Brown's Glenrothes gamble
Peter Hoskin 12:19pm
Has Gordon Brown got bold all of a sudden, or is he just desperate? Quite aside from all the reshuffle drama, the Daily Record are reporting that the PM is going to campaign in Glenrothes for the forthcoming by-election. It sure is a risky move. Not only does it go against all his previous "PMs shouldn't campaign in by-elections" talk, but it also fuels the idea that he'll live or die by the result in Glenrothes. One thing to look out for: whether Sarah Brown will be joining him on the campaign trail. I'm sure Team Brown will want to capitalise on the so-called "Sarah Effect", but they'll also be wary of scoring an own-goal on the family-members-as-props front.
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Chuck Unsworth
October 3rd, 2008 12:37pm Report this commentAnd Brown's 'principles' are thus demonstrated once again to be entirely flexible.
This is make it up as you go along stuff - as usual. He's obviously a desperate man. Will he be campaigning in each and every by-election now?
Well, who is going to be running the country whilst Brown's on the stump? Mandelson? Maybe he already is.
TrevorsDen
October 3rd, 2008 12:41pm Report this commentMaybe Brown thinks he can win.
Maybe as in the way parents frighten their children with the threat of the bogeyman (no pun intended), Brown thinks he can use the threat of a world financial crisis to cajole his fiefdom into line.
Brown wants us to forget the real world, Brown wants us to inhabit the world he lives in.
The job of the opposition particularly in this forthcoming election is to remind the electorate just which one is reality.
mac
October 3rd, 2008 12:42pm Report this commentExpect his campaigning to be accompanied by the announcement of some 'bold' (read utterly cynical) initiative to benefit 'hard-working families' which, surprise, surprise, will appeal particularly to the Glenrothes electorate. Campbell will mastermind the spinning of it . . .
Mark
October 3rd, 2008 1:20pm Report this commentHe is suffering from over-confidence. He has lost the plot. He obviously thinks that the combination of "no time for a novice" and the return of Mandy will produce a sustained bounce. Deluded.
luke
October 3rd, 2008 1:22pm Report this commentChildren as props. Sarah chose to be the wife of a politician. Its his children he protects
alastair
October 3rd, 2008 1:42pm Report this commentDesperate, I think.
Whether he campaigns or not, a defeat will damage him so he may as well pitch in. If Labour win, he can claim it as a personal victory. Of course, this calculation does assume that his presence will not have a negative effect, so I think he will bring Sarah along.
Bocephus
October 3rd, 2008 2:39pm Report this commentIf Obama wins on November 4 - as he surely will - the "no time for a novice" argument will be blown out of the water.
Talia
October 3rd, 2008 2:55pm Report this commentYes, Luke, but why did he make the decision for her to introduce him? WHY? It’s an unprecedented move in this country.
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