited at the Conservative Party’s real chances of forming the next government (post-Brown inheritance), when reading insights like this! I disagree slightly on one point, however, regarding Gordon Brown’s share of the limelight. Indeed, i think possibly Brown’s greatest problem is the very fact that he has shared so much of the limelight, and thus selling-points such as a ‘new face’, ‘fresh thinking’ or ‘innovative ideas’ are things that Brown is simply not able to offer! Oh well… Bring on 2009/10! :D
19/03/2007 at 11:35 |
I still think we need to be ever so weary about Brown, he has been planning to be PM since most of CF were in nappies and Cameron was still at university he is going to have immensly strong 100 days. He also has the card of experience, something which voters will consider important.
In addition, he has perceived by an average voter to have looked after the economy. I know those of us who look at it in more detail know he has made mistakes with over regulating and complicated tax system. However, the average voter sees the economy in terms of whether they have a job, the amount of tax they pay in their pay packet and how much their property is worth.
I would like to say I agree that we are in a strong in posistion and we should look forward to the next election, but I just think we need to be cautious and cannot go on what the polls say entirely, after all there is only one poll that counts and that is election day!