Thursday, January 07, 2010

The Art of Self Delusion

My ex colleague at Total Politics, Sarah Mackinlay, has penned a piece for Labour List in which she seeks to pour scorn on the Conservative advertising campaign this week. She was arguing her case well until she got near the end...
By last night, following the Hewitt/Hoon hoo-haa, the Conservative machine had come up with (what it considered to be) a tongue-in-cheek play on its own message with an image of Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt standing beside the line which read, ‘We Really Can’t go on Like This.’ But what this witty take on current events will achieve is limited - indeed there is a constituency of thought that believes this, along with Hoon/Hewitt gate, will give Brown a bounce, even if it’s a temporary one.

You've got to laugh. I even heard Jack Straw on Sky earlier trying to say how this was actually all rather good news for the Prime Minister. Keep taking the pills...

5 comments:

Gaelic Con said...

On the poster campaign, the Cons definitely have to get smarter about understanding the needs of devolution.

Check out this whoopsie:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/2010/01/going_on_like_this.html

Own goal.

Unknown said...

there is an odd thing, thoug, Iain. William Hill have cut Labour's odds of winning the elction from 11/1 to 10/1. Not much in that, you might think.

But hang on...Brown's leadership challenged again, and Hill's CUT the odds?

Carl Gardner said...

It's innocently or deliberately confusing two aspects of this coup. Obviously it strengthens him internally: he's now cemented in place till the election.

But it drains strength and credibility from him externally, not only in electoral terms but economically. What would you make of Alistair Darling's statement of loyalty if you were the sort of person whose judgment matters about the UK economy?

Bill Quango MP said...

So, if this actually strengthens Brown, than surely he should do it again in February. "Dawn Butler or some other expendable resigns and calls for PM to quit as he is not in touch with himself."
Labour odds improve.

Why, if he had a coup a fortnight from now until May he might be able to get a hung parliament.

Anonymous said...

Look!!!!
I'm a voter. I get off my bum and vote.
Brown and Labour are finished.
Completely.
Last night,I had a thought and have finally sussed why the MSM is so negative on Cameron.
He will not play their stupid game properly and it annoys the MSM so much all they have is the,
'Cameron is weak' line.
He has been talking to the general public since becoming leader.
This briefly came to light with the e mails smears.
Brown and his bozo's were so busy doing what they do best(being vile)while Cameron was talking to us.
Brown & Co were so arrogant then, as now,thinking the public would
'buy it'.Some may have, but then,along came the truth.
Expenses, the economy and immigration.
The MSM are so used to doing Labour's bidding and have done it for so long, it comes natural to both, however, Brown and the Labour
party have underestimated just how much the public will stand.
Over done it by miles.