Harman goes on the offensive and calls Cameron “arrogant” and “petulant” ahead of second debate

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

Ahead of tonight’s debate, Harriet Harman has given a new interview to the New Statesman, out today, in which she speaks of her role in the election campaign so far, and goes on the attack against David Cameron and the Tories.

She says:

“The debates have energised things and the biggest effect of the Cleggmania is that it is causing Cameron to collapse…What is quite evident about the campaign is that somehow the debates have created a sort of leap past all the cynicism of the expenses and the ‘you’re all the same’ attitude. It has jolted things into a different kind of a zone, which is all to the good because the weary cynicism is just absent, full-stop.”

Speaking of the Tory leader and his first performance in the debates, Harman says:

“I’ve never believed the Cameron myth. I’ve sat there opposite him, sitting next to Gordon in Prime Minister’s Questions, and I’ve always thought that he has a sense of being born to rule, entitlement, it’s like ‘my right to be in Downing Street’, which I find quite objectionable – he’s arrogant…[Watching the first debate] I thought it was quite striking. You could see from the expression on David Cameron’s face, his sort of petulance and the fact that it was not going his way. You could almost see the thought bubble coming out: ‘It was not supposed to be like this’.”…He’s had lots of shelter from scrutiny, he’s had lots of unwarranted media support, he’s had pots of money and none of it worked for him because it’s the substance, that’s the point.”

And Harriet insists she does not feel sidelined, after accusations that there have not been enough women leading Labour’s election campaign:

“I’m playing a very active role…I’m out energising the troops. Well, they don’t really need energising. I’m out there mobilising. This is going to be very much an on-the-doorstep, at-the-school-gates campaign. The debates are very important but there is also the person who is on the doorstep, who is on your side and knocking on your door.”

She has also again denied that she is interested in the Labour leadership:

“I’m very clear what my obligation and also the privilege of my role is, and it is to be supporting the leader and to be deputy. I don’t think you should use being deputy as a stepping stone, because it would put your head in the wrong place: your head needs to be completely on what you’re doing. It’s not like a staging post for me.”

Read the full New Statesman interview here.