Here's looking at you Gordon as the leadership row turns ugly

Published on Tuesday 5 May 2009 22:35

GORDON Brown's bid to relaunch his beleaguered premiership was derailed yesterday after actress Joanna Lumley accused the Prime Minister of snubbing her over the Gurkha campaign and a former Cabinet minister openly mocked his smile.

After weeks of damaging headlines, Mr Brown had attempted to reassert his authority with a flagship speech on education and a fresh YouTube video.

But his fightback was undermined by Ms Lumley, who told the Home Affairs Select Committee her three requests for a meeting with Mr Brown were ignored.

She also said she had a letter of support from the Royal Family over her campaign to give Gurkhas the same rights to resettlement in the UK and pensions as Commonwealth soldiers.

The actress refused to name the individual involved, but it was reported last night that the letter came from the Duchess of Cornwall last year. A spokesman for Clarence House refused to comment.

Earlier, at the committee hearing, Ms Lumley said: "We have gone to the High Court, to the press, to the people and to parliament. Where do we go to? The Royal Family are not allowed to get involved, although I have had a letter of support."

A Downing Street spokesman insisted the Prime Minister has acknowledged one of Ms Lumley's letters and that as a result, she had been granted an audience with the Home Secretary.

Meanwhile, a defiant Mr Brown shrugged off criticism of his YouTube appearance last month to discuss MPs' expenses and took to the internet again for a party political broadcast.

However, John Prescott, the former deputy prime minister, mocked Mr Brown's efforts while campaigning for the English local elections in York.

"He has the worst bloody smile in the world," he said, pulling a face, ostensibly to mimic Mr Brown's.

He added, however, that Mr Brown had the "intellect and ability to get on with the job".

Mr Prescott is believed to have been referring to the Prime Minister's awkward YouTube performance from a fortnight ago, when Mr Brown was smiling in a strained way for the camera.

However, the timing of Mr Prescott's remarks coincided with the launch of Mr Brown's latest YouTube broadcast.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Brown's speech on education at a south London school was plagued by protests from parents who are angry that the school is to merge with a neighbouring primary. One protester leapt in front of the Prime Minister's motorcade and had to be bundled away.

Mr Brown's bad day continued when he posed at the school in front of a noticeboard adorned with swastikas.

In the coming weeks, Mr Brown will try to convince his backbenchers to support plans to sell off part of the Royal Mail. Downing Street said there were no plans to compromise.

The move has been described as Mr Brown's "kamikaze" mission, as a vote on the issue would probably be held shortly after the European and local English elections.

John Grogan, a Labour backbencher, predicted up to 90 of his colleagues would vote against the government.

"It would be a kamikaze move to bring it back then," he said. The Conservatives have given the government their support on the vote, however party leader David Cameron yesterday said Labour's infighting was "certainly helping" the Tories.

Like a scared child: body expert's verdict on YouTube broadcast

HIS first outing on YouTube was so widely derided that Downing Street stopped accepting comments on its website about Gordon Brown's performance.

But Mr Brown decided to face down his critics and used the medium again for communicating the Labour Party election broadcast last night.

A dramatic improvement was not that apparent for Mamta Bhatia, a behavioural psychologist and body language expert.

"Just seven per cent of communication comes from your actual words," Ms Bhatia said. "The other 93 per cent comes from body language and tonality."

Studying Mr Brown, she found his hands betrayed a nervousness and anxiety.

"He always keeps his hands very close to his body. This is a sign of anxiety."

Mr Brown also "gazes down a lot" which she said was another sign of fear.

"He does not trust his audience and whether they approve of him or not.

"Clearly when we make eye contact we are looking for approval but he is not keen on being seen, heard or recognised.

"His smile also shows apprehension. Really it is a sign of an unhappy man.

She added: "There is a point in the video where he stands behind a Union flag. He is using it to protect him from the audience. He has taken on the role of a scared child."

I would say to him: "'Believe in yourself and submerge yourself in the message'."