Dear New Statesman

The Labour Party branch of which I'm Secretary discussed the state of the Party last night. I've blogged about our deliberations in the context of persistent reports of temper tantrums. The branch ignored those for the purpose of debate, and obviously missed the Heathcliff reference in your journal, which was probably a good job in the circumstances - reads like another Brown - oh, not again instance.

If Leader/Deputy nomination papers had been circulated by Head Office, we would have endorsed the incumbents, knowing that another change of Leader now would be an admission of defeat at the next British General Election.

Read the interview.
I do not dislike the man. But watching him on TV is the biggest turnoff ever... after Mrs Thatcher in her last years in power.

I know about the impact of his disability which restricts facial movement but his speeches, his attepmts to be normal and his public pronouncements make me squirm. I just find him totally imossible to feel any rapport or empathy with.

(and it's not because he's Socts or his upbrining : I am a Scot with a very similar background).

No: I think it's his inabiliity to act human, to occasionally admit he's wrong (we all make mistakes... ) and his timimg of what he says and when.. Like going on about food waste just before a well publicised 8 course G8 dinner..

He reminds me to some extent of Ian Duncan Smith or Michael Howard: two people who I actively found difficult to watch or listen to - in Michael Howard's case for reasons similar to Gordon Brown.

I'm not saying the easy charm of Charles kennedy or Tony Blair made them better politicians but at least you could feel they were human and FELT.  Gordon Brown could be replaced by a robot ... except a robot could be taught better skills. Diana Rigg was interviewed and commented that that - to her as an actress- Gordon Brown had several flaws as a speaker and presenter - which could be easily trained out of him.. if he tried.
He cannnot be bothered trying. He does not consider it important.
Says it all.

This reinforces my feeling that Gordon Brown is a man I would appreciate having as a personal friend. But Oh dear! The text reads like a sensitive priest's account of what he expects to be a deathbed.

Look around Labour you have main people now putting themselves forward ready Miliband has a statement on compass you have others putting themslves forward including Harriet, I think Brown might say he is staying around he might well do, as leader of labour I doubt it.