Strategic confidence
- 10 Sep 07, 11:03 AM
TUC Conference, Brighton
Gordon Brown is about to deliver a speech to the TUC pledging to deliver . This a day after the home secretary to force immigrants to speak English. These moves are described in a number of papers as part of the new PM's determination to occupy the centre ground.
Ponder for a second how exactly the same policies or phrases would have been written up had David Cameron delivered them. A "lurch to the right" anyone? Or, even, "language normally associated with the far right BNP"?
Few things better illustrate the strategic confidence of Gordon Brown. He spots the territory - immmigration, Britishness... etc - which the Tories are nervous of occupying and plants his flag there. This increases pressure on Cameron from the Tory press and right-wingers to move onto this territory. If he does so, he's accused of, you're there already, "lurching to the right".
