On a spin and a prayer
James Forsyth 12:44pm
Today’s papers contain two stories that will make you laugh. First, there’s the news that Damain McBride is on a shortlist of three for the job of "Business and Community Manager" at his old school, Finchley Catholic High School. The Sunday Telegraph reports that the salary for the post is £22,000 a year. The fact that this news is coming out now suggests that McBride and Downing Street are rattled by all the Westminster chatter that McBride is still offering advice to Brown and his allies. As soon as McBride has a new job, it will be much easier to deny that charge.
Then, there is the Sunday Telegraph’s story that the Prime Minister is going to appear on Songs of Praise to talk about, yes you guessed it, courage. The interview is, apparently, part of a fightback strategy to “reconnect the Prime Minister with Middle Britain”.
Previous
DD
June 21st, 2009 1:15pm Report this commentclown school - the only way to describe what goes on at number 10
Liz Brown
June 21st, 2009 1:36pm Report this commentI need to throw up...........
RW
June 21st, 2009 1:37pm Report this commentGood to see that the Brown Broadcasting Corporation sees no need to counterbalance this free party political broadcast with a similar invitation to David Cameron until "a later date".
The Sunday Labourgraph seems to have got its knickers slightly twisted, however; it asserts that Brown wrote a book on courage. He didn't, having neither the integrity nor the ability to do so. It was ghost-written; he contributed the opening and closing pages, if I recall correctly.
Still, it certainly takes courage for the PM to appear on Songs of Praise. Look at all those crucial Muslim voters he'll be alienating.
Peter Buss
June 21st, 2009 1:42pm Report this commentShould the BBC be party to this sort of thing.
Fred
June 21st, 2009 1:45pm Report this commentWhy is the BBC making itself available for the purpose of refurbishing Mr Brown's reputation? Another letter to the Governors please, Mr Cameron
jaydeeaitch
June 21st, 2009 1:53pm Report this commentDamain McBride, James (line 3)?
biggestaspidistra
June 21st, 2009 2:21pm Report this commentDamian too has been able to walk away from all this and turn to teaching. Somebody is having a go at humanising them. Would that be the work of the fellow from the palace, Simon Lewis?
Silent Hunter
June 21st, 2009 2:35pm Report this commentJDH:
I think he was changing the spelling of the name to protect the guilty . . . . . oh? hang on.
hfc
June 21st, 2009 2:57pm Report this commentPeter Buss @ 1:42pm But why not? The BBC has appointed a muslim to oversee reigious programmes.
KB
June 21st, 2009 3:00pm Report this commentJo Moore, Peter Hyman, Damain McBride and now, possibly, Gordon Brown. Are these really the kind of people one would like to see educating the nation's poppets?
I feel an Armstrong and Miller advert coming on...
AuldCurmudgeon
June 21st, 2009 3:19pm Report this comment“reconnect the Prime Minister with Middle Britain”
ID Cards, 50p tax, death tax, broadband tax, screwed up SATs, 45 Days, Pension meltdown and sheer, sheer incompetence would be a better place to start.
JohnAnt
June 21st, 2009 3:33pm Report this commentjaydeeaitch - it's damain cos ee's da main man, man.
mitch
June 21st, 2009 3:37pm Report this commenthey gordon!! your silly little tricks dont work anymore,we are immune. 12yrs of your lies and spin caused us to adapt, It has got to the point when something happens I can guess the spin before you say it,its an amusing little game.
Chuck Unsworth
June 21st, 2009 4:05pm Report this commentDoes Middle Britain have any connection with Little Britain?
I think the Archbishop of Canterbury should be asked for his views on Brown's sudden interest in the Church of England. Isn't he some sort of Presbyterian?
And does Brown think that a sudden rush to Christianity will help his image in the Middle East and with his cherished Muslim communities?
For that matter, why does he want to talk about beer, anyway?
biggestaspidistra
June 21st, 2009 4:22pm Report this comment"Look at all those crucial Muslim voters he'll be alienating."
They are a step ahead of that. BBC religious broadcasting is now under muslim direction.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1180715/BBC-appoints-Muslim-religious-post-controversial-first.html
jon dee
June 21st, 2009 5:39pm Report this commentNot satisfied with hiring Labour peers in the run-up to a General Election, the BBC now presents a soft sell prime ministerial performance on Songs of Praise, in the hope that he may "reconnect with Middle Britain."
We are told, this will form part of a "fightback" offering a "more human image to voters."
If this is not a cynical insult to the Songs of Praise audience, I wonder what is ?
Any regurgitated views Brown has on courage are worthless in the light of his own political cowardice.
Vote BBC, for biased broadcasting.
Tiberius
June 21st, 2009 7:01pm Report this comment"Songs of Praise" is a TV programme whose purpose is to promote Christianity. So it is fine that Brown wants to go on and repent of his of sins, particularly his persistent breaking of the ninth commandment.
But with his record, he'd better remember, before he goes on air, that breaking the third commandment could get him into hot water with the greatest authority.
jaydeeaitch
June 21st, 2009 7:13pm Report this commentMr Hunter, you're back!
I see you have taken a half step to naughty step on Cif. Are you aiming for the David Blunkett award (three strikes) in different guises?
On thread, I know it was a mistype, but I always hold with:
know your enemies.
W L L Lambeth
June 22nd, 2009 11:11am Report this commentWhen Edward Heath was interviewed on Sportsnight after winning the Sydney/Hobart yacht race the BBC was forced to allow the them Labour Prime minister on to talk about the FA Cup Final!
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