Martin Bright and Jackie Ashley are two of the most astute and influential commentators on the left. So I was particularly struck by how bearish about Brown’s prospects they both are; it is a sign of the times that the fact that Ashley does not totally rule out the possibility that Brown might recover is considered news.
.Here’s how Bright ends his typically excellent politics column in this week’s New Statesman: “in the present atmosphere of seemingly terminal pessimism, many MPs on the government benches would happily take the Wilson outcome: four years in opposition followed by a Labour return to power has to be better than the 18 years in the wilderness after Callaghan’s defeat.”
While Ashley in her column about how Brown started to fight back today, concludes thus:
“Brown’s major task is to stop looking and sounding like a loser, whether it’s in the chamber of the House of Commons, or in the TV studios. As one disappointed Brownite told me last week, he’s been giving the impression of a man who has lost his confidence and, once that happens, it’s very hard to rebuild yourself.
Yet, today at least Brown gave the impression that he was trying. As one of his inquisitors pointed out at this morning’s press conference, whatever he does, he always seems to get a negative reaction. Undoubtedly, he’ll be written off again, and again, and again. But while he may be down, he’s not yet out.”The silver lining for Brown is that a Tory victory in Crewe and Nantwich is now factored into the calculations of most pundits. If the Dunwoody name can save Labour there, then Brown will have an opening to come back.
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