Better Speechwriters Please

Monday, 30th March 2009

I'd been thinking that there's no need to pile on further and that at some point the proper criticism the Prime Minister is receiving - wherever in the world he travels - starts to look mean-spirited and ends up being not much more than a pretty brutal case of schoolyard bullying. Happily - since scorn, like wrath, must be nursed to keep it warm - the Prime Minister keeps encouraging one to think the worst of him. Take, for instance, his speech to the European parliament during which, as Matthew Parris relates, Mr Brown said this:

“So I stand here today proud to be British and proud to be European: representing a country that does not see itself as an island beside Europe but as a country at the centre of Europe, not in Europe's slipstream but firmly in its mainstream.”

I know speechwriting is hardly at the top of the Downing St agenda these days (though, lord knows, they could do with better and clearer communications) but this is flannel and waffle of the worst gawd-help-us kind.

Previous Back to Alex Massie Next

Blogs: Martin Bright | Susan Hill | Melanie Phillips | Coffee House | Faith Based

Actions: Print this article | Email to a friend | Permalink | Comments (3)

Post this entry to: del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit

Post comment

mac

March 30th, 2009 2:19pm Report this comment

Perhaps it was the same undergraduate speechwriting team that gave Brown these literary gems from his party conference pantomime last year:

"And where I've made mistakes I'll put my hand up and try to put them right . . .

. . . I want to give the people of this country an unconditional assurance - no ifs, no buts, no small print - my unwavering focus is taking this country through the challenging economic circumstances we face and building the fair society of the future.

The British people would not forgive us if at this time we looked inwards to the affairs of just our party when our duty is to the interests of our country."

Derek and Clive would have been glad of material this good. But, amongst all the habitual, risible Brownian emetic, a moment of perspicacity:

"The people of Britain would never forget if we failed to put them first - and friends, they'd be right."

Just so.

Probably, Brown's predictably self-exculpatory speech after electoral defeat is already drafted. The theme will be unmistakably Ludendorffian.

Rhoda Klapp

March 30th, 2009 2:35pm Report this comment

I predict 'the outcome of the election has been not entirely to Labour's advantage, it is right that I intend to carry on as leader'.

Ronnie

March 30th, 2009 2:54pm Report this comment

I read the Matthew Parris piece and the passage from Brown's speech reminded me of the 'Yes Minister' (or Prime Minister maybe) episode where Jim Hacker makes a dreadful speech defending the British sausage.

Post comment