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Gordon Brown gives (shock!) his best speech of the campaign
Genuinely moved Prime Minister embraces crying child of mother on low wages.
By James Macintyre Published 03 May 2010 18:17
I am sending this from a Citizens UK gathering at Methodist Central Hall in London, where an audience of 2,500 community activists has just witnessed extraordinary scenes involving a girl whose mother and grandmother are on such low wages, working as cleaners at the Treasury, that there is no time to learn English or spend time together, as they travel in by bus at 3.30am.
Pundits may ridicule the fact that they work in messy Brown's old office, but -- if this speech gets pick-up -- it will go down as one of the most significant moments in this campaign.
Brown, speaking as I type, is genuinely moved. He looks angry about poverty, determined and serious. As he talks through his values, instilled in him by his Church of Scotland father, "bigotgate" seems a very long way away. And as he talks of the minimum wage, the audience are going wild for him, even more so than they did for Nick Clegg.
This is Brown at his best. Labour strategists will wish he could be like this all the time, and certainly over the next couple of days.
A heckler just emerged and was instantly booed and ushered out. Boy, did he get the mood wrong.
UPDATE: Here's a video of the full speech. Hat-tip: Political Scrapbook.
James Macintyre is political correspondent for the New Statesman.
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73 comments
"You can't humiliate someone once they have pride..."? No, you can't humiliate someone with humility. The proud are precisely those who are most susceptible to humiliation!
I hate elections there rubish just pick someone with the most votes god its not tht hard!!!!!!!!!!!1
Call me a heartless pedant but the party which has been in power over the last 13 years and could thus have fixed this family's predicament was Gordon Brown's party wasn't it? Or did I miss something?
At first glance, I thought that the commentators who brought up the Iraq conflict were straying from the point.
But they weren't were they? Schoolgirl weeps, Gordon comforts, Gordon makes a good speech - yes, we must vote Labour!
But, Gordon and his Party kill and maim tens of thousands in far-off lands because the leader and his acolytes wouldn't stand up to the United States. Erm, well it doesn't really matter does it? Hey, we need to move on, as your sun-tanned multi-millionaire, ex-leader, would no doubt, have put it.
The sooner you lot reach your political Armageddon and electoral oblivion the better.
hmmm may be he hired a new person to write his speeches!!!!
Who ever is elected the result is the same!!
simply the best, please, please let the citizens of UK hear this over and over
just watched speech on bbc news brown did far better than cameron or clegg. Sadly i doubt this will be picked up by the mainstream media as it doesnt fit their narrative of cameron on 'a roll' and 'cleggmania'.
If thats Broons "best" then thank God i missed his worst!.
He was ranting and raving like a lunatic, grinning inanely, that man should be in a straight jacket, how on earth he became the Scottish First Minister of....erm...England is a mystery.
I agree with the first poster. This won't get a mention (Nick Robinson will make sure of that). I have little doubt that the anti-nuclear protestor will be focused on however.
Gordon Brown's speech was truly wonderful. He was passionate and sincere so I expect that will mean that the media will not make much of it. It didn't have enough of the 'snake oil salesman' about it. Vote Labour!
Marvellous speech by Gordon Brown, I have to take my hat of to him!!! Jolly good show!
awesome speech. might well vote labour now, instead of green.
That was the prime minister that everyone needed him to be. It's frustrating that it's only happening now, when it feels almost too late...
Well done Gordon. Vote Labour !!
You can bet your bottom dollar that will be spun by the Tory media as:
"Brown brings young girl to tears"
Is this speech online yet? I missed it, I only saw Cleggs speech, could anyone give a link? Thanks.
Nothing on the BBC's 'comprehensive' 24 hour Live Coverage of the election's events:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/liveevent/
There's a surprise.
I'm no fan of Brown but I have to say, he was on fire just now. He nailed Paxman the other day, and gave a very decent showing on the BBC3 interview. The party command must be baffled at the transformation. He's become more relaxed, more confident, more passionate and far more articulate. Too late or not, its still remarkable at a human level.
