Stop flattering Nick Clegg, Gordon

Looking at this morning's polls , Gordon Brown could be forgiven for concluding privately that he has little prospect of remaining prime minister. Harder to understand is why he and his senior colleagues seem ready to let their defeatism show so publicly. Labour hasn't faced such dreadful pre-election poll numbers since 1983. But even then Michael Foot went about the country doing his best to look confident, never conceding that he couldn't win. As I have argued in a previous Cif comment, the overlap between Labour and Lib Dem policy is broad and obvious. Nick Clegg and most of his supporters have got the message that Brown would happily work with him in government. Brown had no need to " wish him well ", as he did today. Even more extraordinary was Lord Mandelson's observation that Clegg appeals "to a lot of people who feel Labour has had a good innings, that it's time for someone else's turn". Only if Brown looks like he believes he can win will he be able to communicate a compelling argument for why people should vote Labour. Part of that argument, certainly, is that without Labour in government the electoral system won't be changed. But the current flirtation with the Lib Dems is in danger of obscuring the much more potent pitch on the economy. Gordon "I agree with Nick" Brown needs to take a tactical lesson from his new best friend. Stick relentlessly to your own agenda and your party's offer to the voters, and refuse to be drawn into discussions of post-election deals. I never thought I would say this, but he could learn a thing or two from Michael Foot as well. In 1983 the party had what at the time seemed like an uninspiring slogan: Think Positive, Act Positive, Vote Labour. Brown should stick to a relentlessly positive script. If he can maximise the Labour vote, there may soon come a time for cosying up to Nick. For now he must concentrate on getting as many Labour bums on those green benches after 6 May as possible. Talking up the virtues of your opponents is a funny way of going about it.