Barry: Gordon Brown less of a ‘lad’ than David Cameron

Jul 15 2009 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Indeed, Mr Brown would be in a stronger position now if he actually was more laddish. Not in the sense of being a binge-drinking misogynist of course.

More in the sense of being one of the boys.

Unfortunately politics is all about personality these days and voters just don’t like Mr Brown’s.

He comes across as socially awkward, bookish and shy – a bit like me, in other words. And people don’t like that.

David Cameron on the other hand, despite his privileged upbringing, manages to portray himself as much more of a man of the people, a father with young children who speaks to us in clear, uncomplicated language.

Crucially for many men, he beats Mr Brown in the pint test. For those of you who don’t know what that is, allow me to explain.

Who would you rather sit and have a drink with in your local pub, Dave or Gordo?

I would say Gordo, but then again I’m weird.

Most men would say Dave, simply because he appears more normal. He seems like the kind of guy who could pull off relaxed chat about football or TV, rather than deliver a stern lecture on the finer points of global capitalism.

I wish all this trivial nonsense didn’t matter, but unfortunately it does.

The two main parties are not divided by great ideological differences any more. So they distinguish themselves from each other by the personality of their leaders.

And sadly for the Labour Party, their top man is just not as likeable as his opponent.

In other words, Ms Hewitt, he’s not one of the lads.