"The public do seem to have switched off. Not necessarily from the government as a whole but they don't seem to be engaging with Gordon."
"The public do seem to have switched off. Not necessarily from the government as a whole but they don't seem to be engaging with Gordon."
Mr Brown has promised help for families hit by rising prices
Mr Brown has promised help for families hit by rising prices
He may not be one of nature's Brownites - in fact he recently added his voice to calls for the prime minister to quit - but former spin doctor Lance Price has a knack of putting into words what Downing Street must be fearing the most at the moment.
He may not be one of nature's Brownites - in fact he recently added his voice to calls for the prime minister to quit - but former spin doctor Lance Price has a knack of putting into words what Downing Street must be fearing the most at the moment.
Mr Brown is getting ready to stake his political future on a package of economic measures aimed at helping families through the credit crunch.
Mr Brown is getting ready to stake his political future on a package of economic measures aimed at helping families through the credit crunch.
All manner of goodies have been hinted at - from a stamp duty holiday to one-off windfall payments to help with winter fuel bills.
All manner of goodies have been hinted at - from a stamp duty holiday to one-off windfall payments to help with winter fuel bills.
The idea is to show voters Labour is "on its side" - that it is looking out for "ordinary people" - and hopefully provide some relief from some of its worst poll ratings in history.
The idea is to show voters Labour is "on its side" - that it is looking out for "ordinary people" - and hopefully provide some relief from some of its worst poll ratings in history.
Mr Brown's future as prime minister may rest on the reaction it gets.
Mr Brown's future as prime minister may rest on the reaction it gets.
But the fear for the government is that the public will fail to give Mr Brown any credit for his largesse - or simply shrugs its shoulders and change the channel.
But the fear for the government is that the public will fail to give Mr Brown any credit for his largesse - or simply shrugs its shoulders and change the channel.
"Even when he does something that should be ostensibly popular, no one is listening," says the former Downing Street man.
"Even when he does something that should be ostensibly popular, no one is listening," says the former Downing Street man.
"That is a very dangerous position for the government to be in."
"That is a very dangerous position for the government to be in."
'Dreadful area'
'Dreadful area'
Some Conservatives see parallels between Mr Brown's problems and their own party's predicament in the mid-1990s.
Some Conservatives see parallels between Mr Brown's problems and their own party's predicament in the mid-1990s.
"They're entering that dreadful kind of area where almost everything they say and do is automatically rejected," shadow local government secretary Eric Pickles told The Financial Times.
"They're entering that dreadful kind of area where almost everything they say and do is automatically rejected," shadow local government secretary Eric Pickles told The Financial Times.
"I am not saying they're entirely there but they are beginning to sink without a sign of the bottom."
"I am not saying they're entirely there but they are beginning to sink without a sign of the bottom."
I am not suggesting he should break down in tears on the BBC but he has to do something Lance Price
I am not suggesting he should break down in tears on the BBC but he has to do something Lance Price
Is there anything Mr Brown could do or say to reconnect with voters?
Is there anything Mr Brown could do or say to reconnect with voters?
The only option, according to Lance Price, would be to "do something dramatic" - perhaps even stage his own Hillary Clinton moment.
The only option, according to Lance Price, would be to "do something dramatic" - perhaps even stage his own Hillary Clinton moment.
When the Democratic hopeful shed tears on live television, she briefly shook off her "cold and calculating" image, argues the former spin doctor, and got people listening to her again.
When the Democratic hopeful shed tears on live television, she briefly shook off her "cold and calculating" image, argues the former spin doctor, and got people listening to her again.
"I am not suggesting he should break down in tears on the BBC but he has to do something. Simply coming up with some good ideas for a speech is not going to be enough," adds Mr Price.
"I am not suggesting he should break down in tears on the BBC but he has to do something. Simply coming up with some good ideas for a speech is not going to be enough," adds Mr Price.
'Hubris'
'Hubris'
Conservative peer Lord Bell - whose spinning skills helped propel Margaret Thatcher to three election victories - says Mr Brown should stop repeating the mantra that global factors are to blame for Britain's economic woes.
Conservative peer Lord Bell - whose spinning skills helped propel Margaret Thatcher to three election victories - says Mr Brown should stop repeating the mantra that global factors are to blame for Britain's economic woes.
"He could make a serious leadership speech about what people should expect over the next two or three years in terms of the economy, prices and their mortgage payments.
"He could make a serious leadership speech about what people should expect over the next two or three years in terms of the economy, prices and their mortgage payments.
"He could be honest and straightforward and say things that actually resonate with ordinary people's experience."
"He could be honest and straightforward and say things that actually resonate with ordinary people's experience."
He can turn it round - but that is not the same thing as saying he will turn it round Lord Hattersley
He can turn it round - but that is not the same thing as saying he will turn it round Lord Hattersley
But the prime minister is unlikely to do any of these things because he appears incapable of admitting where the government has gone wrong - even to himself, argues Lord Bell.
But the prime minister is unlikely to do any of these things because he appears incapable of admitting where the government has gone wrong - even to himself, argues Lord Bell.
"He doesn't recognise that he has made any mistakes whatsoever. Hubris is the end of all political careers and he has got it in spades."
"He doesn't recognise that he has made any mistakes whatsoever. Hubris is the end of all political careers and he has got it in spades."
Labour's former deputy leader, Lord Hattersley, not surprisingly, takes a less gloomy view.
Labour's former deputy leader, Lord Hattersley, not surprisingly, takes a less gloomy view.
"He can turn it round. But that is not the same thing as saying he will turn it round.
"He can turn it round. But that is not the same thing as saying he will turn it round.
