The Spin Machines Turn Inwards

The fact that New Labour is in complete disarray and is completely divided could not be better highlighted than by the response to the pension debate.

First in was the Brown camp, totally rubbishing the years of work that went into the Turner Report before anyone outside of Government has had the opportunity to even see it.  In some ways he probably had no choice, because the report totally destroys the credibility of means testing for pensions – which calls into question the judgement of the Chancellor, who has built his own personal credibility in means testing.

The response from the Blair camp was surprisingly more measured – but was a total contrast to the Chancellor nonetheless – suggesting that the report needs time, but the response does seem to be deliberately spun against the Chancellors camp.

What these two responses show is that slowly but surely the Labour Spin machine is turning in on itself – which is what we are also seeing on the education debate and with the nuclear power argument.  It could be argued that whilst Blair and Brown are trying to out-manoeuvre each other they are not lying to Britain, but it is leaving the Country increasingly leaderless and directionless.