Brown fails to seize the agenda

The reaction of three of the most influential commentators on the left to the Queen’s speech is instructive. Michael White in The Guardian suggests that it was less important than people think as Gordon Brown will probably go until 2010 before calling an election meaning that there will be time for one more full legislative programme before the government goes to the country. 

Jonathan Freedland is far from enthused by the speech but argues that there could be merit in aiming to do a few things on a certain theme and then getting them done. But as Freedland acknowledges if government is purely managerial it leaves itself uniquely exposed to events.

The most bullish of the three isSteve Richards. But revealingly his optimism is based not on what Brown proposed but on where Cameron has positioned himself. Richard writes that

“[Cameron’s] success during the conference season gave him unexpected political space.