Any left-wing Rip Van Winkle who woke up two hours ago after a 20 year slumber and the first thing they heard was Brown's speech would vote for him in an instant. But you can't get past his record. Inequality as bad as ever, poverty persisting, policies pushed on poor countries that impede their development, the Iraq war, sucking up to big business. How do you square all that with the speech Brown made and the passion with which he gave it? I have no idea.
But much as I loathe New Labour, its only them that can stop the even worse - far worse - prospect of a Tory government, since FPTP can't work for the Libs. So hopefully Brown keeps this up enough to make a LibLab coalition feasible on May 7.
Where can I see the speech?
Where can I listen to the speech?
Gordon Brown is a powerful Prime Minister who feels it from the heart for the ordinary man and at the same time can walk in the shoes of the business person or gentry and meet their needs.Give this man a mandate and a clear chance to further take us out of economic recession and Keeb Britain Brilliant .God Bless Gordon and Sarah Brown truehearts not Posers.
Great performance from Brown, speaking from the heart rather than the PR Dept. crib sheet. Convincing, strategically wise, understood the reality of those on the bread line and carried the audience along with him as one. Clegg and Cameron just inane in comparison.
The speech isnt on yet. Some clips here - http://ht.ly/1GkVr
People chanting "Gordon Brown!"
Brilliant Brown today at Citizens. This is clearly what still drives Labour politicians and this is what drives Labour voters. So no LibDem or Tory substitutes Thank you
Gary Mckinnon will be deported to U.S if Labour gets back in. There is a court hearing end of may which labour will argue to deport him even with his condition.
Both lib dems and tories want to change the extradition agreement with the u.s from the bush administration.
How about demanding iraq war minutes are released where Brown rallied the cabinet to go to war.
Brown helped destroy millions of lives.
Brown a few months ago said the iraq war was a good idea.
And that is what you call powerful.
Brown told a factory worker how good the company was doing in china.
Brown loves jobs moving to China.
What great policies are there that Gordon Brown has had.
He has had thirteen years enough already time for new leadership.
Brown and Mandelson wouldn't help out that company that went bankrupt in Teeside.
Brown is a hyper free trader that doesn't care if companies move jobs to china.
He went to china and praised the jobs going to china.
He told a factory worker the other day how good the company was doing in china.
Yeah Brown fighting for the working man what nonsense when all the money was given to the banks and bonus restrictions weren't even put into place.
Mandelson Brown's right hand man spends his time helping oil companies get contracts in Iraq.
Is that what Labour voters are fighting for so their unelected business secretary can help oil companies get oil contracts in Iraq even after tony blair has made a fortune in kuwait and korea from oil contracts.
Mandelson told the company that went bankrupt in teeside no funds available.
But they have plenty of funds to overspend on the banks.
Is that what labour voters are fighting for so jobs can go overseas and brown can tell a factory worker how good the company is doing in china.
Brown doesn't stand for old labour's values.
Janet, brown put us into this recession with his deregulating for the banks.
Is that what labour voters are fighting for.
During the subprime crisis Brown was saying this is a golden era.
Brown the genius who thought it would be a good idea to have ed balls as chancellor.
My friend lost two limbs in a shitty landrover unarmoed vehicle.
This govt had no planning before the iraq war and the consequences after.
They have had troops going over IED's for the past seven years in unarmored vehicles.
I am sick and tired of hearing how great this govt is.
It is absolute crap.
Maimed soldiers are taken to court to get payments back.
There should be marches on the street to get this govt out of power.
Yeah great govt. Start a war in iraq which lead to suicide bombings on the underground trains.
Millions of refugees. Yeah lets vote Labour.
Brown is a war criminal who should be on trial not running for election.
When goldsmith said the iraq war was illegal brown rallied the cabinet.
No objections were allowed to be heard.
No planning.
No IED's in afghanistan before the iraq war and now tens of thousands a year.
Brown has our troops stretched out in helmand province. UK soldiers are losing their lives at 6 times the rate of other countries because they are stretched out in the worst areas.
Now he wants them to move into Kandahar and all this in unarmored vehicles.
