Be Gordon, not Hillary

[T_i_B]

I'm sure you lot all know about Frank Luntz. Here he is telling Britain's next PM what to say.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2083378,00.html

Gordon Brown has got it all wrong. First, he delivered his years-in-the-making speech from autocues rather than his head and heart. Then he declared that he will "listen and learn" about people's concerns from a nation that wants him to "lead and do". And now a spot-check of the party website finds the disappearance of the word "new" from New Labour. He has apparently forgotten the first rule of politics: you are what you are.

His declaration speech and his desire to "meet people" and "discuss" all their problems sounded a lot like Hillary Clinton's listening tours and her presidential campaign declaration that she wanted to have a "national conversation" with America. He doesn't need more warmed-over American-oriented soundbites crafted by American spin doctors. What he desperately needs is to be - surprise - Gordon Brown.

In that missed opportunity of his official announcement speech, Brown correctly declared that he "never believed presentation should be a substitute for policy". But in this era of personality politics, a more personal presentation will help explain personal policies. It's not enough to say it. Now he needs to prove it. Gordon Brown needs to become Gordon Brown.