Why can’t Gordon “do” sincerity?

The above screen-shot is from the weekend’s Andrew Marr interview and shows the expression on Brown’s face the moment he first started to explain why there was not going to be an election this year.

Just imagine how the political scene would have looked this morning if Brown had taken a different approach and Alastair Darling’s pre-budget report had made no mention of the Tory and Lib Dem taxation ideas?

Just imagine what the reaction would have been if Brown had said on Saturday that “..of course we have been closely looking at the polls and, of course, when we were reported to be 14% ahead the timing of a general election was being closely examined..”

Just imagine if the Darling statement had focused on the need to underpin the NHS and there had been no mention of IHT levels or the taxable status of non-doms?

Things would have looked all so different this morning and the main line of attacks that have been created for the Tories would have been neutered.

For the most biting Cameron rhetoric since Saturday has been on the way Brown tried to dress up his election retreat decision and the contents of Darling’s statement.

At the heart is Gordon’s apparent lack of sincerity when faced with questioning like that from Andrew Marr. People see through it and it is damaging.

When you are being political and making key statements you have to be totally aware of how you appear to the audiences you are trying to reach. Sincerity is key. The question now is whether this is something that Gordon can learn?

Mike Smithson