Policy Research Media Morhamburn

So far the road to Downing Street has been gaffe and gate free.  No scandal to report.  The only thing I can think of remotely close to scandal is the revelation that Nick Clegg was being paid money into his personal bank account which he swatted away speedily and it was just as promptly dismissed as a shameful right wing media attack.  I suppose though that it is unlikely that anyone will believe a bad word about Mr Clegg at the moment.

But yesterday that all ended when Prime Minister Gordon Brown called a sweet old women ‘bigoted’.  If you haven’t seen the press coverage, Mr Brown had what appeared to be a pleasant conversation with a dear old granny about the UK debt, immigration, tax and being a life-long Labour supporter.  Upon completion of this conversation Mr Brown jumped in his official car and had a moan to an aide about the women and the conversation that he just had.

Personally, I don’t think that this should be much of a story.  First of all, was their really a need for Sky to sit the women down in the back of their van and play her the tape?  Probably not.  It was an off the cuff comment with an aide in the supposed privacy of his official car. 

Secondly, so he had a moan after a conversation with a critical Labour supporter.  Everyone is hurt by criticism.  Therefore, I would imagine that hearing such criticisms from a lifelong Labour fan hurts Gordon Brown.  Then imagine the pressure he is under.  He’s blamed for every ill in the country, working 18 hour days and is potentially facing political annihilation come May 6^th.  I don’t think this was an expression of anger at this particular woman it was just a venting personal frustration and haven’t we heard all these in the stories alleging Mr Brown’s bullying?

On Tuesday, David Cameron found himself in a similar situation sans Sky microphone.  An angry parent confronted Mr Cameron about Tory plans to ‘end the bias towards the inclusion of special needs in mainstream schools’.  Mr Cameron spoke to the gentlemen calmly and tried to explain his position, the gentleman was unimpressed with what he heard and Mr Cameron jumped into his car and sped off.  He later admitted he failed to persuade the man in question.

Is there anyone who doubts that this incident might have riled David Cameron?  Is it possible that upon driving away, Mr Cameron vented some slight frustration at what just happened?  Of course it’s possible.  Is it possible that after being faced with allegations of impropriety by the media over his financial affairs that Nick Clegg went for a cigarette then cursed the people who had done it?  Of course it is.

This country is on the edge of a new dawn and everybody is looking to Brown, Cameron and Clegg for the answers as to where we go from here.  How do we cut the debt?  Where will the new jobs come from?  What is the end game of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?  The pressure is such that neither you nor I can imagine.

Of course they are liable to face more media intrusion than most and every decision they make is subject to tremendous scrutiny but no matter what your views are on these men’s ideologies they believe that they offer the best solutions to the problems facing our country.  Personally, I’d rather see their frustrations boil over from time to time, I think it shows that they care and want to do the best job they can do.  After all that’s gone on in the last few years, isn’t that want we want in our leader?

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