"If he does what needs to be done, I won't say it will be easily turn round, but he can do it.
"If he does what needs to be done, I won't say it will be easily turn round, but he can do it.
"But it is no longer possible to say as long as we govern well we will get our just desserts."
"But it is no longer possible to say as long as we govern well we will get our just desserts."
'Ideological speech'
'Ideological speech'
The key, argues the Labour peer, is for Mr Brown to shake off the mantle of his predecessor, Tony Blair, and rediscover the "special sort of fire" he had when he was shadow chancellor, when he was a "brilliant communicator".
The key, argues the Labour peer, is for Mr Brown to shake off the mantle of his predecessor, Tony Blair, and rediscover the "special sort of fire" he had when he was shadow chancellor, when he was a "brilliant communicator".
He needs to "re-establish Labour as a party of principle and a party of ideas and not worry about alienating people who don't share them."
He needs to "re-establish Labour as a party of principle and a party of ideas and not worry about alienating people who don't share them."
And he urged Mr Brown to ditch the carefully calibrated approach of previous years and make an "ideological speech" at next month's Labour Party conference.
And he urged Mr Brown to ditch the carefully calibrated approach of previous years and make an "ideological speech" at next month's Labour Party conference.
Otherwise, the media would continue to interpret everything he does as "a way to win back votes".
Otherwise, the media would continue to interpret everything he does as "a way to win back votes".
Lord Hattersley stressed that he was not advocating a return to Old Labour values, but that Mr Brown had to rediscover the moral conviction he showed in his early weeks at Number 10.
Lord Hattersley stressed that he was not advocating a return to Old Labour values, but that Mr Brown had to rediscover the moral conviction he showed in his early weeks at Number 10.
He conceded that voters were not really listening to what Mr Brown had to say - but they were not listening to the Tories either, he argued.
He conceded that voters were not really listening to what Mr Brown had to say - but they were not listening to the Tories either, he argued.
"One of the reasons that it can be turned around is that very few people are voting for the Conservatives because they like what the Tory party has to say."
"One of the reasons that it can be turned around is that very few people are voting for the Conservatives because they like what the Tory party has to say."
Nevertheless, Mr Brown probably had "until Christmas" to turn things round and improve Labour's standing in the polls before pressure on him to go becomes intolerable.
Nevertheless, Mr Brown probably had "until Christmas" to turn things round and improve Labour's standing in the polls before pressure on him to go becomes intolerable.
Not, he added, that Mr Brown would ever be likely to resign.
Not, he added, that Mr Brown would ever be likely to resign.
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Here is a selection of your comments:
I think the switched off comment in respect of central government is spot-on. The solution I believe is massive decentralisation of power away from Westminster and into the Local Communities, giving rise to regional variations in services, tax, laws, planning, education, helthcare, etc. When people have power over their own lives and communities, then they will start to engage again. In the meantime it's all just soundbytes. The day of the House of Commons is done!Michael Harding, Penshurst
The problem with Mr Brown is that he comes over as arrogant and concerned more for his own political career than for the man in the street - a description of your average politician, in fact. Does anyone truly believe what any of them says or do we take all utterances with a handful of salt to counteract the spin? The biggest problem is that the poor will suffer most in the next few years and no-one in government will care enough to do anything about it. The country is in a big financial mess and it'll be a case of every (rich) man for himself while everyone on a low-income is left to suffer the consequences.Sandy B, Charleville France
Brown wanted his time in the spotlight and that's all he cares about. In the old west of the USA he would have been tarred and feathered and run out of town. He should do the right thing and call a general election.Alexandra Wolf, Fort Worth USA
Mr B needs to understand people earning around the higher tax threashold are hurting, and it's painful to watch hard earned money given away to groups who are not prepared to pull their own weight too.Ian Cooper, Bromsgrove Worcestershire
"Mr Brown is getting ready to stake his political future on a package of economic measures aimed at helping families through the credit crunch."The best way GB can "help" families through the crunch is to reduce taxes significantly for EVERYONE, not redustribute more of our money to the weeks "hot group"."The idea is to show voters Labour is "on its side" - that it is looking out for "ordinary people..."Yeah, the "looking out for "ordinary people"" should read "spying on ordinary people...incredibly badly with lots of information lost"."The key, argues the Labour peer, is for Mr Brown to shake off the mantle of his predecessor, Tony Blair, and rediscover the "special sort of fire" he had when he was shadow chancellor, when he was a "brilliant communicator"."You mean evasive control freak who has ruined nearly every government department he and his yes men have got involved in? His "economic success" people continue to wrongly highlight is entirely due to the natural economic cycle which was fed and cultivated under but not enjoyed by the previous Tory government."One of the reasons that it can be turned around is that very few people are voting for the Conservatives because they like what the Tory party has to say."On that, Lord Hattersley, we can agree on; there are other options to the NuLabour/Bory hegemony and I for one am enjoying being part of one such group: LPUK.Thomas Howell, Leeds
I don't think bribery will work, as the money involved has to be taken off people before being given back to them, a fact oft forgotten by desperate politicians.Andy Breeze, Bristol
If Gordon brown wants to be Prime Minister then let the people decide rather than have him forced upon us. He is only as good as the cabinet, who I'm afraid don't trust and do not like.GB is a poor leader, he should have had a clear out at the start, he never tried once to clean the slate with the previous problems.Will there, won't there be an election? Well, I doubt if this was GBs doing... sounds like a Ed Balls or David Miliband concoction to me.Gordon if you do listen let the people decide if they want you as PM not the Labour Party, weak or strong leader there can then be no arguments.David Smith, Leigh, Lancs
