Underlying assumptions stay the same
Sarah Brown was a winning move, apparently only getting the go-ahead two hours before going on stage.
Otherwise, largely as expected. Better delivered than usual. Big improvement on last year. "No time for a novice" was a clever line. Pleased the hall, not least for its tack-left buttons. Probably bought him a bit of time.
But, hasn't changed underlying assumptions. Few genuinely happy MPs around afterwards. Frank Luntz's verdict, emailed from the US, was scathing:
He still doesn't get it. In his open sentence he uses 'I' four times. Incredible. He still doesn't realize that it's not about him. It's about the British people and what they want for the future. Blair understood that the people come first. Brown still thinks he comes first."
Time to watch the polls. Other thoughts:
** The six Cabinet ministers omitted (including Hoon and Benn probably quite sore - though in Geoff's defence defending the Chief Whip is hard to do).
** Has he learnt from last year's fiasco over familiar lines. Gordon today: "This job is not about me, it’s about you. Obama's acceptance speech in Denver: "This election has never been about me. It’s been about you."
** Warning lights flash over the line which went down the best with activists: "So let's hear no more from the Conservatives - we did fix the roof while the sun was shining." Not sure this is quite where the mood is.
Fatal to use Sarah. All this garbage about not 'using' his family etc and then the clown immediately does just that.
And let's face it, she's not exactly Sarah Palin is she? Not even to look at, let alone everything else. He should have done the decent thing and left her at home preparing his customary evening repast of gruel.
Posted by: Chuck Unsworth | 23 Sep 2008 19:51:53
And nothing about where the money was coming from to give all those people computers, to pay for all the promises. Had anyone asked the cotors or the teachers about the mew reforms.
Education high up on the agenda, but they have had 12 years to get that one right, and now on his own admission haven't even started
Posted by: PeterMac | 25 Sep 2008 11:32:14
read "doctors" and "new"
Posted by: PeterMac | 25 Sep 2008 11:33:33