The secret of great political drama – as with comedy – is timing. And the timing of Gordon Brown’s political intervention is very dramatic for Boris Johnson.
The former Labour prime minister, who was in office between 2007 and 2010, has declared his support for footballer Marcus Rashford’s petition for schools to provide free meals to children whose families are stricken with poverty – possibly because of Tory Covid-19 restrictions.
Johnson has already refused Rashford’s demand. As far as he’s concerned, poor people’s ankle-biters can starve.
Or, if you want a less partisan view, here’s The Independent:
Poorer pupils will not receive free meals during school holidays, No 10 insists – putting Boris Johnson on a fresh collision course with footballer Marcus Rashford.
The Manchester United star has launched a fresh campaign to help hungry children, calling for vouchers for October’s half-term break and at Christmas.
The England striker stepped up his campaign by launching a Commons petition, saying: “Whatever your feeling, opinion or judgement, food poverty is never the child’s fault.”
The petition is also calling for free school meals to be extended to any household which receives benefits – to help a further 1.5million under-16s, during term-time.
But the [prime minister’s] spokesperson said: “We took that decision to extend free school meals during the pandemic, when schools were partially closed during lockdown.
“We are in a different position now. Schools are back open to all pupils and do not regularly provide food to pupils during term-time.
“We believe the best way to support families outside of term times is through universal credit, rather than schools subsidising meals.”
It’s easy to punch holes in this statement – but I don’t have to.
Mr Brown appeared on the BBC’s Breakfast News to say that he has signed Rashford’s petition, and he was delighted to explain his reasons:
Gordon Brown – I've just signed Marcus Rashford's petition. Marcus is speaking from the heart, as he knows what it's like to go to school hungry… so hopefully Boris Johnson will agree that this is a small price to pay to end child hunger amongst so many people…#BBCBreakfast pic.twitter.com/O72R4sjMl6
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) October 16, 2020
Politely and calmly, he absolutely shredded the Tory prime minister’s statement:
Sorry Naga but what part of you thought you could read a fuck the kids statement from NO10 & try to cut Gordon Brown off🤷♀️
His reply,
the government were wrong & schools won’t be paying for meals,Johnson can’t let kids go hungry at Christmas 😡#BBCBreakfast pic.twitter.com/j9qQQRkQZt
— kerry Hooper🌹 (@hewitson10) October 16, 2020
It’s clear that Naga Munchetty had been told to end that segment of the interview, giving the government the last word, but Brown wasn’t having any of it. He explained exactly why the statement was nonsense and put the ball back very firmly in Boris Johnson’s court, saying it is for the (current) prime minister to answer this – not a stooge.
Then the most successful UK chancellor of the 21st century (still) levelled his verbal guns on current chancellor Rishi Sunak, saying – effectively – that his economic plans are nonsense. And, again, he was making perfect sense:
"He should be calling the Chancellor…getting him to bring a new recovery package"
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown tells #BBCBreakfast Boris Johnson needs to "get ahead of this" when it comes to the backlash over business support.https://t.co/cHVgKJ5Ny8 pic.twitter.com/KmjYGet8SH— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) October 16, 2020
The interview has sparked a surge of support for the former chancellor and prime minister, whose calm, reasonable delivery prompted nostalgia for the days when the government was run by reasonable people who understood how a country works, rather than by populist prattlers whose only concern is making a fast buck for themselves:
Seeing Gordon Brown on #bbcbreakfast and you realise what a real PM looks & sounds like. Can’t help but think that if he was PM we wouldn’t be in this mess.
— Binro (@HereticBinro) October 16, 2020
Gordon Brown speaks with authority, common sense and compassion on child poverty. The antithesis of the present government. How far we have fallen backwards.
— Marion Langford (@LallyLangford) October 16, 2020
No surprise that Gordon Brown has spoken out against child hunger. As Chancellor / PM he worked hard to address child poverty in the UK (and in the poorest countries).
He also steered us through the financial crisis, leaving a growing economy that was wrecked by Tory austerity. https://t.co/q3qEOEPUSJ— Central Planner #FBPE (@CentralPlanner9) October 16, 2020
Just listening to Gordon Brown talking about compassion about free school meals & covid politics with a measured, thoughtful position. Really interesting how as a society we arrived at a view that he was a 'weak' PM but charlatan populists were considered strong leaders.
— James Evison (@jamesevison) October 16, 2020
Gordon Brown, polite & reasoned, but firmly correcting the inaccuracies & spin of the govnt presented as balance by #bbcbreakfast
— Binro (@HereticBinro) October 16, 2020
nice to see Gordon Brown aim his 🔥 at Rishi Sunak:
“You need to be ahead of the curve. You can’t increase restrictions while reducing support for people which is exactly what this Chancellor has done”
— dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻 (@davemacladd) October 16, 2020
You can tell Gordon Brown has been out of politics for a while, as he's talking about social conscience and compassion
Entirely alien concepts to most of the current administration#BBCBreakfast
— Adrian Gosling (@digitalsunshine) October 16, 2020
Perhaps we need more interventions like this – to put Johnson and his hysterics firmly in context.
God knows, we’re not getting it from Starmer the Abstainer.
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