Who'd have thought it...
Who'd have thought it. That was the wry, the apt, observation of a senior Cabinet figure at the end of this week.
Who'd have thought that Labour could airbrush Tony Blair out of the picture without someone - anyone - so much as raising an eyebrow?
Who'd have thought that, instead, Margaret Thatcher would be hailed for her conviction and Tory converts welcomed with open arms?
Who'd have thought that the unions would agree to abandon their right to debate topical motions and to bury their demands for an EU referendum without a squeak?
Who'd have thought that Gordon Brown would lift a series of Tory policies - from protecting have-a-go heroes to bringing back matron - and hail them as new?
Who, finally, would have thought that the polls would put Labour so far ahead that delegates have gone home with a mounting sense that they'll soon be campaigning in a general election?
In short, every idea, every plan, every manouevre that Team Brown has tried has worked this week. Everything is in place for the prime minister to take a decision to go the polls as confident as he could hope to be of winning.
Does that mean he'll do it? Of course not. He's been around long enough to know how quickly the weather can change. Nevertheless, he'll remember this week in Bournemouth when the sun always shone.
I'm 
Comments
Brown will probably change his mind, he has the conviction of a wobbly jelly!!! He is the worlds greatest Flip-Flopper and spin artist, if driving in circles is strategic genius then the value of genius seems level with idiotic!
Whilst some in the 鈥榩olitical class鈥 maybe impressed by his transparent and frankly ridiculous party politics. Knowing when to stop is a useful and productive tool, think being in power for 10 years has distorted his grip on reality.
Is his government based entirely on 鈥渙utflanking the Tories鈥, surely this is his only conviction? Whilst he plays silly games, what of the real issues facing the electorate? If it is then it does not say much for his substance, everything he has announced or re-announced is just boring recycled second best options.
I think the Brown Government is a reconstruction of the Blair Government; in crude motoring terms it is the Rolls Royce of state driven by a Reliant Robin engine - dysfunctional and clapped out! They don鈥檛 even seem to be able to meet the spirit of their equal opportunities legislation 鈥 mind due it would not be the first time in ten years that the Labour Government did not meet the spirit of the laws they have created.
It's hardly surprising, Nick, that everything has seemed to go so well for Brown this week given the uncritical, bordering on fawning, commentary provided by you and your 大象传媒 colleagues. Gordon Brown is not a "conviction" but a "gesture" politician. Everything he does is designed for narrow political advantage and for the 大象传媒 to so unquestioningly buy the cynical spin that "Gordon doesn't spin" is naive to say the least. I will guarantee you that if Brown does decide to call an election he will ensure that the announcement is made on the day of David Cameron's speech to the Conservative Conference. A purely cynical manoeuvre prompted not by the interests of what is best for Britain, which Brown hypocritically claims is his motivation, but what is best for Gordon Brown and the Labour Party.
Gordon Brown has framed the agenda and made his presence felt. He's been a little heavy handed about it but if this election silliness passes by the landscape should make much more sense. I'm hoping that once the brouhaha clears something much more reasonable will emerge. I think, that's the right way to go. Racing ahead in any relationship is bad news. Building understanding and trust incrementally is much more likely to build a stronger foundation.
If Gordon went for a snap election he'd be doing it in very, very changeable weather, and even if he won he would look like an opportunistic bully. It would be the political equivalent of date rape, and no matter what the good intentions or enthusiasms the electorate is going to be left feeling a little sore and abused. Sticking to fixing the shed and bringing a bunch of flowers would help the government look more useful, kind, and get their feet more firmly under the desk.
The situation in Burma is similar. Habitual and reactive leadership has tilted towards an extreme, and the camera friendly Buddhist monks are being equally dumb. Neither approach is sound strategy or correct action. By falling back to the essence of communication, and developing from there, a much better long-term result may be obtained. Indeed, the Dali Lama has taken exactly this position so that Tibetan Buddhist and this Zen Buddhist agree on something.
Go jogging. Buy a dog. Go for a walk. Anything but Flash Gordon.
'You're Not Alright Jack'
The plan to change the law to protect have-a-go heroes is not simply unnecessary, it downright dangerous in this day and age.
Its all very well for Jack Straw to have-a-go at criminals when they're offending, with his gun-totting body guards standing inches behind, but where is that protection to those lesser mortals who he urges to do the same?
How does the law protect you when you are stabbed to death and left on the pavement?
Yes Nick, I there is a distinct whiff of an election in the air.
