Watching Labour Leader and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown over the past week or so has left me wondering whether he was getting a grip at last and deserves a better press. His prompt visit to Cumbria after the deluge was timely and considered. If there was any sniping from the right-wing press, it left no impression. Then there was news of just how many world leaders are going to the climate change summit in Copenhagen. Who was the first to declare many months ago? Wasn't it our very own GB? That was topped by news of a new fund to help developing countries play catch-up with green technology proposed by Brown and backed by French President Nicholas Sarkozy. To cap that Sarkozy turns up in Trinidad at a Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting at the weekend to consolidate support for the plan. (How's that for trumping the supposed new Franco-German entente?) The diplomatic effort in the background to get that far (boosting the prospects of a successor treaty to Kyoto) is huge, and must have involved clear, decisive leadership.
Then there is Afghanistan. This is another of the messes Brown inherited from his predecessor, Tony Blair. Over the weekend our GB set out clear conditions for Britain's continued presence there. Today we are told, our GB has decided to announce a modest increase in British troop deployment ahead of US President Obama's expected statement tomorrow. The British numbers are tiny. But the political significance? In the context of the Chilcot Inquiry 'revelations', what are we witnessing? Could it be a discreet reminder that unlike Blair "I'm no US poodle...". Don't forget our GB has engineered a successful withdrawal from Iraq, without too much egg on the military's face.
All I can say is keep it up, Gordon. Just remember, to win back the core vote before May (or whenever) you are going to have to demonstrate a real grip on the domestic agenda and enable your supporters to win the hearts and minds of the electorate.