"Since the last Populus poll on November 7 to 9, Mr Brown has dropped sharply as the best leader “right now, to deal with Britain's economy in recession”, from 52 to 42 per cent, with a big fall among the middle classes. But he is still ahead of David Cameron, on 36 per cent, up four points. Meanwhile, Mr Cameron is still ahead, by 41 to 33 per cent, as the preferred leader to take Britain forward after the next general election." Much more in The Times here.
PS Coffee House is right. A Tory story (involving a shadow minister) is about to break...
No attempt to soften us up, so I'm hoping it's not bad news.
Is it about Osborne?
GIVE US A CLUE.
Posted by: Martin Coxall | November 27, 2008 at 19:28
Let me guess - Liam Fox is going to take up face painting and circus arts?
Posted by: RichardJ | November 27, 2008 at 19:30
A shadow minister?
God I'm intrigued.
Posted by: Will S | November 27, 2008 at 19:31
Let's just wait and see. I regret writing something now. The rumour mill is going overtime!
Posted by: Tim Montgomerie | November 27, 2008 at 19:34
Refreshing ConHome, PoliticsHome and Telegraph like mad! Anyone else keen to find out the story?
Phillip Hammond threw a ninja dagger at Mandy perhaps? George Osbourne has been standing in for his brother since his suspension?
What can it be? Anyone out there, post your ridiculous suggestions!
Posted by: Craig Matthew Harris | November 27, 2008 at 19:34
Come on Tim. Just a small clue? A sound? A smell? A single letter?
Something. Pleeeeeeeease?
Posted by: Martin Coxall | November 27, 2008 at 19:37
Theresa Villiers 13-8
Andrew Lansley 2-1
Caroline Spelman 3-1
Francis Maude 5-2
William Hague 150-1
David Cameron resigns, saying only Gordon knows how best to take us through this crisis.... 40,000,000,000-1
£1 bet pays back the cost of the PBR measurements!
Posted by: Craig Matthew Harris | November 27, 2008 at 19:42
go on tim! break it! could be big for conhome!
Posted by: zane | November 27, 2008 at 19:44
Look I don't know. I don't even know if it's good or bad for us!!
ALL I KNOW IS THAT SOMETHING IS UP!
Posted by: Tim Montgomerie | November 27, 2008 at 19:45
Hague makes his way for David Davis on his way back ?
Posted by: Gordon Dudgeon | November 27, 2008 at 19:45
Refreshing ConHome and watching the Beeb. Who knows what's up?
Posted by: Will S | November 27, 2008 at 19:52
I can't cope with the suspense
Posted by: Andrew | November 27, 2008 at 20:04
Ken Clarke taking over from George?
Posted by: Patriot | November 27, 2008 at 20:06
Well said Andrew. My "F5" button is broken after 51 minutes of punishment.
Posted by: Craig Matthew Harris | November 27, 2008 at 20:07
Spelman gets binned or Villiers mysteriously sucked into a jet engine at Heathrow- the head of BAA being seen driving away from the scene.
Posted by: Cleethorpes Rock | November 27, 2008 at 20:12
are we getting over-excited?
Iain D is reporting that a senior Tory phoned him to say that something was in the offing
Perhaps it is just building excitement for the 8am press conference
Posted by: Simon | November 27, 2008 at 20:13
I know that they are releasing a new policy on the economy tomorrow morning - hence the meeting with the former chancellors.
They are announcing it at Policy Exchange, I'm told.
I wonder if that is what all the fuss is about?
Posted by: Letters From A Tory | November 27, 2008 at 20:15
I am also curious - so many comments here and none of us are talking about Brown's standing!
Posted by: SuperBlue | November 27, 2008 at 20:15
What is the virtue of holding the story and then breaking it at a said time? I thought the Tories didn't spin and use the news cycle in the same way as Campbell's operation? If something is afoot and it's going to be made public then bloody well get on with it.
Posted by: jamie | November 27, 2008 at 20:16
Perhaps Ken is joining the team as Shadow Secretary of State in charge of Winding up Gordon Brown
Posted by: Simon | November 27, 2008 at 20:18
I bet its osborne -- he has won the euro lottery and has offered to pay off the national debt if the tories win the next election.. maybe.
Posted by: pp | November 27, 2008 at 20:19
What time will the story be released then, whatever it is?
Posted by: SuperBlue | November 27, 2008 at 20:20
pp - Was the euro lottery on it's 47th consecutive rollover? Not even sure that would be enough.
Posted by: Craig Matthew Harris | November 27, 2008 at 20:21
Forgot to mention that it sounds like a really good policy. Didn't see it coming, but it could well make a big difference.
Posted by: Letters From A Tory | November 27, 2008 at 20:24
Incidentally the Times story is obviously bad news for Brown (down ten per cent) but it's not exactly full of great news for Cameron and co.
Just a few bits...
"fewer than a FIFTH believe the measures will make things worse in the short term"
"But he is still ahead of David Cameron..."
"the public remains confused about the economic situation: unsure about why the economy has deteriorated so quickly" - i.e. Tory message of Brown to blame not sticking
"Voters generally back the decision to introduce a new 45 per cent top rate of income tax for those earning more than £150,000 a year. However, there are contradictory views. Two thirds say “it is fair and right for the richest people in Britain to pay more of the cost of measures to avoid the recession"
"Voters are split, 44 to 50 per cent, on the statement that “rather than raise taxes on high earners, it would be better to cut back the growth of public spending even more"
Posted by: jamie | November 27, 2008 at 20:24
Somebody crossing the floor????
