Monday, 24th September 2007

Brown writes the Tories out of the script

4:45pm

For me, the most striking feature of Brown's speech was what was missing from it: not the election date but the Conservative Party. You would not think that less than a year ago most senior Labour figures feared that David Cameron's appeal to switchers in marginal seats was so strong that a hung Parliament was the best they could hope for. Now, in private at least, the same ministers debate the scale of the majority which they now confidently expect, whenever the election is called. Brown barely deigned to mention the Conservative Party or to pay David Cameron the compliment of launching a full-frontal attack on him. Instead, he spoke, as Fraser predicted last week, as the father of the nation.

There’s a whiff of Giuliani in his embrace of the emergency services and his praise for their performance in the terrorist attacks, floods and other crises that have marked his first 100 days in Number Ten. There was a generous dose of Sarkozy - translated into the British context - in his approach to playing by the rules, British values, the need for migrants to speak English and 'British jobs for British workers'. All topped up by a reassertion of the need to put the consumer first in public service reform (Blair) and to respect and nurture aspiration the aspiration of the voters (Thatcher).

Brown promised that he would not let us down, that the British had proved themselves capable of dealing with adversity over the summer, that - as he knew from his own battle to save his eyesight - life was a struggle in which courage and effort are rewarded. What he meant was: I understand how hard life is, what it is like to earn everything you have and achieve - unlike the foppish, privileged potheads in the Tory Party who dare to think they can run the country. In a subliminal sense, he was playing the class card in every sentence, implicitly contrasting the supposed Cameroon Britain of ease, privilege and inherited security with his own Britain of strength, fair play and hard work. Ahead in the polls, unchallenged in his party, visibly more comfortable than ever in his skin, Brown prepares to smash the Conservative Party into a billion tiny pieces. Truly, Dave has his back against the wall - which, to add to the drama, is when he does best. Blackpool 2007 will be a make-or-break moment in the history of modern Conservatism.

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T

September 24th, 2007 5:07pm Report this comment

I'm amazed that anyone is taken in by this tosh? "British jobs for british workers" - can someone please ask him how he proposes to do this?

Perry

September 24th, 2007 5:08pm Report this comment

Well of course! One of the most effective ways of dealing with an opponent is to write him out of the script. The response is to . . . well, that is perhaps dangerous ground, . . so better to leave it there.

Edward Benson

September 24th, 2007 5:29pm Report this comment

Brown's narrative: every setback is a test of the British character. We should pull together as a nation of all the talents under one strong national leader (me). Cameron's narrative: every setback is a sign that we're a broken society riven by anarchy. And me and my friends from Eton are the people to fix it. I know which story most people will buy. The Conservatives are all but dead and buried.

michael m

September 24th, 2007 6:02pm Report this comment

The Conservative Party will not be destroyed. However, it is in real peril of losing its brightest and forward looking new intake of MPs if there is a heavy defeat. That would leave the party with a rump of the old "dinosaur" guard - heaven help us then if we wnat to contine modernising the party

TGF UKIP

September 24th, 2007 6:19pm Report this comment

Edward Benson, you're dead right and "a billion tiny pieces" smash of a defeat will be better than a narrow one for the Tories. That just might prevent them going with a glib, young, callow, slick and inexperienced operator like Cameron (and Hague 10 years ago) for a long, long time to come. As the Tory Left also got what they wanted in Cameron it may also just shut them up for a while as well. As they've watched Labour steal their rhetoric on crime, immigration and patriotism and as Gordon gets ready to cut taxes it may also start to dawn on the Tories that they didn't lose so badly because of their policies, which all tested well in the polls, but because of who they were and what they were perceived to be - smug, arrogant, detached, privileged and self interested. After their drubbing to come they might just learn their lesson and start addressing the cares and concerns of the C2 voter. That's what Margaret Thatcher and Blair did and what Brown's doing now. Simple really- there's an awful lot more of them than there is of "Waitrose shoppers."

Tiberius

September 24th, 2007 8:45pm Report this comment

TGF: can't see myself that 10 years of experienced operator Brown has improved the lot of the country noticeably. Perhaps he is practising the old maxim that any publicity is good publicity, so won't mention the Tories. To my mind, he's given Cameron a freer hand next week, because he can now attack Brown rather than have to worry about defending any charges that might have formed today. I'm looking forward to Cameron's speech, because I think it will inspire. I haven't seen him for what seems like weeks, as I've been having Brown suet for breakfast, dinner and tea, but I just hope his speech gets the coverage it will deserve.