大象传媒

To-ge-ther.

• Betsan Powys
• 20 Apr 07, 08:45 PM

Do you remember that tv ad that was on years ago? A couple sit on a sofa and are asked something like where they want to be in a few years' time. I can't remember what the ad was selling but the punchline has stayed with me.

He puts his arm around her shoulders and says: "To-ge-ther!"

It just came to mind today as Gordon Brown and Rhodri Morgan sat squeezed next to each other on a children's bench in a school playground. The word "together" cropped up in almost every other sentence: working together, tackling child poverty together, working together with Westminster to make the most of the devolution dividend.

In the ad the wife is dreaming about going it alone and leaving him on the sofa to sort out the mortgage and the maths. So there, I suppose, the comparison ends.

The Chancellor and First Minister were given a grilling by the school council. "What's it like feeling important?" You don't, said Rhodri Morgan, you get on with it and he did. Getting on with children, pensioners, protesters comes naturally to him. Gordon Brown finds it tough.

He shook hands rather formally with 6 year olds. They talked about the mandarin flavoured ice lollies they sold for 20p in the new healthy school tuck-shop. He asked them how much profit they made on each one. They talked about the school council. He asked what their budget was.

Mr Brown was in one of Wales' most affluent constituencies to deliver a messge that his party's serious about eradicating child poverty. "People like seeing me signing cheques" he said - and he did, a giant cheque made out to the children of Wales. All the parties are pulling 'together' on this one but they all know that Gordon Brown will have to sign much, much bigger cheques if that target date isn't at best a vain hope, at worse a stunt long forgotten by the time it comes around.

He really didn't look that comfortable. Rhodri Morgan was very much at ease. And I'll be wondering what that ad was selling all weekend.