There’s a strange fin de siècle air about Labour this weekend: a new
appreciation that the forthcoming election marks either the end of their reign, or – at best – is the start of a different, diluted kind of power. There are still a few signs of
life and struggle, sure. I mean, Gordon Brown’s interview with Jeremy Paxman last night was
fairly proficient by his standards, if typically disingenuous. But, even then, the PM is struggling to move the conversation on from Gillian Duffy. In interview with the Telegraph today, he admits
that he has “paid [a] heavy price” for his gaffe. That line forms the headline of the article.
Even Tony Blair can’t inject much joy into Labour’s campaign. He should have been campaigning for the party two weeks ago, but was delayed by the ash cloud – so now it looks as though he’s returned to sift through the wreckage of his successor’s premiership.

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