“Helpful” advice to Gordon Brown

Wednesday lunchtime and Prime Minister’s Questions. Angela came into the Boardroom to watch. Alan came in half-way through.

In the Daily Politics studio presenter Jenny Scott revealed that PMQs this week would be analysed by a behavioural scientist (with the unlikely name of Steve Martin).

The cameras moved to the House of Commons. We saw the Prime Minister surrounded by an attractive mixture of elderly men with gravitas and keen-looking women (several of them sitting in the row behind, looking a if they were ordinary members of the public given special seats for half an hour). Just as the Prime Minister began speaking we saw a note being passed along the women in the row behind, coming to a stop right behind Gordon Brown.

In the Boardroom we all wanted to know what was in that note.

Was it telling the recipient that a cup of tea had just been poured and was getting cold? Was it saying that a constituent was on the ’phone and urgently wanted to discuss the 10p tax band with her? Or was it telling her to warn the Prime Minister that the Daily Politics was going to analyse his body language and delivery?

If it was the latter it didn’t have much effect.

The Prime Minister delivered most of his replies with his head down and looking sideways towards the Speaker’s feet. This created a sullen, begrudging, dog-in-the-manger impression. Why doesn’t someone tell him to hold his head up and make eye-contact?

He must also stop answering questions with questions. Not only does that create an impression of evasiveness, it is clearly against the spirit of PMQs. The Speaker should intervene if this continues.



Above: use of a "toff" logo.

The Daily Politics show also discussed the Crewe and Nantwich by-election to be held tomorrow. There was a consensus that the Labour “anti-toff” campaign had backfired (Labour activists dressed in top hats and tails had followed around the Conservative candidate in an attempt to embarrass him). Not only have ordinary voters disapproved of this tactic, but yesterday’s Newsnight demonstrated that in terms of hereditary privilege the Labour candidate was grander than the Conservative).



Above: "John Major" at Lords.

Loss of the Crewe and Nantwich by-election will be a disaster for the government. It is difficult to know how they can retrieve the situation. On Sunday’s Bremner Bird & Fortune Rory Bremner was dressed up as loser PM John Major, taking tea in the Long Room at Lords cricket ground and offering “helpful” advice to Gordon Brown.