I SPOKE TOO SOON

I don't normally post more than once a day but the continuingly prolific Gordon has sent me another e-mail, and I'm depressed again.

Dear Dave, it begins, and perhaps it would have been best for all of us if it had ended there -

I wanted to take the time to thank all those party members who helped secure a great win for Lindsay Roy in the Glenrothes by-election. Don't waste your valuable Prime Ministerial time writing to me then mate, I did sod all.

In particular I would like to pay tribute to Gordon Banks and John Park, Jim Murphy and Iain Gray for their energy and commitment. Lindsay was an excellent candidate and will make a great MP. It fills me with great pride that the former Head Master from my old school in Kirkcaldy will join us in the House of Commons.

Okay, nothing to bother me there. Quite touching, in a small way.

What this victory shows is that people want politicians who will help them fairly through the downturn, and that they will always turn away from those politicians who choose to play politics rather than offer solutions which protect people through this downturn.

Aaaaaarrrgggh! He's done it again. You had to bloody well go and spoil it.

Labour won Glenrothes to some extent by playing politics, and playing it well. They attacked the SNP where they were weak, even though many of the problems the SNP faced as the ruling party were not their fault. DON'T YOU SEE that merely by saying people turn away from politicians who choose to play politics, you are playing politics. I know this is supposed to be no time for a novice, but you should watch Obama's acceptance speech and learn how to show your opponents a bit of humility in victory.

That is why I am going to Brussels today to meet with other world leaders - subtext: Cameron and Salmond are not world leaders, I am, that's so childish - about the action we can take together to give British families and businesses the support and security they need to protect their mortgages, job and standards of living. It's that mantra again.

In the meantime please join me in thanking all of those who helped secure Lindsay's win.

Yours sincerely,

Gordon Brown