The Sun today splashes on the A-M-A-Z-I-N-G news that Nick Clegg’s campaign strategists have been advising him on how to perform to the best of his abilities in the televised leaders’ debates:
The dossier – bizarrely titled I’m Not Here Right Now – was left in the back of a cab on Thursday at about 10.30pm, soon after the end of the first election debate. … The dossier was written by John Sharkey, chairman of the Lib Dem election campaign team and Mr Clegg’s strategic communications adviser. It includes blistering criticism of Mr Clegg’s performance in rehearsals for last week’s first debate – after which the Lib Dems soared in the polls. … his debating style is heavily criticised throughout the dossier.
The Lib Dem leader is told – again in capitals for emphasis – that he needs “more passion/conviction,” to “speak more slowly” and that he is being “too repetitive.” Mr Sharkey also urges him to “look more relaxed” and to use “shorter, simpler answers”. He is also told to stop rambling – “Answer first… not discursive tour.”
Here are three reasons I’m relaxed about this mistake and The Sun’s decision to make such a meal of it:
1. It keeps the focus on Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems: if there’s one thing worse than being attacked it’s being ignored. The tabloid press are very successfully doing the Lib Dems’ job for us: reminding people that we exist, that there is a viable alternative to the same old politics as usual.
2. Thank God Nick’s not surrounded by yes-men: John Sharkey’s words are brutally honest about Nick’s performance in his debate prep. Good. The last thing I want is for Nick to be surrounded by advisors parroting how fab he is. I wonder if Messrs Cameron and Brown’s top teams would be prepared to tell their boss what he didn’t want to hear?
3. The party’s reaction has been under-statedly spot-on: There’s been no attempt to bluster our way out of it, pretend it’s not a gaffe. The politely measured response quoted in The Sun: “It is private property and we’d like it back, please.” Even better, though, was Nick’s cheerful dismissal at this morning’s press conference:
I’m glad to see my top team preparing for government by developing a habit of leaving secret dossiers in the back of cabs. Look, I’ve always been advised just to be myself in the TV debates and that’s exactly what I was and what I will continue to be.”
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Judy Abel
nigel hunter
2 Comments
The first debate is just the beginning. I believe by the end of the second debate those still talking of a hung parliament will realise that we are heading for a historic landslide victory by the Lib Dems. And it will all be due to the simple fact that Nick Clegg is more sincere in his answers than Brown and Cameron. Whilst the Tories took victory for granted and did nothing to prepare for government, from a position of relative hopelessness, Nick Clegg showed in the last debate that his party took time to research and understand the countries problems, identified viable solutions to them and prepared for government in great detail.
“He is also told to stop rambling – “Answer first… not discursive tour.””
This is the one bit I really thought was true, and maybe the repetition. Rest I thought suffered from being a bit too picky – he was plenty passionate and relaxed. I hope he’s not being stressed out by all the inevitable advice, as Cameron clearly was last week.
I continue to be amused by the way sheets of A4 lined paper are elevated to the status of “dossiers” when they are leaked to or discovered by the press.