One to watch
James Forsyth 11:50pm
John Denham is now only 7 to 1 to be the next leader of the Labour party and Mike Smithson is tipping him as the potential Gordon replacement best placed to keep the government alive in the south. So, I was interested to see how he’d do on Straight Talk which is one of the tougher, most intellectually rigorous interviews out there. (You can watch the interview here)
Denham stands up pretty well; he does a particularly nice job of arguing that there’s no contradiction between courting the Labour base and the aspirational classes. However, his understated style makes it hard to see him as a leader.
One thing worth keeping an eye on at the moment, as Matt noted just after May 1st, is which Labour politicians start offering up grand theories about how the party can reconnect with voters. By my count, this interview is Denham’s second time round this course since Brown’s May Day drubbing. That puts him right up there with the more ambitious members of the Cabinet.
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Comments
Dave B
May 20th, 2008 1:50amWas he the man standing next to Ms Dunwoody when she thrice declined to describe Mr Brown as an asset?
TomTom
May 20th, 2008 6:43amDenham is another student politico. Really you journos must get away from the cloned types that appeal to you and think of voters...who simply despise insincerity
Steve Garner
May 20th, 2008 7:27amJames, all of this Denham stuff is a load of nonsense. No matter how nice a chap he is and sounds Labour cannot put an untried in as PM. The public have not heard of him and would be outraged. Rightly so. The job of PM is far too important for a leap in the dark with a guy who has no Cabinet experience.
Prentia Clove
May 20th, 2008 8:23amAll very good, until he loses his marginal seat at the election.
Diana
May 20th, 2008 9:59amSteve - Blair didn't have cabinet experience before becoming PM. Denham has held ministerial posts.
mitch
May 20th, 2008 11:21amI think Jack Straw would have something to say about that.
ACT
May 20th, 2008 12:38pmMay I be the first to applaud your courage, integrity and unwavering commitment to the truth in proclaiming Straight Talk to be, 'one of the tougher, most intellectually rigorous interviews out there'?
Max Kaye
May 20th, 2008 2:24pmJames, what is it about you media people that makes you think this non-entity is good for anything?
On May 1st, Denham was like a bunny caught in the headlights.... He really should be put out of his [political] misery.
Carol-Ann
May 20th, 2008 5:44pmI agree straight talk is a fantastic programme as was head2head until the beeb axed it.