But he gave a powerful speech vote labour.
A war criminal gave a powerful speech vote labour.
Jason -
Voting for a Tory government empty on promises and lacking in commitment only because you don't want New Labour isn't a good reason, is it? Instead of slamming the existing "absolute-crap" government have you had a look at the things a Tory government would bring into the country, and seriously, do you really want George Osbourne as your CX? A good change? I think not.
To Tom:
Do you have any idea how much Brown rallying the cabinet to the iraq war hurt the enviornment.
Green party stands for green issues.
Iraq war thousands of pipelines ruptured.
The affects of the enviornment are unreal. Raw sewage is all over the place in iraq in rivers.
The enviornment is an epic disaster in Iraq.
But Brown gave a good speech not on all the mess he has caused but it was a good pandering speech so lets vote labour.
How Brown talks about caring about poverty when he tells a factory worker that the company is doing good in china.
Brown is a hyper free trader he doesn't stand for labour.
Brown has mandelson as his business secretary doing contracts with oil companies in iraq.
Brown tried to get war criminal Hoon the top job at the EU then a job at Nato.
Brown is so the past and no matter what happens he won't be PM as labour will select Miliband in negotiations on friday with the lib dems.
John Bailey. You are an ignorant bigot.
Do you want Ed Balls as chancellor as Brown wanted in 2009 and would be the next chancellor.
Labour cabinet members it has been reported on friday will desert brown and pick a new leader for negotiations with the lib dems.
Louise I never said I was voting tory.
Gordon Brown showed the depth of his commitment to help ordinary people in our country.
David Cameron showed the depth of his insincerity.
Nuff said
Protestor was complaining about depleted uranium in iraq.
No talk in the speech how UK used cluster bombs in iraq and afghanistan and used white phosphorus in iraq and afghanistan.
Or how hundreds of abuse cases in iraq and afghanistan aren't being investigated by this govt. In canada this is causing an uproar but in UK if you give a rehearsed speech you are a hero and deserve to go from 13 years to 18 years in power no matter what you do in between.
...or LibDems, which further reinforces my point on voting for a party that is empty on promises, and lacking in commitment. You kept reiterating and mocking decisions to vote Labour because Brown had a good speech today -that is ironically the reason why the Lib-Dems are surging now in the polls, isn't it?
Talk about the "mess" Brown created (a "mess" that incidentally, is the world's to embrace), what about his office weathering the economic storm, saving the banks, investing in schemes to keep unemployment and mortgage possessions lower than most people dared to hope for, putting billions into schools, the NHS and tax credits.
on the eve of the election you guys should go with a front page listening all labours achevements like the minimum wage and tell how the tories voted against them all . VOTE LABOUR .KEEP LITTLE MARGERET AND HIS CON PARTY OUT . DONT LET THEM REVERSE ALL WE HAVE GAINED .
Great!! Brown was brilliant, full of passion and commitment. Clegg i liked at the beginning debate but now he's become too big headed in my opinion. As for Cameron; i think not.
I really hope it goes to Brown on May 6th as he deserves it, especially after all the criticisms he has faced.
VOTE LABOUR PEOPLE!!!
What about the company that went bankrupt in teeside.
They were told by peter mandelson to pound sand.
Brown is a hyper free trader that told a factory worker how good the company was doing since they moved operations to china.
Brown went to China and promoted free trade with all the jobs going overseas.
Brown is a hyper free trader whose policies are a disasater for ordinary workers.
Ordinary workers had their gas prices skyrocket because of Iraq war which brought speculation rampant.
Look at crude oil prices and speculation before and after iraq war.
No matter what gordon brown and labour do the labour flock will always praise them.
And Peter -I couldn't agree more.
Yeah Peter Mandelson as business secretary is really looking out for the ordinary workers.
If those workers are oil company executives who he is helping to get contracts for in oil fields in iraq then yes.
Yeah Tony Blair really helping ordinary workers as he makes millions off iraq oil from korean and kuwaiti firms and this is who campbell who brown brought back has as the secret weapon.
I am so tired of the lie of labour looking out for ordinary workers. It is a lie. It is a lie.
