Web Extra: The Tories should fear the dynamic new team of professionals that Brown is assembling
It is a story that could have been scripted to boost morale in Conservative headquarters. At five o’clock one morning, security guards at 10 Downing Street were called in to intercept an intruder only to find the Prime Minister trying to enter his own office.
Apart from the delicious image this conjures of Gordon Brown in his pyjamas, cursing as he bashes in the security code, it caricatures him as the ideal political opponent. An inept, flailing control freak, whose own shortcomings will lose Labour the next election.
Alas for the Tories, this story is several months out of date. It took place in the earliest days of the Brown premiership, when he had no home access to the Prime Minister’s computer, forcing him to sneak downstairs to the office. Much has changed since then. For a start, he can now happily access the Prime Minister’s computer from his flat if he’s up early with the children. And he also has far higher-quality hands at the tiller. The latest developments are, for the Tories, no laughing matter.
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Dave B
March 7th, 2008 12:59amThe Mail reports that Ms Moses won't be taking up Mr Brown's job offer after all.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=526652&in_page_id=1770
Fraser Nelson
March 7th, 2008 9:58amDave B, this story sufaced in the Standard just as we were going to press. But from what I can gather, she's still signed. She is already in and out of No10 and cleared her desk at Centre Forum yesterday. she's expected to start formally on Monday.
DPT
March 7th, 2008 1:22pmExcellent article Fraser. As a fan of Brown it has been clear for the past few weeks - and particularly since the Northern Rock announcement - that No 10 is getting its act together. The main problem in Labour has been a lack of overarching strategy or narrative. Most Labour MPs have said privately that this is not Brown's fault however. This is because he does have a vision of whaut he wants his Britain to be but until now hasn't had the practical ability to implement that vision from No 10. I believe that is now changing and we are now entering an interesting time in British politics when finally we have two parties in competition for power rather than just one.