Ah, it’s a joke, right? Mandelson becoming Minister for Information? Yes, it’s a joke. He’s not actually becoming Minister for Information, that’s just the Telegraph being cheeky scamps.
But the other bit though, that’s true. The bit where, once a week, the civil servant that acts as the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson will be swapped out for a Minister, television cameras will be invited in and the results will be put on the Number 10 website for our viewing pleasure. Hmm…. the pleasure!
So, let’s break this down – the PM’s official spokesperson, being a civil servant, isn’t allowed to act in a party political manner. This, it seems, will not do. Ministers have no such restrictions – they can report on the activities of Downing Street in a way that blurs the line between Government and Party, Reality and Spin, Facts and Propaganda. A reliable source for what’s going on this won’t be.
So going through the journalistic tick list, that’s the ‘what’ covered. The ‘how’ is simple – they’re just doing it. When? Nick Robinson says, “run up to the election” (which means no-one knows.)
That just leaves the really really interesting question: Why. Why are they doing this?
One of the most consistent traits with this particular Government has been an obsession with what they believe is an inability to communicate their message properly – that if only we understood then we’d see that this is a bloody fantastic Government. So this stunt is all about trying to by-pass the newspapers and the blogs and go straight to the people through television.
Will it work?
Because, as we all know, Labour’s unpopularity is due to their inability to explain just how awesome and successful they are, right? To their credit they’re not blaming us for not understanding this time, they’re blaming themselves for not trying hard enough to get across their achievements, wonderful wonderful achievements – like abolishing youth unemployment, boom and bust, saving the world… what kind of screwed up evil world do we live in where a Government that’s been this successful should be cursed with unpopularity?
So, will it work? Will this save the Government?
Well… no. It won’t work because, just like every time they come out with a new initiative to get their message across, it’s the wrong diagnosis of the problem:
“Blair was a good communicator, we were popular. Brown is a terrible communicator, we’re unpopular. Therefore the problem is communications.”
Survey said? Eh-eeeh. Sorry, that’s not one of the answers we’re looking for. This is a fallacy that’s so easy to spot it’s breathtaking it needs explaining: Blair, after Iraq, was extremely unpopular. He was still a great communicator, but, see, people didn’t trust him or the Government anymore, so all the charm in the world couldn’t save them. Communication not the problem then, and not the problem now.
Of course, if they could admit that then we’d really be making progress.
Hywel said...
12 Nov 09 at 12:50 am
“Blair was a good communicator, we were popular. Brown is a terrible communicator, we’re unpopular. Therefore the problem is communications.”
This is in part true. On many occasions a particular problem has been made worse by Brown’s lack of empathy and communication. It’s almost inconceivable to imagine the Devils triumvirate of Blair/Mandelson/Campbell making such a mess of letter”gate” for example.
Another example was the Gurkhas issue in the summer. It was pretty clear that the Government was going to have to back down but they dragged it on and on to the extent they lost any credit. Blair would have had Joanna Lumley straight round to number 10, photo-op, big cheesey smiles etc…
Blair after Iraq was unpopular true but…. he still won an election.
Gregory Carlin said...
12 Nov 09 at 5:45 am
What a bloody wonderful government, they clipped a cleaning lady, Nick davies can retract err..
So, you are being unfair, you know that pimp I got off the sex trafficking charge, no loss really he was on a walk anyway, for the pimping, and the clerical error, they did it at magistrates court…
BBC NEWS | UK | Northern Ireland | People-trafficking charge cleared18 Aug 2009 … The first man convicted of people-trafficking in Northern Ireland is to have his record for the crime cleared. Mark Alexander Russell, 38, …
news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern…/8208376.stm – Cached – Similar
That one
Well, Nick Davies go eat sh*t, they got his cleaning lady instead and she did do time. The pimp doesn’t spend a day in jail and the cleaning lady has been banged up since last year!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8355574.stm
None of the girls would testify, except to write, they liked her.
Pentameter II has clocked a cleaning lady.
That’s the govt’s message.
Gregory
Letters From A Tory said...
12 Nov 09 at 10:21 am
Allowing such a highly politicised figure to enter the realm of the civil service should disturb everyone involved or interested in politics and democracy.
Dungeekin said...
12 Nov 09 at 10:27 am
A weekly television briefing?
Even the REAL Queen only does that once a year!
D
Charlotte Gore said...
12 Nov 09 at 10:31 am
I doubt there’s anyone that thinks this move is going to increase the openness, honesty and transparency of Government.
Gregory Carlin said...
12 Nov 09 at 7:54 pm
“I doubt there’s anyone that thinks this move is going to increase the openness, honesty and transparency of Government”
I would give the Job to Tony McNulty,
I was doing some work in Denis MacShane’s constituency, Jobcentre were sending young girls to an illegal strip club (lowest wages in Europe, lower even than Romania, no entertainment licence etc.) An illegal strip club.
So the head of the local Jobcentre writes to me, and says they won’t do it again ( as much good as can be expected etc.)
Object start doing Pimpcentre Plus stunts and I raised the issue with McNulty’s private office.
Anyway, all the records get shredded. The only proof Jobcentre ever did it. is their letter to me. the other stuff, lost, shredded or otherwise gone.
If you care so much as so argue about 25,000 pls do just one for me, is my advice.
Rotherham, that’s his billet?
Gregory
The Grim Reaper said...
13 Nov 09 at 1:33 am
I could have hours of fun with this. Here’s a scenario of Comical Mandy answering questions at one of these conferences.
Nick Robinson: Lord Mandelson, there are accusations in the newspapers this morning that the Prime Minister lied when he claimed there were enough helicopters in Iraq. What is your response to this?
Comical Mandy: Nonsense! Lying is forbidden here in the United Kingdom. President… I mean Prime Minister Gordon Brown will tolerate nothing but truthfulness as he is a man of great honour and integrity. Everyone is encouraged to speak freely of the truths evidenced in their eyes and hearts. Next question… how about you, Adam?
Adam Boulton: Can you give us a progress report on how things are going in Afghanistan.
Comical Mandy: The Taliban are retreating on all fronts. Their military effort is a subject of laughter throughout the world. Okay… Benedict Brogan.
Benedict Brogan: What is your response to
reports in the morning papers that the IMF have been called in to sort out the nation’s finances?
Comical Mandy: The IMF? They are nowhere near our airports. They are lost. They can not read a compass. They are retarded!
Benedict Brogan: But they’re here – right now. In the press conference room. To your left.
Comical Mandy: I do not see them, they are not there. Next!
Hours of fun to be had here…
Lord Mandelson of Ballymacarrett said...
13 Nov 09 at 8:13 pm
“Lord Mandelson, there are accusations in the newspapers this morning that the Prime Minister lied when he claimed there were enough helicopters in Iraq. What is your response to this?”
There is no such thing as a Brit helicopter, despite the outcome of the rebellion pertaining, to disgruntled colonials, and the lost of the State of Maryland, the property of a personal friend, ….
the US helicopters are our helicopters, ditto cranberry juice, vacuum pumps for ‘dirty’ wounds, the Taliban are dumpster divers, the things they put in their IEDs would shock a Christian conscience.
Tht of course despite the fact they have been thoroughly driven from the field, recent reports that FOB Salerno, had been captured from the US military and used as a wife-bartering market by the victorious Taliban, slightly exaggerated.
The alleged fact the Americans had no lettuce at their embedded Subway restaurants, a pernicious lie, the Americans have plenty of helicopters, some of which can be seen burning, blown up by re-locating US military far too well-supplied to be tolerant of the burden of moving them.
Lord Mandelson of Ballymacarrett