Peter Hoskin

Thursday

Peter Hoskin

Brown claims it’s 1945 all over again

From our UK edition

So we've heard before that Brown is "obsessed" with Winston Churchill and, in his mind, wants to avoid the wartime leader's fate as a Prime Minister who guided Britian through a crisis only to be answered with a thumping in the polls. In which case, it's rather odd that Brown should write this in the campaign document that he's releasing today:   "This is the stark choice facing the British people at the next election. The choice will be as stark as 1945." So who's Brown meant to be?  Churchill or Attlee?  Or some alternate universe Churchill who won the 1945 election?

Peter Hoskin

Brown’s strop: the director’s cut

From our UK edition

Halloween's still a few weeks away, but here's something to inspire CoffeeHousers' nightmares in the meantime: Gordon Brown's infamous glower at the end of his interview with Adam Boulton.  The footage that Sky released yesterday tactfully cut the whole thing short, but the new video below features our PM's Look of Pure Hatred in its entirety, along with the moment he stands up to leave with his mic still attached: It is, I'm sure you'll agree, a fairly significant presentational failure on Brown's part.  For years now, his legendary temper has largely remained behind closed doors - allowing his allies to present him as "caring" and "gentle".  But now the public have had a clear insight into a, erm, less endearing side of the PM.

Wednesday

Peter Hoskin

How Cameron responded

From our UK edition

A quick post to point out that Fraser's interview with David Cameron - to which CoffeeHousers contributed questions - will be appearing in tomorrow's issue of the magazine.  We'll also be making the article free to all website users tomorrow morning, so you can read the full thing then.  In the meantime, here's a selection of the quotes within it, so you can get a sense of what the Tory leader had to say for himself: Thoughtful radicalism: "What you need is thoughtful radicalism. Prepared radicalism. It needs to come from a solid and strong base. Compare Margaret Thatcher’s trade union reforms with Ted Heath’s.

Peter Hoskin

When does a joke become a smear?

From our UK edition

Paul Waugh highlights a passage from Harriet Harman's speech today: "Contrasting Labour's record on equalities and feminism with that of the Tories, she said that David Cameron would extend foxhunting rights to everyone, while George Osborne would replace a SureStart in every community with 'a lapdancing club in every community'." Now, Paul reports that Harman's people are saying the "lapdancing" bit is merely a "jokey reference to lapdancing club tickets distributed during last year's Tory conference in Birmingham".  But it seems to me that this is a particularly contrived and even nasty attempt to sully an opponent's name.  I expect the Tories can expect more of this dubious treatment as Brown's government fight for their political survival.

Peter Hoskin

On this morning’s evidence, Brown’s fightback is already over

From our UK edition

If you still haven't made up your mind about whether Brown's speech yesterday will do anything for Labour's chances, then just dash through his interviews with the broadcast media.  Two topics stand out – the Sun's decision to back the Tories, and whether Brown will get involved in a televised debate – and there's little substantive discussion of the agenda that Brown set out in his speech yesterday. Now, you could, like Alastair Campbell, say that this is because the media is hell-bent on portraying Brown in a negative light.  But I'd argue that, aside from some crowd-pleasing passages for the Labour faithful, his speech yesterday was remarkably thin.  Any boost it may have provided is already deflating – and rapidly.

Tuesday

Peter Hoskin

The Sun shines on David Cameron

From our UK edition

The Sun's Whitehall Editor, David Wooding, has just tweeted that the newspaper will officially back the Conservatives at the next election.  Given the paper's recent editorial stance, it's hardly surprising news.  But it will still delight Team Cameron, and is a blow for Brown in the aftermath of his conference speech.  I expect we'll hear more about it shortly. UPDATE: The relevant Sun story is here, although it's still only showing the opening paragraph.

Peter Hoskin

What was in Brown’s speech for those turning away from Labour?

From our UK edition

Much like Peter Mandelson's address yesterday, Gordon Brown's speech was designed for the Labour Party members inside the conference hall.  It was effectively book-ended by two crowd-pleasing rat-a-tat lists: the first, a rundown of Labour "achievements" which received massive cheers; and the second, a disingenuous account of Tory measures "for the privileged few", designed to draw hisses and boos from the audience.  All very pantomine.  And all very fun, I'm sure, for the party faithful. But what about those voters who are turning away from Labour in their droves?  What was there for them?

