Brown with Piers Morgan: the verdict

Alex Smith

Brown Piers MorganBy Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

Gordon Brown’s interview with Piers Morgan tonight was hyped and hyped and hyped again. Piers Morgan announced at the beginning of the show that the PM was “about to face the biggest challenge of his career”. I presume he meant the general election, not the interview.

So, how did Brown do?

Throughout, he looked more comfortable than I feared he might. He was real, honest and genuine. Starting the show with some quickfire answers was a little unedifying, but when Brown responded to the news that a female audience member’s single word to describe the PM was “delectable”, and the PM responded with “can you intrdoduce me to her?”, it was genuinely amusing, and I sensed then that everything was going to be OK.

Brown dismissing Jeremy Clarkson as someone “I’m not going to get worked up about” got a healthy round of applause.

He laughed — frequently, genuinely and comfortably — and he switched easily between serious and witty.

When he talked about first meeting Sarah, he turned almost sweetly dewy eyed, and blushed.

There were some occasions when he remembered he was a politician, and shifted back into long and less interesting answers, gesticulating in that awkward way, but for the most part he avoided that.

And the snippets from Sarah Brown, about the private Gordon, were real highlights.

Politically, the discussion about Brown’s relationship with Tony Blair was most interesting. Fittingly, clips of Blair showed the former PM refering to Brown as “at his best when he’s his most authentic.”

Brown said he got over his anger towards Blair’s rise quickly, and that it had been Blair’s decision as to when he would move on. History might show otherwise, and Brown’s interjection that “I’m not realy interested in touring the world, or whatever” at the end of his tenure at Number 10 was surely a subtle dig at Blair, conscious or not.

One odd moment was when Brown said he as Prime Minister has received state gifts of whole pigs from “countries in the middle east”. I’d be interested to see whether that was a “mis-speak”.

In total, whether you think this was a calculated election stunt, or an honest attempt to open up to the public, it was good — and it as healthy — to see the real, human side to the Prime Minister, especially one for whom that is such a rare outing.

Here’s some response from Twitter:

@JagSingh: Oh crap, Gordon Brown’s coming across really well. Human. Normal. I might actually want to have a drink with him.

@TaliaAkhtar: Gordon Brown is a thoroughly nice man frankly.

@TinaRoseGriffin Gordon Brown is actually quite funny. I don’t think he’s been given a fair chance. He’s a good bloke.

@KateGroucutt: Well #PMwithPM is certainly funny, if a little strange. Loud studio laughs make it seem a bit sitcom-like.

@Daid_Singleton: Gordon doing suprisingly good, almost loolks like he’s enjoying himself. Just make the audience laughter stop.

@robram: I don’t care what people think, Gordon Brown is so much more genuine than ‘Dave’ Cameron

@isobelbowler: I don’t love him but he’s winning me round.

@KrishGM: whatever u think about decision to do it there’s no doubt the words themselves are authentic, and quite moving #pmwithpm.

@RobMaccer: Gordon Brown is human – interesting interview on ITV1. Nice to see the softer side of the PM.

@KateHolderness: I love Gordon Brown. I don’t know as much as I should about politics but I get good vibes from him. He’s a good Dad for the UK.

@ralasdair: Is real reason Tories pissed off at this interview cause Gordons life story talks to normal people much more than Cameron’s?!

@LawrieMK: Brown is a man who is in politics for a reason. Very moving interview. A man of conviction and a real fighter. #PMwithPM.

@eddyanderson: #pmwithpm ‘Not flash, just Gordon’




More from LabourList

DONATE HERE

We provide our content free, but providing daily Labour news, comment and analysis costs money. Small monthly donations from readers like you keep us going. To those already donating: thank you.

If you can afford it, can you join our supporters giving £10 a month?

And if you’re not already reading the best daily round-up of Labour news, analysis and comment…

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY EMAIL