The Guardian’s new super blog (clicking the ad on the side is good) has a nice straight to the point piece from Will Hutton and demonstrates one of the key strengths of the blog: brevity! In this case, Hutton possibly puts his finger on why Brown, perhaps undeservedly, may not become the inheritor of Blair’s one time proletarian Labour crown.
All in all it showed the chancellor’s strengths – his long termism, his values, his commitment to building up public services and education, his ability to keep spending, taxing and borrowing predictably stable , his passion to reduce inequality and advance poor children’s well-being and opportunities – and even some greenish credentials. But it also showed his weaknesses – his fondness for a wheeze, his lack of a narrative about what creates productivity growth and wealth generation, and micro management that is close to obsessive.
In essence, he will need to acquire the ability to spin a good narrative to beside his undoubted numerative skills.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty