Well the news for those of us who think Labour have wrecked the country and if they get another five years will finish the job wasn’t good this morning.

Even as the newspapers, all of them – with the possible exception of the insane Daily Mirror, drip with stories that prove Brown is unfit for public office the polls tells us the great British public is moving in the other direction.

The start of all this was Piers Morgan’s crying game interview where Brown backed down on yet another one of his promises by prostituting his emotions for votes. ( Lets remeber Browns savage snide attack on David Cameron from the Labour party conference. )

Ever since then there has been no end of stories about Gordon Brown – almost all terribly bad – in the media.

The public’s response ? to increase its support for him.

All publicity would appear to be good.

I think the key here is the public is viewing the general election through the prism of “Strictly come dancing”, “The X-Factor” and “Big Brother”.

They are supporting the character they want to see crowned winner at the end of the show. they like seeing things change around during the show. The best dancer doesn’t win, but the one who comes from the most popular TV show – or whom the Grannies have a crush on.

So what should the Conservative response be ?

I think we are doomed if we try to play this game. Labour have spectacular support in the media, and plenty of media types who can help them pay this game. And the storyline they would present would be very popular in peoples minds.

The Conservative response must be a bucket of cold water with ice floating in it thrown over the electorate.

This is not a game or a TV show – though it has been made to look like one. ( And in this sense the TV debates may prove to be a costly mistake by CCHQ ).

Labour won’t be able to manage the sky rocketing national debt ( even the part that’s official – ignoring the massive hidden off balance sheet items that make us as guilty as the Greek government has been ). we know this as a fact since:

1) they haven’t delivered on the efficiency savings they promised.
2) they haven’t reformed the public services because “The Road Block to reform” is Prime Minister after having been Chancellor.

Labour won’t be able to manage the most savage cuts in UK history ( and those are the ones they themselves admit to having to make ).

They will instead seek to confiscate peoples wealth – just as they have destroyed private pensions and are bleeding private savings – so they will find new ways like the death tax and higher tuition fees for Tory voters and the English middle class families.

They will also deliver worse public services than a Conservative government will – because their aim is the votes that the client state can deliver and the funding from the Unite Union that owns the Labour party – not the good of the people.

To win this election the Conservative party has to be willing to lose it by spelling out to people how bad things are, and what is needed.

We need to explain the consequences of 5 more years of Gordon Brown ( who will by then be unconstrained by the sacked Alistair Darling and Peter Mandelson ).

Further: I would point you back at my post from 2008 “Winning the argument could be more important than winning the next election”

Man in a Shed: The X-Factor election could be a national disaster