Brown-itis: Cameron and Salmond’s ‘jokes’ should kill their campaigns
Foot-in-mouth disease is on the rise amongst our politicians.
Remember when Gordon Brown branded Gillian Duffy a “bigoted woman” and sent Labour’s 2010 election campaign into history’s dustbin?
It seems both David Cameron and Alex Salmond are determined to do the same thing, with both uttering extremely unwise comments in front of a microphone.
First, Salmond decided it would be funny to tell a crowd of SNP supporters that he will be writing Labour’s budget (if Labour gets elected) – a reference to claims that Labour will not be able to form a government without the SNP, and to the concessions the SNP would demand in that case. Here he is:
Then Cameron, appearing on ITV’s This Morning, was caught by a microphone after Philip Schofield started a link to the next section of the programme: “Up next, a man who can pinch your wallet, your watch and even your tie without you noticing.”
Cameron, off-camera, could then be heard saying: “Is that Alex Salmond?”
https://youtu.be/-PXAKdSGydo
Both comments are despicable.
Salmond’s claim that he’ll have anything to do with a Labour budget was false and designed to lead voters astray. Labour has ruled out a marriage of convenience with the SNP, quoting irreconcilable differences. The fact that SNiPers like Salmond keep harping on about it smacks more of desperation and an intent to mislead.
If anything, though, Cameron’s is worse, as it not only implies that Salmond is a criminal (that’s libel), but also suggests that he would be able to affect any budget set by Labour – and would use it to steal money from the electorate.
They both echo Gordon Brown’s “bigoted woman” remark about Gillian Duffy. He had met her whilst canvassing for Labour, and simply didn’t like her criticisms so he used those words about her in a car afterwards, without realising that he was wearing a microphone belonging to a TV news service, and that it was switched on.
It’s possible that his remark helped to end 13 years of Labour government and usher in the ConDem Coalition.
Now two leading members of other parties – the Conservatives and the SNP – have made the same mistake.
Will their campaigns be affected as badly? And if not, why not?
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scum cameron, about Alex Salmond, he’s a Celt same as me, we stick together. to f*** with the bully boy **** protector CAMEROOM
So you want to stick together with someone who’s likely to end up delivering the UK back to Cameron and Clegg, do you?
Well, it’s your vote.
The SNP are riding a wave of anti-Englishness.
So it’s racism, you think?
Sorry about the late reply due to rl. Not racism as such, but strong nationalism and a desire to *get their own back* on the English.
One description of nationalism is “an extreme form of patriotism marked by a feeling of superiority over other countries”. Can that not be racism, then?
How lovely an element of humour among the tedious and boring electioneering propoganda!
Of course, there is a slight difference between the two current events and Gordon Brown’s gaffe.
Salmond is havıng a good natured jibe at a political party, Cameron at a fellow politician. Brown’s, however, was a deliberate insult to a voter.
I am sure the knowledgeable electorate will appreciate the difference.
Will they really consider that there is a difference? Both Salmond’s and Cameron’s “good natured” jibes could be considered deliberate insults to other parties.
Well, I haven’t seen a public outcry and as some want to lower the voting age to 16 I guess the powers that be reason they are dealing with a dıscerning and knowledgeable electorate..
The lack of public outcry is part of my point, though. Why were people so keen to see Brown humiliated and why aren’t they as interested in meting out the same justice to Salmond and Cameron? What is the role of media manipulation, if any? Looking at the Coalition government’s record, and its position in the polls, are we really a “discerning and knowledgeable” electorate, or are people happily letting politicians and the right-wing press lead them by the nose? I think the answer is clearly the latter.