The latest polls put at 29% the number of people who want an election this year. If he's swayed by the polls, what should he make of that one? This is a media-led frenzy and will fade very quickly (I wouldn't put money on that, though!)
It is so obvious an early election is on the cards. Unions playing ball, no sign of Tony Blair, full blown promises and "personal" touches by the main speakers.
He needs to go for an early election probably for two main reasons:
1. Labour are going to lose seats to the Nationalists in both Wales and Scotland.
2. The world economy is likely to start slowing very rapidly, if the sub-prime issue is anything to go by.
Unless something critical happens in the next six weeks, a November election will happen. Low turnout will suit them as well.
enough is enough is enough!
It is legitimate to report that the PM is considering an early poll to gain a mandate of his own (as an aside I wonder if you will so assiduously report the absence of mandate propre, when he elects not to go early) It is illegitimate to report on every nuance and preparation that is or is not made. The PM refuses to give a 'running commentary', it ill behoves the 大象传媒 to do so on his behalf. Get on with the job! His words not mine.
For what it is worth, the PM lacks the 'bottle' to go early when he does not need to. He simply intends to wrongfoot all opposition. You should avoid being drawn into this tactic. Your impartiality is grossly compromised.
I would like to see an end to this practice and I am keen to see balance here. I will look out for it.
I am not a Tory.
That may be his only good memory. He would do well to remember Harold Wilson's dictum that "a week being a long time in politics". Brown is arrogant and smug and showing all the manic control tendencies that we were warned about. The media, however, seem to be beguiled by him, giving him an unduly easy ride on the basis that none of them wants to have their contacts cut off by controller Brown.
That's right Nick, and quite right you are. Who would have thought that Brown would side-line some of the stuff that people were not happy with and deliver in favour of the populous. It's no consolation to the Tories to say that certain policies are their idea, because they should have delivered during 17 years of reign and besides, if this PM delivers, who give a damn whose idea it was as long as we have a better society for it.
Thatcher has not been hailed for what she did, but the way she did things because she believed in the ideas that she came up with. She was a conviction politician and not try to please Tom, Dick and Harry to win elections, like what Cameron's doing.
Yet again Nick, may I say that ever since the Tory party literally KICKED Thatcher out of 10 Downing Street and nearly killed her, I could not stomach these people any more. I was a staunch believer in Maggie and although many times I found myself uncomfortable with her ideas, I admired her for her delivery in modern politics. This is why Brown is well placed to be compared with Thatcher, not because they have the same political beliefs, but because they both delivered in what they said.
In the meantime watch the space next week Nick. Have a good night.
Brown is just a Tory wearing Labour clothes and he will carry on with the Tory agenda he has been following since Labour were elected. If Labour lose the next election, I expect he will defect to the Tories. Time to elect the Lib Dems and give them a chance.
Ex Labour Voter. Leeds
Nick Robinson "In short, every idea, every plan, every manouevre that Team Brown has tried has worked this week."
Sorry Nick but no. You are beginning to remind me of comical Ali. I mean really all you ever appear to do is repeat what some Downing Street spin doctor has told you to say. The pictures and some of the sound and even most of the papers tell the real story. First the pictures, the Labour party activists looked possibly the most bored I have ever seen them all week long. Clearly beyond the spin and tribalism most Labour activists do not have much enthusiasm for Brown. It is hardly surprising as his speech was the most turgid load of old Nonsense most people have heard in a long time and no surprise really because he plagiarised most of it from Shrum or the Conservative party. Finally, Did anyone other than the 大象传媒 with its mindless obedience have much good to say about the whole dull as dishwater conference, even the Guardian was more truthful.
The reality is Labour looked like a tired old cliche of a government as that is what they are, and I am sorry Nick but you now look like a tired old cliche of a political correspondent who is too big on the story and too little on the facts. I hate to say it but I increasingly don't bother with the 大象传媒.
Well Nick, you may have an election coming. Just 10 minutes ago ago, I received an automated message from the Labour Party, asking how I would vote in an election, and would I require a postal vote. I wonder why they could be asking me these questions now???
hi nick in respose to if brown will call an election or not well i think he has no choice he has to go now cos if he doesn't not only will it be seen to have bottled it but we the public won't like it which means playing these guessing games could come back to bite brown
Nick, I suspect he'll also need to store away that pleasant feeling of everything going his way given that there are likely to be rought times ahead if he does or does not call an election. A credit crunch, a few bank collapses, a few dodgy deals assisted by the UK government leaked to the press, a scandal involving a minister and he'll be back to the same position as TB in 2001.
So to Blackpool.
