Thoughts on politics and life from a liberal perspective

Wednesday 6 May 2009

Jack Straw had the measure of Brown nine years ago

I am currently reading Chris Mullin's excellent political diaires "A View From the Foothills". One particular entry jumped out at me:



Monday, 13 March 2000

At supper in the Tea Room the talk was of New Labour's tendency to double and triple count new public spending. We were joined by Jack Straw, who said the idea was Gordon's and he had been against it from the outset. He added, "Fancy tactics never work. They always catch up with you in the end."


So why is it that what was obvious to Straw a decade ago is still not clear to Brown now? He was up to the same old tricks again a few weeks ago with the supposed $1 Trillion pledge from the G20 summit.

I also makes me wonder why Jack Straw was so keen to be Brown's campaign manager for his "election" "campaign" as leader if he was so scornful of one of his major tactical approaches.

1 comment:

Oranjepan said...

Don't get me started on Jack Straw, he's always at the scene of a crime, but somehow never manages to leave any incriminating evidence.

Trace through his career from when he was at Leeds Uni onwards - it is striking to note the consistent way opponents are silenced or otherwise controlled.

Straw is the hatchet man. Fear him.