A matter of definition

For someone who normally appears very careful in his choice of words, Gordon Brown’s answer on News at Ten last night that Peter Hain’s current travail was the result of “an incompetency” seemed strange. The Shorter OED defines incompetency as ‘(1) inadaquacy; and (2) the fact or condition of being incompetent; want of the requisite ability, power or qualification; incapacity’. It was not the word incompetent, but the indefinite article in front of it. It begged the question whose incompetency (although there should be no prizes for guessing whose: and the BBC on its Radio 3 news summary at 8.30 this morning left listeners in no doubt, as Brown was reported as having “accused Hain of incompetence”. It is a sorry tale, and compounded by Brown playing the “He’s said he’s sorry” card. The story is not going away, and Brown now finds himself caught between a Rock (more later) and a Hain place.

Let others decide

As a son of the manse, Gordon Brown will know all about Pontius Pilate. His behaviour over Peter Hain has just the teeniest-weeniest bit of the Pilate in it, as he has quite clearly washed his hands of this matter. In Coffee House this morning Matthew d’Ancona says that Peter Hain is “toast”. Will Gordon ride to the rescue? Will he heck!

Not quite Posh ‘n Becks Mk.2

In his Posh ‘n Becks, Mk.2 post this morning, John Naughton links to Marina Hyde’s comment in Guardian Unlimited about the similarities between the Blairs and the Beckhams. Neither, however, noted that it is very unlikely that Tony will be asked to tea at No 10 (unlike David, who was there earlier this week: see Nick Robinson’s report on Gordon’s chat with Beckham).

And two further questions?

First, what exactly did Peter Hain spend over a £100,000 on? Stamps? Helicopters? Lunches for friends? Brown envelopes? Hairdressing? Fake tan? The list is endless (and the truth likely to be just as bizarre). And secondly, if he has to go (and is there any alternative, although staying may give a new meaning to brazening it out), will Harriet Harman and Wendy Alexander be forced to follow suit? (Ben Brogan thought so early this afternoon; although his take on the story this evening was that “barring a bombshell, Mr Hain will carry on while the Parliamentary investigation runs its course. Mr Brown may then take the opportunity of his first reshuffle, after the May elections, to drop him from the Cabinet before the verdict comes in.” Read the whole post).

More Dr Gordon

I have always wondered how I might avoid involuntary involvement in a photo-opportunity if I had the double misfortune to be involved in some newsworthy incident and then visited by a politician not of my choice. In his Notebook in the FT today, John Willman gave me the answer. He was commenting on Gordon Brown’s visit to the Royal Marsden (“all too redolent of Margaret Thatcher’s predeliction for visiting the victims of the disasters that seemed to afflict Britain with great regularity in the 1980s – again with silent spouse in tow”). Apparently, he goes on, “when Mrs Thatcher made a habit of touring the wards, witty leftwingers had little cards printed saying that in the event of an accident or disaster, they did not wish to be visited by the Iron Lady”. Something to tuck into the wallet, along with the Donor Card (and possibly add as a note to my ICE number on the mobile).