The Wardman Wire

A good speech…
Well, it was a very good speech… by Brown’s standards. And it has put the doubters in the background… for now. Brown is no Blair and he is no Cameron when it comes to public speaking, but yesterday he was better than the Gordon Brown we are used to dozing through.

This was not a speech aimed at the electorate. It was not an attempt to turn the polls round over night. It was aimed directly at the party. The snipers. It was a speech that would reassert his authority and cut down any “novices” who were pretenders to his crown. And, to a certain extent at least, it has worked.

What of Miliband?
David Miliband has had a bad week in terms of being considered as Labour’s next leader. He is sitting squarely on the fence at the moment and Brown has been able to take coded pot shots at him. Miliband now knows that if he doesn’t make a move, if Brown does not step down, he may well see his dream of becoming Labour leader realised, but he may never realise the ultimate dream of becoming Prime Minister. Yesterday’s speech pushed him a step, a small step albeit, further away from becoming PM – and for that you have say Brown’s speech was a success.

A speech for the grassroots
Whether any of this will make a blind bit of difference in the polls it remains to be seen. After all, the policy he spoke of will appeal grassroots Labour supporters, not the electing masses. He spoke of more investment, more spending, more handouts and presumably therefore more taxation. But I suspect it won’t have done him any damage – and may well lift his ratings a little.

The Sarah effect
I feel I should make a small comment about the Sarah effect as everyone else is! It seems that every party in need of a bounce needs a Sarah. It work for the Republicans, and with Sarah Brown it seems to have done the trick for Labour. The bigger point here is that it is clear the public want more women in high profile position in politics. Brown’s speech yesterday will be remembered for the sound bite about novices and the appearance of Sarah Brown. Perhaps the other parties and Labour themselves should take note…

A week is a long time…
They say a week is a long time in politics and the conference weeks are no exception. Next week’s Tory conference will really decide what the electorate is thinking. Cameron could well sink the New Labour ship next week if he gets it spot on, or he could let Labour back in the game. We saw how he reversed his fortunes a year ago in Blackpool. He will have to score a monumental own goal to really cause a dramatic shift, but once the ball gets rolling…

A temporary ceasefire, not lasting peace
All in all Brown’s speech has summed up the Labour conference. It was an internal affair. An attempt to reunite and sort out some family issues. It was fairly low key and not a time for pomp or showing off. In that respect it has been a success. It was business like and has undoubtedly made Brown’s position more secure than it was a week or two ago. But for how long? You’d be a fool to think that the sniping and plotting has ended. The Tory conference and Glenrothes by-election could well open those healing wounds. I feel that this week has merely been a temporary ceasefire rather than lasting peace within the Labour party.