Peter Hoskin

Brown’s speech: live blog | 29 September 2009

From our UK edition

1404, PH: We'll be live-blogging Brown's conference speech from 1415 onwards.  In the meantime, CoffeeHousers, your thoughts on how our PM will kick things off.  Last year, of course, he got Sarah Brown to introduce him.  Will he repeat the trick this year?  Or will he get someone else?  Mandelson, perhaps?  Or someone off X-Factor?  Or will it be nothing flash, just Gordon?  Your predictions, please... 1405, PH: Brother Massie is also live-blogging the speech here. 1410, PH: Oh, and you can watch the speech here. 1416, PH: So what will Brown actually say?  Well, his announcements on anti-social behaviour and childcare have been heavily trailed.

Peter Hoskin

Brown’s uncertainty over a TV debate exemplifies his moribund premiership

From our UK edition

So what's the story with Brown and the leaders' TV debate?  There were reports, weeks ago, that the PM was going to use his speech today to, ahem, "challenge" his opposite numbers to a debate, but then Sky intervened and Downing Street fell silent.  Last we heard, Brown was veering towards a debate, but was still uncertain about the timing of it all. Now, this morning's FT reports that Brown "spent hours on Monday night agonising" over whether to mention a televised debate in his speech today.  Nick Robinson has followed that up by saying that the relevant passage has been removed from the speech.  If Brown does finally accept a debate, Robinson writes, then he may attach a set of demands which will slow the whole process down.

Monday

Peter Hoskin

The Times: schoolgirl dies after cervical cancer jab

From our UK edition

A few weeks ago, there were reports that thousands of schoolgirls were suffering "adverse reactions" to the controversial cervical cancer vaccine Cervarix.   Now, the Times have found that a 14-year-old schoolgirl has died after being given the jab.  And this when the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, along with the Department of Health, has said that the drug is essentially safe. This is clearly a serious and tragic story.  Many questions will need answering, and, until they are, we will not have a complete picture of what has gone wrong and why.  But, in the meantine, you suspect there could be significant political rammifications.

Peter Hoskin

It may not last long, but Brown will be happy with this boost

From our UK edition

Over at UK Polling Report, Anthony Wells flags up a noteworthy poll boost for Labour.  In YouGov's daily tracker for Sky News, the party are up five points from last Friday's tracker poll.  Here are the headline numbers in full: Conservatives --- 39 percent (down 1 percentage point since last Friday) Labour --- 29 percent (up 5) Lib Dems --- 20 percent (down 1) Now, several large caveats apply: this is only a momentary snapshot; you'd expect Labour to get a boost during their conference anyway; the Tories still have a significant lead; and Brown is still operating against a politically-toxic backdrop.  But, ahead of his speech, this is still a little bit of good news for our PM.

Peter Hoskin

Brown is drinking in the last chance saloon (again)

From our UK edition

Oh joy.  Alan Simpson's ultimatum to Brown today gives me an opportunity to update this list: 20 April, 2008 "The Prime Minister, who is battling a growing rebellion over his abolition of the 10p tax rate, has been given until the end of the summer to turn things round by backbenchers angry at a string of image and policy failures." (here) 24 May, 2008 "It is that Mr Brown be given until the end of July to prove himself and restore morale. If by then things have not improved, ministers, MPs and influential figures in the unions believe the only solution may be to send a delegation of his closest political friends – perhaps including Ed Balls, the Education Secretary, and Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary – to urge him to go.

Peter Hoskin

Does Miliband the elder represent Labour’s future?

From our UK edition

Danny Finkelstein's right: there are some surprising results in today's ComRes poll for the Independent.  The one which catches my eye is that David Miliband would be the most successful alternative leader at reducing the Tories' poll lead.  Along with Jack Straw, the poll suggests, he would make Labour the largest party in a hung parliament. Now, I'm frequently surprised at how popular the elder Miliband remains in Labour circles.  But - after the failed coup of last year, the banana and Heseltine moments, and that disastrous trip to India, among other embarrassments - I'd assumed that that popularity wouldn't stretch to more general voters, and that, say, Alan Johnson would do more for Labour's chances.  Maybe not, it seems.

