Third Term Fatigue

Governments are like football managers after a successful period they get a bit complacent start cutting the odd corner. They listen less, become more conscious of headlines, and start believing their own propaganda. Brown is deeply in the third-term blues and with little idea how to get out of it. He is not helped by some abject performances by certain Ministers, Alistair Darling and Ed Balls in particular. Ed Balls short-tempered description of the teachers' perfectly legitimate strike last week could have been lifted from any Tory Minister from the 80s.
The PM also seems to have given up any pretence of courtesy towards Parliament too - like the the Premiership Manager who suffers mild criticism and petulantly refuses talk to the media. It was certainly unusual that he gave no statement to Parliament after the recent NATO summit in Romania. However PMs do have to answer Parliamentary Questions but they can be less than helpful inthe process.
David Amess (Southend) asked Gordy about his trip to US, who he met, who provided the briefings etc. Brown mentioned his well publicised meetings with the Presidential candidates but in essence gave this terse and artless response."During my recent visit to the United States I had meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a range of subjects.... briefing was provided by the relevant Government Departments." It may be there is a history between these two for Amess asked another about Prime Ministerial visits in Essex. Certainly quite a reasonable question notwithstanding there are just as many Labour as Conservative members for Essex. Gord's thoroughly rude reply was as follows," A list of my UK visits will be published in the usual way following the end of the financial year." Say what you like about Tony Blair, he always saw the value in showing respect to his opponents. And it makes you look the part, which Gordon is struggling with. At present he is much more Sam Allardyce than Arsene Wenger.