Embattled Brown defiant as the Sun sets on Labour
Only 'losers' buy tabloid, says his chief supporter
Thursday October 01 2009
Labour ministers and activists rallied round Gordon Brown last night after he lost the support of UK tabloid the 'Sun'.
The party was on message to give a clear signal of defiance with deputy leader Harriet Harman telling the newspaper: "We won't be bullied."
And union leader Tony Woodley won cheers from delegates at the party's Brighton conference in south-east England by angrily tearing up a copy of the 'Sun' onstage.
Yet there was no disguising the fact that the tabloid's switch to the Conservatives -- announced yesterday under the headline "Labour's lost it" -- cast a shadow over the fourth day of the gathering, where ministers followed up Tuesday's fightback manifesto from Mr Brown with fresh policies of their own to win back voters ahead of the general election.
Health Secretary Andy Burnham announced plans to abolish car-parking charges for hospital in-patients and their visitors, while Children's Secretary Ed Balls promised an inquiry into racism in the education system which unions said could lead to a ban on the BNP in schools.
And Ms Harman issued a call to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to "terminate" a California-based website which advertises the services of prostitutes in the UK and allows men to rate them.
In a series of sometimes tetchy TV interviews yesterday morning, Mr Brown sought to downplay the impact of losing the 'Sun's' backing, 12 years after Tony Blair wooed it into supporting Labour.
Mr Brown insisted voters would be attracted by the raft of new policies he unveiled on Tuesday, including free home care for the elderly, and a maximum one-week wait for cancer tests. "It's the British people that decide the election, it's the British people's views that I am interested in," said Mr Brown. "I think 'Sun' readers actually, when they look at what I say, they will agree with what I said."
Mr Brown's lieutenant in the UK Cabinet, Peter Mandelson, revealed he was informed of the paper's defection by News International bosses, including chief executive Rebekah Brooks, at a reception hosted by the publisher in Brighton last night and told them they were being "a bunch of chumps".
Unite
"I don't think the readers want the 'Sun' to set on New Labour," said Mr Mandelson. "The last thing 'Sun' readers want is to see their newspaper turned into a Tory fanzine."
He later risked inflaming the row further by telling an event on the fringe of the conference that "losers" were choosing the 'Sun'. Asked whether the newspaper was merely attaching itself to winners, he drew gasps and laughter from his audience by replying: "I think that just as they may think they are picking winners, I think probably the losers are picking them."
Mr Woodley, joint chief executive of union Unite, reflected the anger of many Labour delegates as he tore up a copy of the paper and urged the rest of the country to do the same.
"We don't need an Australian-American coming to our country with a paper that has never supported any progressive policies from our party, including the minimum wage, telling us how politics should be run in this country," he said.
And Ms Harman began her keynote conference speech with a message to delegates not to be disheartened: "We are all angry about the 'Sun' this morning but I say to you: don't get bitter, get better. Don't get outraged, get out there. Don't get mad, get mobilised.
"Yes, we may be the underdog but we will not be bullied. This underdog is biting back." Labour's former communications supremo Alastair Campbell suggested the move could even be good for Labour, writing on his blog: "It should actually help the feeling of fighting back that has finally been around this week."
- Andrew Woodcock in London
Irish Independent
