Quote of the Day II
Iain Dale 5:22 PM
Brown Angers Kirkcaldy Constituents by Debate Refusals
Iain Dale 2:29 PM
Brown Drives More Labour Voters to the BNP
Iain Dale 2:01 PM
The Labour Candidate Who Agrees With Mrs Duffy
Iain Dale 12:55 PM
Brown Calls Voter "Bigoted Woman"
Iain Dale 12:22 PM
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
"It's not about immigration itself,
it's about respect for what ordinary people think."
Voter in Luton North reacting to Gordon Brown's gaffe
Gordon Brown isn't just in trouble for his gaffe this lunchtime. He's being berated in his own constituency for refusing to attend any of the hustings debate invitations he has had. Perhaps he is taking a leaf out of Gloria de Piero's book...
According to his constituency agent, Alex Rowley, he has received eight hustings invitations but has refused them all. This was explained at a hustings in Kirkcaldy last night organised by the PCS union and the audience did not react well. not well at all.
I don't know what the fallout from 'bigotgate' will be, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if it resulted in a rise in support from the BNP. And I don't say that lightly. But look at it this way. Brown has not only insulted Mrs Duffy, he has effectively branded everyone in this country who is concerned about immigration a bigot too. Brown and Labour already have a problem with the white working class vote in areas like Dagenham, Barking, Burnley and West Yorkshire. It is those areas where the BNP is already reaping electoral benefit.
They will now make hay out of this gaffe in their GOTV leaflets.
And I wonder how Clegg and Cameron will play it in the leaders' debate tomorrow. I imagine Brown will try to crack some sort of joke of it, but Cameron needs to think of a good rejoinder.
I don't necessarily subscribe to the view that this incident will be the gamechanger Paul Waugh and Ben Brogan are suggesting. But it could be. Labour needs to do something to change the media agenda within the next few hours. Something big.
Now here's a question. If Gordon Brown thinks that people who ask about immigration from Eastern Europe are, by definition, 'bigoted', what does he think of Ian Davidson, his candidate (and former MP) in Glasgow SW who wants EU immigration curtailed? (see graphic above).
Is he a 'bigot' too? If so, should he be removed as a Labour candidate?
Hattip for graphic Leaves on the Line
Image Hattip: Tory Rascal
It had to happen. Put Gordon Brown with ordinary members of the public and it was bound to end in tears. He has just been caught on mic calling a woman he had just had an encounter with a "bigoted woman". Her crime was to question him about core Labour party policies. She had always voted Labour but was deeply unhappy. In the clip I heard, she said nothing which could be said to be 'bigoted'. Interestingly, Brown's first instinct was to cast blame to whoever had got him to talk to her. He called it "ridiculous".
It will be interesting to see what fallout there is for this. Sky and the BBC News Channel have gone into overdrive on it, and I am sure the tape of the comments will be repeated hundreds of times over the next twenty four hours.
So, what should Brown do now? Immediately apologise, or take her head on and explain why he made such insulting comments.
We may find out soon as he is now live in Radio 2 with Jeremy Vine, and is being very bad tempered.
Mrs Duffy should go into hiding. She will now have the full force of the Labour lie machine descend on her.
UPDATE: Sky are quoting Mrs Duffy as saying: "If that's what he said, I'm very upset, I'm very annoyed...I thought he was understanding but he wasn't, was he?"
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