Tom Richmond: Careless talk shows Brown's true character

GORDON Brown's election day of disaster – when he described lifelong Labour supporter Gillian Duffy as "a bigoted woman" – stems from the continuing failure of senior politicians to treat the electorate with respect.

If the PM actually met real voters, rather than conveniently positioned Labour lackeys, he might have been better prepared to deal with the

valid questions posed by Mrs Duffy on the streets of Rochdale.

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In every respect, she was speaking up for people who feel betrayed and let down by New Labour's 13 years of broken promises on immigration and the economy – and she was not going to put up with the list of so-called achievements that the PM rattled off in a pathetic attempt to fob off Mrs Duffy. It was symptomatic of his political modus operandi.

This is, after all, the political leader who promised "British jobs for British workers".

Yet the most appalling aspect of this exchange, one that proves that Labour's leader is now unfit to hold high office, was how Brown refused, in an apology of a radio interview on the Jeremy Vine show, to admit that he had used the term "bigot".

Reading carefully the words used by Brown, the presenter said to the PM: "As you went away, a microphone picked you up saying that was a very bigoted woman. Is that what you said?"

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Brown's response: "I apologise if I said anything like that."

There should have been no "ifs"about this – Brown used the word, he knew he had and, once again, he was in denial about the seriousness of his failings until Lord Mandelson came running out to apologise.

It raises one issue: how can Brown ever be trusted again when he continues to be so economical with the truth on so many issues, and when he failed such a basic test of character?

ON the day after Gordon Brown effectively branded all those people with concerns about immigration as "bigots", I had the misfortune to receive a begging letter from Labour's leader.

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It began: "Since I last wrote to you I have been travelling up and down the country meeting people and talking with them about their concerns." Following "Bigotgate", this is laughable.

And then it continued – and I quote verbatim: "In a few weeks time you to will make a big choice about the future you want for Britain."

In just a few words, there were two mistakes. The letter arrived with a week to go until polling day – unless recipients had already voted by post. And, from a grammar perspective, it was wrong.

I did not read on. Those first two paragraphs reinforced my view that Brown, and Labour, are both past their sell-by dates.

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ONE reason for the Conservative campaign's continuing ineffectiveness is its mixed messages.

The central manifesto theme is "the big society". Yet David Cameron's policy speech on crime talked about Britain's "broken society".

It's just confusing voters who cannot understand why they are being asked to form a "big society" that is evidently "broken" on the days

that it suits the Conservative news agenda.

What people actually want is a smaller, but more efficient state. This can be surmised by William Gladstone's appraisal: "It is the duty of government to make it difficult for people to do wrong, easy to do right."

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The problem, from Cameron's perspective, is Gladstone was a classic liberal.

THIS election will be remembered for the occasions Gordon Brown and David Cameron uttered the four words "I agree with Nick" during the first television leaders' debate.

Yet it appears Nick Clegg has, again, stolen a march on his opponents. During an interview, when his approach to the Trident nuclear deterrent, the Liberal Democrat leader – who is seeking re-election in Sheffield – uttered the words: "I agree with President Obama..."

TALKING of Mr Clegg, is it any wonder that the Tories have switched their focus to previously safe Labour seats when they cannot puncture the Liberal Democrats' surge in the opinion polls?

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Look at York Outer – a notional Conservative seat following boundary changes. Yet many are tipping this seat to go Lib Dem, further denting Tory chances of an overall majority.

A friend has received eight Tory leaflets so far – and 15 from the Lib Dems. But, more pertinently, many of the latter's leaflets coincided with the strong showings of Clegg and Treasury spokesman Vince Cable in the televised debates.

And, even more significantly, one set of leaflets even included a form to help people apply for postal votes.

IF a junior Foreign Office official's insults about the Pope, ahead of Benedict's visit, were not bad enough, what about the so-called brains behind a Labour election poster showing David Cameron pushing William Hague in a wheelchair?

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Evidently, it was supposed to be a parody of the TV series Little Britain. But there was nothing funny about it. And what about the fact that the Tory leader was frequently seen pushing the wheelchair of his chronically disabled son, Ivan, who died last year?

Labour withdrew the poster – but what about sacking the "sick" individuals who originally thought that such a stunt had merit?

IF you're having difficulty making sense of our politicians, then Nick Webb's just-published Dictionary of Political Bullshit should help to enlighten you.

He describes "courageous" – a frequently used adjective by David Cameron – as "a euphemism for reckless and career-threatening.

Alternatively, he says "challenge" is political code for "a problem"

while he summarises "activists" as "anybody who can be bothered to

turn up". Most helpful.