Peter Hoskin

Unkind comparisons

Oh dear. It looks as though Brown’s speechwriters have got it wrong, wrong, wrong for his address on social mobility today. Rather than setting out what policy wonks call a “progressive vision”, it dwells all too acrimoniously on Margaret Thatcher, and tries to lay the blame for poor social mobility at her feet. As I see it, there are three immediate problems with this approach:

1) This is the same Margaret Thatcher that Brown stood with on the steps of No.10 last year. He seemed happy enough to be seen with her then – so why the harsh treatment now? It’s nothing more than hypocrisy – and unkindness – on a grand scale. And I doubt the public will be forgiving of our current Prime Minister. Particularly given that they seem to remember the Iron Lady with some

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