James Forsyth James Forsyth

Hutton and Purnell: We support Gordon because it is a requirement of our job to do so

There’s some pretty tough competition at the moment for the award for the weakest statement of support for the Prime Minister by a Cabinet Minister. But John Hutton is probably the front-runner for his comments on the Andrew Marr on Sunday.

Marr asked Hutton whether he was on the side of the rebels or Gordon Brown. Here’s how Hutton replied:

JOHN HUTTON: Well I’m, I’m on the side of the government and the Prime Minister. I’m in the Cabinet. It’s my job to support…

ANDREW MARR: So, so… So you would tell those people…

JOHN HUTTON: … the work that the Prime Minister is doing and the work that the government is doing. And I…” This was incredibly weak stuff. Hutton was saying that he supported the Prime Minister not because of his vision for Britain, his courage, his inspiring personal qualities or anything like that but because it is his job to do so.

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