Something was missing at Gordon Brown's hour-long monthly news conference at Downing Street this lunchtime. A story, for starters. Jokes? Forget it. The PM spoke at length about immigration and the global economy but... it was a straight bat all the way, didn't really go anywhere and was the least interesting one he has done since he took over last June.
There were rumblings of discontent among the grumpy hacks, whose tummies were certainly rumbling; kick off was delayed by 30 minutes until 12.30pm while Brown spoke to 700 civil servants about his public service reforms.
On my way back to the Commons, I realised what was missing: Alistair
Darling. True, no one would describe the Chancellor as a bundle of
laughs, even though he does a nice line in self-deprecating humour in
private. But he appeared alongside Brown at his previous three monthly
press conferences as the economy and then Northern Rock took centre
stage.
Perhaps Brown wanted to assure us he could cope without his loyal sidekick. Yet maybe Darling is such a straight bat himself that he makes Brown look more interesting.
(Photo: Stephen Hird/AFP/Getty Images)
What time do you normally have lunch?
Posted by: Hobgoblin | Wednesday, 02 April 2008 at 11:04 AM