On this morning’s evidence, Brown’s fightback is already over

Irene

I watched Brown being interview first on GMTV, then the BBC and finally Sky News.

The reason he "lost it" was because Boulton was the only one who challenged him about the content of his speech.

Both the GMTV and the BBC interviews were soft and "didn't Sarah look lovely"

R King

It was the ever presence of Mandelson and Campbell in Blairs time that turned me off the Labour party some time ago. Yes I was a labour voter. Mandleson's repeated misdemeanors and resignations and Cambell's involvement in the Hutton affair.
My view then was that these people are not to be trusted.
So does Brown think that the return of these two shady characters are going to convince the likes of myself to return to Labour? This apart from the appalling mess this country is now in and will be for some time.
Sorry Gordon but you and your "friends" are just not the people we want running this country. Why not just pack up and go now for everybody's sake?

Chris lancashire

There is one issue above all others which will dominate the country for the next few years - the Budget defecit. And this Brown speech was true to his tradition - not addressed, not tackled but dodged completely.

That is why the meedja have rightly panned this speech.
That and the laughable list of Labour "achievments" at the start which was topped by "winter fuel payments" - don't increase pensions generally and let pensioners decide how to spend it, but give them a little packet of money labelled "winter fuel".
It was rightly top of Brown's list and says all that's wrong with Labbour.

JohnOfEnfield

It was wonderful to see Boulton bully Brown & to see Brown try & bully Boulton back.

I think Sarah's portrayal of her husband was lost on those voters who watched the Marr & Boulton interviews.

Brown is out of touch to the point of being completely delusional.

Maggie

Mandelson urged the faithful to "think like insurgents" and Brown said "we are the insurgents". These baseless claims and comedy accusations must be their first onslaught against their lengthening list of imaginary enemies who are plotting to turn the electorate against them. To Labour's other collective ailments I think we can probably add paranoia.

patrickinken

These are from the headlines at Politics Home on the Sun's decision:

We "won't be bullied" says Harman...
Mandelson: Sun readers want a newspaper, not a propaganda sheet.
Sun "not the difference between victory and defeat", says Kinnock.
Sun switch won't make much difference, says Alastair Campbell.

Kinnock and Campbell are probably spot on, but not for reasons they would enjoy.

But, putting this to one side, it would be hard to put together a more defensive and defeatist set of comments.

They're going down.

Vulture

Hilarious. I think it may at last be beginning to sink into Liebour's deluded skulls that they are sunk. Kaputt. Finito. Done to a T. Postman Pat won't save them, nor the Millipede bros, nor Hattie, nor Jack. No wonder Mandy called NI execs the 'C' word. (He sez it was 'chumps' - yeah, right). I think a little gloating is in order for the rest of us.

aNON

I heard a rumour a while ago that Blair was coming back.I had forgotten about this until I also heard the same rumour with the warrant for his arrest over Iraq added onto it,about three weeks ago.Has anyone else heard this or know anything about this?
Is there substance to it? The media today say Blair is indeed coming back,who is getting the warrant?

Keith

Irene is right: Brown got angry with Boulton because Boulton had the temerity to challenge him. The interview shows very clearly what kind of man Brown is: one who simply will not tolerate any challenge or disagreement. He's had a very indulgent ride from the press for twelve years while the Tories had nothing but negativity.

Today is the day when the pendulum finally changed direction.

senor frizby

Looking through the news online, one thing seems apparent - Gordo is going to self-combust.

Hi conference speech has worked wonders - pulled the pin on the New Labour grenade, so to speak!

Liz Brown

Interesting, that when the tables are turned, bullies have nothing with which to defend themselves

Karla

If we are to judge Mr Brown by his performances this morning, on both Sky and BBC, the media actually portrays him in a positive light!

Kalvis M. Jansons

Last calls for the "resign" petition:

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/please-go/

Cuffleyburgers

"We are the insurgents" - try that interesting line next time you visit our boys in Afghanistan and the consequences could be interesting.

Try it immediately after announcing the latest casualties in the House and see how sick you look.

The fact that your callous incompetence is making the afghan insurgents' life easier is one of the gravest charges against you.

Mega-gaffe, or freudian slip?

Bert

Cuffleyburgers - Absolutely right.

I shuddered when I heard Mandy first use the word, I thought it was probably a one-off.

It beggars belief that they have a strategy involving the use of a word so identified with the daily maiming and killing of our countrymen in a conflict started by Labour!

How crass, how insensitive, how utterly remote from "The Hardworking Majority"

Peggy.Day

I'M FAR TOO GLOATY.....TO ADD ANYTHING.....
NOT GLOATY!

Ian C

I have been saying for too long that the men in white, sorry grey, suits should be called in to take him away. It could yet happen if the polls go further south (probable) after what I expect to be a successful and clarifying Tory conference next week.

TrevorsDen

Tend to agree with cuffly - talking about being like 'insurgrents' thus glamorising them, at a time when insurgents are blowing our boys legs off is just sick.

Mind you Brown leads the same labour party which invited McGuinness to the very hotel where he tried to blow up half the Conservative cabinet. Monkey is as monkey do.

Alan Phillips

A solid conference next week would I believe "seal the deal" but its got to happen first...

Stephen

Interesting how (according to various Labour worthies on WATO) the Sun is irrelevant/malign/up to something when it opposes Labour, but when it was going to support Labour Blair was prepared to go halfway round the world to keep it onside. It wasn't irrelevant or malign then.

F D

If only one man can save the world it is not worth saving. If one man can sink a party ......! Brown is a busted flush but it would be foolish to ignore the loathsome Mandleson,Balls, Copper and Campbell. It is their credentials which require searching interrogation. Forget Brown- look at the monkeys behind the organ grinder.

RobC

Brown's interview with Boulton is one of the few times I have ever seen him asked properly by a journalist questions which try as he might he was unable to sidetrack.He came across as arrogant,bad tempered and bullying when he was unable to outline what he thought the public should hear rather than what was asked.He has got away with this for years at p.m.q's with the incompetent buffoon speaker Martin and in the MSM with the likes of Marr,Robinson etc but it was enjoyable to watch him get increasingly frustrated today at not getting his own way and ignoring everybody like he normally does.All through the interview I had an image of a Child of 59 years going on for two chucking his toys out of the pram because he could not get his way.I think today definitely was up there with Fraser's recent punt at weekly questions when Brown was caught lying his arxx off about spending cuts.

Carl de Lippe

Re the dubious taste of certain metaphors, at the end of his live Newsnight interview with Paxo, Mandelson said of the Sun's switching sides "Small earthquake, nobody dead". Back to Emily Maitliss in the studio and a report on ...