Thursday, April 29, 2010

"Gordon, what do you really think?"


That is the question with which David Cameron must interject at every available opportunity in today's Leaders' Debate.

It is on the economy, which ought to be a gift to the Conservative leader from the outset. With the Greek tragedy unfolding, the Euro in peril, and EU member states about to start falling like Icelandic banks, the fact that David Cameron has said 'Never' to joining the Euro places him firmly on the side of the people. If we had joined when the Liberal Democrats wanted us to, we would now be gripped by the very same crisis and turmoil unfolding in Greece. It is a card which Mr Cameron must play, and play often.

But the revelation yesterday that Gordon Brown thinks that anyone who holds a view contrary to his is a 'bigot' is manna from heaven for the Conservatives. Back in November, Gordon Brown said:

I have never agreed with the lazy elitism that dismisses immigration as an issue, or portrays anyone who has concerns about immigration as a racist. Immigration is not an issue for fringe parties nor a taboo subject.
Whatever Gordon Brown says tonight, whatever assurances he gives on taxation, however he explains away the recession and the UK's doleful performance since, David Cameron is able to perpetuate the doubts about the Prime Minister's integrity which already exist in people's minds: 'Is he telling us the truth?'

And the answer, as we now know, is 'No'.

Gordon Brown is content to say one thing on camera to reassure his audience, and then, in private, to assert a precisely contrary view. He is a hypocrite, a charlatan, a fraud and a liar. Even his 'penitent sinner' apology was faked. After his first conversation with Gillian Duffy, he was asked in the car what it was she said which so irked him. He clearly responded 'Everything - she's just a bigoted woman.'

It was 'everything'.

Yet, after delivering his heartfelt and sincere apology to Mrs Duffy (now 'Gillian'), Gordon Brown emerged from her house with that fake grin beaming across his face, assuring us that he had 'simply misunderstood some of the words she had used'.

David Cameron might drop that line into his presentation this evening. Whenever Gordon Brown dismisses what he says or attempts to smear Conservative policy, Mr Cameron simply has to say: "Gordon appears to have misunderstood some of the words I have used."

And there is no reason at all why a debate on the economy should not include the subject of immigration.

Perhaps, as we all dare to disagree with Gordon Brown and Nick Clegg, we might find out that we are all Mrs Duffy: we are all bigots. Mrs Duffy speaks for millions of the 'great ignored'.

If David Cameron deploys the 'I'm Spartacus' line tonight, he will win hands down.