
IS HE DELUDED?

John Hutton didn't mince his words when he gave Nick Robinson his prediction. He was right.
This lunchtime Gordon made his call for increased oil production by OPEC and North Sea Oil producers. How did the market react? Above is today's price chart, notice the move beginning just after Gordon's midday rant at the market.
You guessed it - oil rose over 4 bucks...
Failed spectacularly - Labour areas did not get out to vote they stayed at home, resulting in a 17% net swing to the Tories. What Guido would describe as the "Maguire Manifesto" was tried out in Crewe. Just as Kevin Maguire talks down to his Mirror readers about "Tory toffs" and tries to divide "them and us" on a class basis, Labour tried to motivate the core vote with an appeal that is just dated. Even if it was as they now claim an attempt to inject humour into the campaign, the time for potent class based politics is past, most people in the twenty-first century perceive themselves as middle class. Using the language and imagery of the Beano's Lord Snooty might appeal to kids, but voters know when they are being patronised. That strategy has now been tested to destruction against Boris and Timpson, it won't work against Cameron either. So what apppeal can Gordon offer voters?
Gordon is a truly pathetic figure, on Friday morning Labour will have to face up to their mistake. If they can't win Crewe, where they are testing to destruction the "don't vote for a toff" approach - "tough on toffs, tough on the causes of toffs" - backed-up by illiberal knuckle dragging dog-whistle policies, they can't win nationally with Brown. Crewe is 165th on the list of Tory target seats... that should concentrate the minds of 164 Labour MPs...