Has he become distracted by the G20 meeting?

Well here we are – another day of appalling front pages for MPs in the tabloid press as the Jacqui Smith porn issue rumbles on and outline details of expenses for every single MPs are published.

What then will be the overall impact on the outcome of the general election? Will it all be forgotten about in a few days or is this another boost for the opposition – particularly the Tories?

I think we will look back on yesterday and conclude that Brown made a serious mistake in not demanding Jacqui Smith’s immediate resignation. Her porn on the public purse is the story that is resonating and one that will blow up time and time again. It is hard to see how she can function in such a sensitive role as home secretary with this hanging round her neck.

Brown had a chance yesterday morning to close down the issue and appear decisive on the whole expenses explosion. This would have taken out much of the sting and the message would have been that the PM is firm on such matters. If Cameron had been in the same position then I think he would have been brutal, perhaps even over-brutal.

As it is Brown could now appear to be weak and ineffective in dealing with the explosion of stories on MP expenses that we’ll see in the coming days and weeks.

What the mass publication of data does is to create local issue in every single seat up and down the country and we should expect further nasties to emerge. What a gift if you are campaigning to unseat an incumbent in a marginal seat.

Not only can you attack the individual MP for his/her custodianship of public money you can also point ot the weakness of the PM on the matter.

Could it be that Gord has been so focussed on this week’s G20 meeting that his eye has not been on the ball? I think so.