Ben Bradshaw's advice for Brown
Peter Hoskin 5:10pm
It's the question that won't go away for Gordon Brown: should he - will he - take part in a televised leaders' debate? On this weekend's Straight Talk, Andrew Neil takes the opportunity to quiz Ben Bradshaw about his views on the matter. Here's how the Culture Secretary responds:
"I don’t think [Brown]’s got anything to lose by doing that .... My advice to him would say, I think you’ve got the arguments, you’ve made the right decisions, you could demolish that guy."
Like Mandelson's interventions before now, Bradshaw's advice will slightly raise the pressure on Brown to take part in a debate. But the first half of it also chimes with what a lot of Labour folk are saying around Westminster. With Brown on the ropes, if not already out cold, they feel that he can't afford to decline what may be one of the few game-changers he has left open to him. What's more, it seems Downing St may be coming around to that point of view too.
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Mazza1230
September 25th, 2009 5:55pm Report this comment@BB:"My advice to him would say, I think you’ve got the arguments, you’ve made the right decisions, you could demolish that guy."
Yes, and a Flying Saucer piloted by Elvis Presley may crash land on the Loch Ness Monster.
Sally Chatterjee
September 25th, 2009 6:01pm Report this commentRight decisions? Brown's decade as Chancellor saw so many wrong decisions, that's why only Britain saw so many of its banks needing rescue. Trying to claim credit for fixing things is outrageous, things would not have needed such an expensive bail out if Brown had "done the right thing" when Chancellor.
Rhoda Klapp
September 25th, 2009 6:03pm Report this commentThis is thin gruel indeed. What does the Culture Secretary actually do, except give the PM bad advice?
The PM should have turned down the debate on the grounds of we don't have a presidential election here. Right away. Plainly he doesn't want to do it. Plainly it would set a precedent for all future elections. And you couldn't keep that other prat out. Clegg. And in future, given the precedent, some PM might have to debate the BNP or UKIP. Bad Idea for the ruling party. Leaving all that out, could Gordon really stand against the PR charm of a sleek creature like Cameron? In the open environment where he would be expected to answer an occasional question without being protected by the speaker and a horde of howling morons?
Hysteria
September 25th, 2009 7:34pm Report this comment@ Rhoda - "on the grounds of we don't have a presidential election here" - not sure if this is your view or just what you believe the No.10 ripost should have been - anyway
I think one of the problems with the system we have is that it is not *supposed* to be presidential - but in effect that is what we have in all but name..collective cabinet responsibility, accountable Secretaries of State are really but a distant memory.
The elected representatives do not represent the electorate, but instead follow the party line - this has led over the last 40 or so years to a lowering of the decision making to the lowest common denominator, lack of accountability, the emasculation of the committees etc.
Noa Zrk
September 25th, 2009 7:41pm Report this commentIf I was Culture Secretary and wanted to send up the CowdenBeast and set him for a fall I would do so in very similar terms.
David Ossitt
September 25th, 2009 7:52pm Report this commentBrown will never do it, he is a coward.
Boudicca
September 25th, 2009 8:43pm Report this commentGordon will only commit to a Leaders debate if/when he knows it won't be him taking part for Labour. If he announces his agreement, you can bet that on the day it will be Lord Putrid or Johnson who will be taking on Cameron.
mitch
September 26th, 2009 5:12am Report this commentBrown wont show unless the questions and answers are agreed beforehand.
I could demolish the fool if we had a free debate.
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