Workers' Liberty

Cathy Nugent attended a Fabian Society sponsored debate between Gordon Brown, Michael Meacher and John McDonnell on Sunday 13 May.

Gordon Brown has spent many hours in front of a mirror perfecting world-leader body language. He’s done well. As he forcefully strode to his podium he oozed relaxed poise and efficiency; everything about him said, “I am a man who is going to be the next Prime Minister of Great Britain”. Yes, unfortunately he will.

He will have got there despite his total inability to listen, answer direct questions or take note of the basic shape of social reality. But, credit where it is due, these are failings he shares with many other world leaders.

When John McDonnell talked about the wastefulness and expense of PFI schemes, and about how, in his constituency, community groups could not afford to hold classes and events at a PFI built “community” school, Brown said the school wouldn’t have been built were it not for private finance. He might have said, “Like it or lump it,” for that was the message.

When McDonnell talked about how inequality — which has increased under ten years of New Labour — caused stress, illness, crime and undermined social solidarity, Brown told him to get real, because nothing could be done. We were living in a global economy. Pensioners, and people struggling to survive on a minimum wage would have to wait until the time was right to benefit (by a few pence) from the UK’s comparative prosperity. How long would they have to wait, he couldn’t say. And getting a little riled at this point in the debate that word popped out of his mouth… “prudent, we have to be prudent” he said.

No such prudence on display from city bankers as they paid themselves huge bonuses last Christmas. What did Gordon think about that? No answer.

I felt uncomfortable among this audience — a mix of young fogey New Labour career boys and girls, Labour councillors and a (very) few lefties. It’s inverted class snobbery on my part for sure. But then I can’t see what's wrong with disliking (nearly all white) boys and girls chatting about their careers, who’s getting married to whom in the Home Counties and who’s going to be in Brown’s first cabinet. Is this all politics is now? Who’s “in”, who’s “out”. I guess so.

But isn’t it strange thing that this audience clapped when McDonnell talked about how people from Congo should not be deported, but also clapped when Brown talked utter contentless garbage about “moving forwards not backwards” and “progressive consensus”. I guess if you have no real political background, if politics is just about being part of an in crowd you won’t see the contradictions.

Seeing Gordon Brown perform reminded me of an old Soviet joke.

At his death Stalin gave Khrushchev two letters numbered one and two. The envelope on the first letter said “open if desperate”. Inside a note said “denounce me”. So Khrushchev denounced Stalin (just as Brown last year denounced, through the medium of his cronies, Blair). Stalin’s second letter said on the outside, “open if still desperate”. Inside the note said, “Do as I did”. Just so, Brown is set to continue as Blair. Even though Blair has alienated millions of people, Brown is going to do it just like Blair.

He won’t be practicing that “world leader” body language for too long.