Saturday

Peter Hoskin

Balls tries to force the tax debate

From our UK edition

Ok, ok, this will be my final post today on a Labour interview, but it's worth highlighting the Guardian's chat with Ed Balls.  Breakfasting CoffeeHousers may not make it past the opening image of the Schools Secretary, "half-naked on a desolate main road in Knowsley," so here's the key passage from later in the article: "[Balls] believes the Tories have made a big error after abandoning plans to match Labour spending commitments as Cameron makes clear he would like to reverse three big tax changes – the 50p top rate, due to be introduced next April; the 0.5% increase in national insurance contributions, due to be introduced in April 2011; and the changes in pensions tax relief. 'Add those together and that is a £10bn tax gap for the Tories.

Peter Hoskin

Prescott lashes out

From our UK edition

Another post, another interview with a Labour figure.  This time it's John Prescott's conversation with Michael Savage in the Independent.  Prescott puts in a fiery performance, and lashes out at almost everyone and everything within his party.  I've pulled out some of his attacks below, for the benefit of CoffeeHousers: On the Labour Party: "There is no direction in campaigning – we are drifting ....  So there's a feeling in the party that, somehow, we're not getting a grip on it. There is something lacking." On Harriet Harman: "If I was being honest about it, I think too much of [her] emphasis has been on female rights...

Peter Hoskin

Johnson’s sense of timing

From our UK edition

Remember when Alan Johnson said he doubted that he would have been "good enough" to lead the Labour party?  Or when he claimed that his defeat by Harriet Harman in the deputy leadership race had killed the "little bit of ambition" he had left?  Well, the tune has slightly changed since then.  In today's interview with the Guardian, the Home Secretary still downplays his ambition but adds that he won't rule himself out of future contests: "I haven't got the ambition, and I haven't got the self-confidence, and I haven't got that real aching desire to lead. Which really is an essential quality in a leader. So I don't think I'll ever be leader of the party. But I'm not willing to rule myself out for all eventualities in the future.

Friday

Peter Hoskin

Ben Bradshaw’s advice for Brown

From our UK edition

It's the question that won't go away for Gordon Brown: should he - will he -  take part in a televised leaders' debate?  On this weekend's Straight Talk, Andrew Neil takes the opportunity to quiz Ben Bradshaw about his views on the matter.  Here's how the Culture Secretary responds: "I don’t think [Brown]’s got anything to lose by doing that ....  My advice to him would say, I think you’ve got the arguments, you’ve made the right decisions, you could demolish that guy." Like Mandelson's interventions before now, Bradshaw's advice will slightly raise the pressure on Brown to take part in a debate.  But the first half of it also chimes with what a lot of Labour folk are saying around Westminster.

Peter Hoskin

Brown ignores the small issues which precede the “big choices”

From our UK edition

James has already highlighted the New Statesman's interview with Gordon Brown, but it's worth flagging up this passage as well: "Again and again, throughout our interview, Brown refers to the next election as being about 'big choices', not the small issues, which he says the Conservatives would prefer. 'What was the latest thing? The cost of food in the House of Commons?' he asks, referring to David Cameron's recent gimmicky pledge to cut public spending by reducing subsidies on MPs' food. This theme of 'big choices', say Brown's aides, is one he is likely to pursue in his conference speech and beyond." To my mind, this exemplifies one of the main reasons why Brown will struggle to be trusted on the issue of the public finances.

Peter Hoskin

Getting ready for reform

From our UK edition

Given their position in the polls, and the challenges that face the next government, it's understandable that the Tories are turning their minds to the post-election period.  They've been meeting with high-ranking civil servants for months now, and have been hammering out the details and design of a cuts agenda.  But one of the most striking examples of the Tories' preparedness is outlined in today's Guardian: Michael Gove's team has called in the lawyers to help draft their first education bill. From the details the Guardian gives, the prospective bill is much as you'd imagine.

Monday

Peter Hoskin

“Dirty, cheating bastards!”

From our UK edition

So the most eye-catching – and ear-splitting – quote of the day comes courtesy of Chris Davies MEP, speaking about corrupt Brussels politicians: Hat-tip: Boulton & Co.