The battle of ideas - presentation and triangulation

It is often written that Gordon Brown likes to set out his policies and announcements in an attempt to place his opponents in the most difficult position – making announcements or policies that on the face of it appear to be unobjectionable or obviously sensible; ‘triangulation’ is the shorthand often used to describe this political tool.

In opposition, when you have no power or, it has to be said, actual responsibility, the use of this tool to wrong-foot your opponents is something that everyone can understand – and it has to be said that George Osborne appears to be able to use the same sort of tactic with some skill.

In Government, when you have both power and responsibility, the tool can still, history suggests, be used; although its benefits rapidly fall away as people examine in detail what is actually happening as a result of policy and announcement. This examination increases as the economy starts to fail or policy failure comes to the fore; in essence, the utility of the tool of triangulation decreases as things get worse.

And that, essentially, is what Gordon Brown, Peter Mandelson et al appear to misunderstand. Whether it is because their use of the tool has become so entrenched that its abandonment would leave them feeling naked in the battle of ideas or whether it is simply that they have become so isolated from the thoughts and ideas of people outside the Westminster village or even the Downing Street bunker, the continuation of the presentation of policy and statements in a manner that is deliberately partisan and obviously intended to wrong-foot the opposition at a time when people want serious politicians to act and talk seriously about the problems facing them, appears almost childish in its approach.

All the other parties should also appear careful in this battle of presentation. We must never forget that in these difficult times, economically and politically, we need to be expressing ideas and policies in a manner that reflects as closely as possible the real concerns of voters around the UK, rather than in the manner that presents the Government and its ideas in the worst possible light.