Brown's biggest mistake to date
James Forsyth 4:25pm
Gordon Brown’s trip to Baghdad is the biggest political misjudgement of his leadership so far. It would have looked very different if the Tories were tearing themselves apart in Blackpool—Gordon could have posed as a statesman above such petty squabbles—but with conference going better than expected it looks like a cheap stunt; especially as Brown had pledged to announce any change in Iraq policy to the House of Commons first.
The Tories now have a huge opening to ram home to the public what everyone in Westminster knows: Brown is just as keen on spin as Blair. The line of attacks should be, if Brown will play politics with the deployment of British troops overseas is there anything that he won’t do to win?
Add to this, the brewing row over the apparent use of Treasury officials to discredit Tory tax plans and Brown has got himself on to a very sticky wicket at just the wrong time. Cameron will step up to the podium on Wednesday with the Tories in far better shape than anyone would have expected this time last week. If he delivers, the Tories might just find themselves with the big ‘mo behind them,
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Alex, London
October 2nd, 2007 5:52pm Report this comment.... if only the British public were not so gullible though BBC News (TV and Website) and Sky News have been showing nothing else except Brown's trip to Baghdad. Hardly anything about the Conservative Party Conference at all.
Simon from Edinburgh
October 2nd, 2007 6:01pm Report this commentyeah great isn't James. Even John Mayor is socking it to him!
James
October 2nd, 2007 6:01pm Report this commentIt has also become apparent that 500 of the 1000 troop withdrawals,announced by Brown today, are those already announced last week and indeed some are home already. More spin and deception by Brown.
david
October 2nd, 2007 8:06pm Report this commentWhy are people surprised of Brown's announcement? He was at the heart of the Labour spin machine for the last 10 years, he is no different to TB, OUT WITH THE OLD & IN WITH THE OLD! A Brown disgrace today, DC has to capitalize tomorrow. Typical the way the BBC report it though, likewise that doesn't change!
Oscar Miller
October 2nd, 2007 8:08pm Report this commentAlex - I agree with you, but at least the 6 o'clock news didn't pull any punches and Nick Robinson's report really skewered Brown. It's true that many fine conference speeches are going unreported (I've just being reading about IDS's speech on ConservativeHome and I was sad not to have heard any of it). They will have to be well and truly fooled if the British people don't grasp this opportunity to kick out that scheming git and bring in as fine a government team this country has seen for a long while. And I write as an ex Labour voter.
Graham
October 2nd, 2007 8:53pm Report this commentIt has surprised me just how easily Brown has, to date, presented himself as "a safe pair of hands". Consider the following from the last six months:
1. presenting what seemed to be a "tax-cutting" budget, only for it to come clear, within hours, that it wasn't...
2. the either clumsy or conniving attempt to secure Lib Dems as ministers behind Ming's back;
3. the rather slow response by Brown and his ministers to the flooding in Hull;
4. the invitation to Thatcher, one that was felt exploitative by some; and
5. the crass posturing about the election.
All could have been presented as the rather inept, and certainly partisan fumblings of a new PM.
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