Posted by: anonanon | November 27, 2008 at 20:27
Damian Green arrested under OSA.... lobby taking place at Commons now.
Posted by: lobby hack | November 27, 2008 at 20:29
incidently - Nu_Lab is definitely back in the game on 35%
Posted by: Mapa | November 27, 2008 at 20:30
Cameron is going to pledge to hold a Referendum on EU MEMBERSHIP and an English Parliament, thus GUARANTEEING the biggest landslide win in history for the Conservatives?.
Posted by: steve | November 27, 2008 at 20:30
I'd have put it on Dale but he doesn't allow anon comments any more!
Posted by: hack | November 27, 2008 at 20:31
Think you could be right anonanon. Field or Hoey?
Posted by: Mike | November 27, 2008 at 20:31
Eric Pickles to start a supermarket.
Pick Pickle's Pickles!!
Posted by: Ulster Tory | November 27, 2008 at 20:32
Dail is mentioning Police now...
Posted by: Ulster Tory | November 27, 2008 at 20:34
Paul Waugh has something...
http://waugh.standard.co.uk/2008/11/is-the-treasury.html
Posted by: Simon | November 27, 2008 at 20:34
mail on the story..
Wasn't a senior Tory recently spotted meeting a Treasury source in St James' Park?
Posted by: Mapa | November 27, 2008 at 20:36
Have Lord Mandy and Bliars puppet master Alistair Campbell have stirred something else up???
Posted by: steve | November 27, 2008 at 20:37
jeez, if waugh is right...
good/bad for us?
Posted by: jonathan | November 27, 2008 at 20:42
Sky confirming Damian Green story - arrested but not charged - OSA confirmed
Posted by: anonanon | November 27, 2008 at 20:42
The times thing is good.
That Brown/darling are ahead to deal with the situation 'right now' is not that bad -- brown and darling are fully up to speed (even if heading in the wrong direction), there could be a concern that in the time it would take to change drivers (to cameron/osborne) we could have left the road and be in a ditch.
I am not saying I support this view, but I can see it as a reason not to ditch the nutters immediately.
Posted by: pp | November 27, 2008 at 20:43
I don't think this is a fatal story
It is certainly not good
But if it is connected to a mole, the person in the Treasury doing the leaking is the one who is more culpable
Posted by: Simon | November 27, 2008 at 20:45
Those of you still watching this page for the shadow minister story... New page now on frontpage
Posted by: Craig Matthew Harris | November 27, 2008 at 20:45
BBC now carrying the story
saying it is linked to the Home Office...
Posted by: Simon | November 27, 2008 at 20:46
So now our elected members of parliament can be arrested for receiving Govt information. What a terrible state we are in.
Journalists get leaked information from the Govt spin merchants every day.
Posted by: HF | November 27, 2008 at 20:51
a question of honour & integrity, if it was a conservative government we would expect all the same
ps remember spycatcher
Posted by: Mapa | November 27, 2008 at 20:55
If it is a treasury leak/mole -- it would be a bit rich, given that robinson and peston got briefings several days before the PBR was published. (detailed enough for robinson to say that the VAT rise /had/ been dropped from the final version.)
Posted by: pp | November 27, 2008 at 20:56
I'm sure that some lefty PC had great fun reading him his rights, but if everyone who was sent a leaked document was nicked then there wouldn't be a single journalist or editor left to publish a paper tomorrow morning.
Sounds like a witchhunt to me and I smell PM and AC's fingers on this. If being sent leaked info was a crime then Guido would be doing 25-to-life at Her Majesty's Pleasure by now.
Stage-managed Labour nonsense.
Posted by: Geoff | November 27, 2008 at 21:10
Well, if the leak is as serious as all that, then shouldn't the public have a right to know in any case?
After all, doesn't Local Government have a whistleblowing clause? Or was it one of the NuLab press trusties in a fit of pique wot shooped him?
Posted by: Sam R | November 27, 2008 at 21:43
Public are not stupid.
Q: Who is best placed to deal with the current financial crisis?
A: The Governemnt of course. What can the opposition do? They are not in power.
Logically, the number for Brown/Darling ought to be 100%.
I would respectfully suggest to our polling chums that they ask the question as follows:
Q: Ignoring the fact that the Labour party is currently in power, who would you prefer to see in charge to see us through these difficult times?
Posted by: John Moss | November 27, 2008 at 21:55
If this is the best Labour can do, then you can tell they are rattled and desperate to do anything to cling to power
Posted by: Adrian | November 27, 2008 at 21:55
Labour are certainly getting desperate, that was becoming clearer even before the Damian Green thing.
Posted by: Matt Wright | November 27, 2008 at 22:25
Damian Green arrested under OSA.... lobby taking place at Commons now.
Posted by: lobby hack | November 27, 2008 at 20:29
Please all note that the news was broken early bu lobby hack and got ignored. Hat tip lobby hack!
Posted by: Eveleigh Moore-Dutton | November 28, 2008 at 08:32
Strange, isn't it, that suddenly there is a 'Mandelson smell' permeating through all that is good, Perhaps it's just a coincidence... Bye the way is Cleethorpes Rock from there? it's just that I used to live there. nice to get in touch
Posted by: ursula thompson | November 28, 2008 at 17:12
Strange, isn't it, that suddenly there is a 'Mandelson smell' permeating through all that is good, Perhaps it's just a coincidence... Bye the way is Cleethorpes Rock from there? it's just that I used to live there. nice to get in touch I think Labour is very powerful and scary now. Even the decent Labour MP's really don't know how lethal their masters can be.
Posted by: ursula thompson | November 28, 2008 at 17:20