Louise
Saving the banks what about not allowing barclays to do a deal with lehman brothers and having the world economy go off the cliff.
What about sellling gold at record low.
Brown in the middle of the subprime crisis was saying it was the golden era.
Brown deregulated the banks.
Brown wasn't trained in economics. He has zero educational background in economics and wanted Ed balls as chancellor.
UK had worst economic performance of the G20 nations.
The rich/poor gap is at a record under labour and industrial performance is at record low.
Louise Labour borrowed 88 times more in 2009.
Most countries didn't overspend on the banks like UK and UK didn't even put in restrictions for bank bonuses.
Labour has money to give for bank bonuses but not to help out Corus workers in teeside as the company went bankrupt.
Mandelson said no funds for ordinary workers at Corus in Teeside. They kicked ordinary workers to the curb.
But they went overspent on the bankers to allow the bankers to give massive bonuses.
Yeah really helping out the average workers.
Labour sent the world economy off the cliff.
Labour didn't allow lehman/barclays merger.
Lehman brothers was worth 700 billion and had tentacles everywhere.
So Labour was part of lehman fiasco then to make up for it they way overspent to the banks. They hypocritically labour voters say they saved the banks.
Other countries in the EU didn't overspend on the banks like labour.
What about the northern rock fiasco of leaking out the information and the run on the money. But of course they didn't leak it out for RSB.
Brown has zero educational background in economics that is why he wanted ed balls as chancellor.
Brown is stressed out the extreme he doesn't look healthy at all.
Newsflash: This rich/poor gap is likely to go even wider under a non-Labour government.
The bottom-line is, I understand what you're saying, Jason, and there are many more voters out there who think exactly like you, tired and drained by the current government. But think hard about your vote (and I do hope you're exercising your right to vote!) on Thursday -do the policies of any other parties match up? Labour has, by far, the best concrete plans going forward.
Yes it was an extraordinary speech - but it was also completely at odds with almost everything he's done for the last 13 years.
He also bottled the question at the end about children in detention centres, just saying he would "look into it".
Contrast Nick Clegg, who gave a good but not barnstorming speech, who actually agreed with all the proposals put forward by Citizens UK, albeit being cautious on how fast the living wage proposals could be met given the fiscal problems we face.
You wouldn't even know there were any fiscal problems ahead from the enormous list of promises made by Gordon Brown!
Brown was very emotional and effective, but not convincing or meaningful set next to New Labour's record of the last 13 years, unfortunately.
I really hope the Lib Dems and Labour do, between them, manage to see off the threat of a Tory administration, notwithstanding the BBC and Fleet Street's best efforts to imply (and encourage the notion) that the Tory leader already has it in the bag, despite the *detail* they aren't reporting about the latest polls which show that this is far from certain.
I really hope both Lib Dem and Labour supporters get their act together in the small number of relevant marginals to keep the Tories out, and that potential Lib Dem voters aren't put off voting by the endless drip-drip-drip of pro-Conservative propaganda from the newspapers and BBC.
We need reform of all sorts and, frankly, Labour needs to have the Lib Dems looking over their shoulder to make the future look anything like ther decent society that Gordon Brown painted in his speech.
Otherwise his speech meant nothing.
Gordon Brown was brilliant. His speech was real and passionate. He made me believe in him. It's a shame Sky News are trying to dictate the Election outcome by showing Cameron at every opportunity.
Gordon Brown Speech transcript
http://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/8716/gordon_browns_full_speech_to...
Short clip of speech
http://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/8715/gordon_browns_speech_to_lond...
I was at the Citizens UK event earlier today where Cameron, Clegg and Brown respectively spoke. Gordon Brown gave an absolutely brilliant speech, very passionate and definitely got the most applause! He was so good that I can hardly remember Cameron and Clegg being there too! The full videos of the speeches and photos should be uploaded by tomorrow here: http://www.citizensukblog.org/
For a good article that's been written already, see this:
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/domestic_politics/party+l...
Finally, see 1827 and 1917 on the BBC election site (available today only).