Brown back on YouTube
By politics.co.uk staff
The prime minister has returned to YouTube, despite comments from John Prescott that he has the “worst bloody smile in the world”.
Launching Labour’s campaign for the local and European elections on the website yesterday, producers had clearly gone out of their way to make Gordon Brown appear statesman-like.
The video shows the prime minister meeting world leaders, and making a short speech on the campaign.
But the video went up as former deputy prime minister Mr Prescott went out on the stump, saying: “I have worked with Gordon Brown for an awfully long time.
“He must have the worst bloody smile in the world, but the man has got the ability and the intellect to get on with the job.”
Asked later about his comments, Mr Prescott added: “Only the British media would make such a big fuss about a bit of street theatre on the campaign trail.
“Gordon, and indeed myself, do not have the best smiles in the world but, as I also said in York, he is the best man for the job, making the big decisions to lead us out of this recession.”
The prime minister’s day did not go much better during an event at a London school.
A variety of photo opportunities took place with Nazi swastikas displayed prominently in the background – part of a ‘life in Nazi Germany’ picture montage mounted by pupils.
Last month, Mr Brown launched his plans for MPs’ expenses on YouTube, in a performance torn apart by satirists for his awkward smile and demeanour.
Local government secretary Hazel Blears wrote in an article for the Observer this weekend: “Promote your message via YouTube if you want to. But it is no substitute for knocking on doors.”
She quickly released a statement saying the piece was not an attack on Mr Brown.