I recall from my youth the cold clammy attic bedrooms run by bossy landladies who could not cook and the even bossier Trotskyite idiots who had taken control of the Labour Party Young Socialists.
Perhaps Conservatives this week will think again about their party's choice to go to Blackpool.
Then perhaps they'll think again about their choice of party leader.
Then perhaps they'll think again about their choice of party.
I imagine the Brownites and the Labour party must have thought it, or at least hoped for it. Blair always said Brown was a brilliant strategist.
I said months ago at my blog that Brown would go in November if he was 10 - 15% ahead. But it all depends on Cameron next week. He'll have to pull a rabbit or two out of his hat, the way Blair used to. You know - something different, fresh and challenging.
Brown's fare was all regurgitated but split up into several tasty morsels (excuse the picture conjured) for the benefit of the many not the few.
Airbrush Blair out of the picture? The Great Man - just like that!? If that's what they were doing - and certainly many of the erstwhiles were - they deserve a good kick in the ballots.
History will prove Blair right and they wrong. Not to mention the fact that without Blair Labour would possibly already be history.
I recalled the saying about the opposition facing you and your enemies sitting behind (in the Commons). Not that I watched the boring stuff. Blairless politics just isn't interesting.
And that is that. The end.
My comments on Brown & Jesus!
That may be his only good memory. He would do well to remember Harold Wilson's dictum that "a week being a long time in politics". Brown is arrogant and smug and showing all the manic control tendencies that we were warned about. The media, however, seem to be beguiled by him, giving him an unduly easy ride on the basis that none of them wants to have their contacts cut off by controller Brown.
That's right Nick, and quite right you are. Who would have thought that Brown would side-line some of the stuff that people were not happy with and deliver in favour of the populous. It's no consolation to the Tories to say that certain policies are their idea, because they should have delivered during 17 years of reign and besides, if this PM delivers, who give a damn whose idea it was as long as we have a better society for it.
Thatcher has not been hailed for what she did, but the way she did things because she believed in the ideas that she came up with. She was a conviction politician and not try to please Tom, Dick and Harry to win elections, like what Cameron's doing.
Yet again Nick, may I say that ever since the Tory party literally KICKED Thatcher out of 10 Downing Street and nearly killed her, I could not stomach these people any more. I was a staunch believer in Maggie and although many times I found myself uncomfortable with her ideas, I admired her for her delivery in modern politics. This is why Brown is well placed to be compared with Thatcher, not because they have the same political beliefs, but because they both delivered in what they said.
In the meantime watch the space next week Nick. Have a good night.
There was not one speech that was memorable this past week. Brown went on about Britishness whilst the Culture dept have banned the Red Arrows from appearing at the 2012 Olympics......because they are too British! You have to hand it to Labour, not exactly joined up thinking is it? Typically disconected and all spin.
The weather can indeed change quickly, for better or worse. I wonder how many "who would have thoughts" there will be concerning the Tory conference next week...
The allegation re airbrushing Tony Blair out of Labour's Conference makes me smile . . .
Using conference as a means of appealing to the pubvlic is not new - Harold Wilson would change the flwo of his speech mid word to address his intended remarks to the TV audience when the TV news went live!
And Tony Blair followed previous leaders in making the best he could out of his apearances and also making sure there were no dissenting voices as far as possible.
Didn't Peter Mandelson (Mandy to Blair) make his name by learning from Mrs Thatcher's presentational whizz kids and eminences grises making Labour's Conference "The Tony Blair Show"?
Look Nick,
Once again the Tory supporters are saying your biased towards that Labour Party. The Labour supporters are also claiming you鈥檙e biased towards the Tories. I think that鈥檚 indication you鈥檙e doing it right again!
Personally, as a Tory supporter I thought you were being a bit harsh on Labour but I cant help but think that is up to all of Blair鈥檚 old tricks. Brown claims to be a man of substance rather than spin but I think he鈥檚 simply better at hiding the fact that he is using spin then Blair ever was.
Not one policy they鈥檝e come up with recently isn鈥檛 stuff Cameron came up with after his promotion to opposition leader.
I eagerly await Gordon鈥檚 鈥渆mbracing鈥 those younger members of society who need to be 鈥渆ncouraged鈥 back into the fold.
There is no doubt that things can only get worse for Gordon Brown. To create such a lead in the polls is incredible but I suspect he will come crashing back down to earth once the Conservatives deliver a superb conference - which is looking more likely with each announcement.
Luckily, all the people with a job and a brain will be voting Tory.
Some of us have had enough now. Swing voters too I'm afraid.
10 years of bull Mister Gordo.