Move Over, Kinnock. There's A New King Of Shame In Town

Neil Kinnock's life became a little easier today.

As the election descended into quite hilarious farce, a new icon of political suicide has presented itself. As images go, this is stark.

Forget Kinnock's fall on a Brighton beach, consign to history his cringeworthy Sheffield jig, there's a new poster boy for Labour ineptitude.

Just look at that image. You're going to see it over and over again in the next couple of decades. A man completely humiliated by a 66 year old pensioner who was just out to get some bread.

Well, actually, it wasn't her fault, it was obviously his. Not that you'd get that impression from the way Brown feebly fumbled around trying to place the blame elsewhere. But the evident resignation in the pose is almost pitiful, almost pathetic - in the very true sense of the word.

But 'almost' is the operative word.

As events unfolded; as it was trailed by every media outlet, including the BBC, the election took on a new turn. A previously turgid process became superb fun!

E-mails and texts were flying in to congratulate radio 5 on 'one of the most entertaining afternoons ever'. As Brown was tearing up his meticulously planned schedule to drag himself, and his intra-legs-located tail, back to Rochdale to deliver an abject apology, the country just shook its collective head and muttered "good grief" along with a satisfying "pffft".

There was little pity for someone who, for three years, has led a government which has intimidated, marginalised, denormalised, lectured, disenfranchised, and dictated to the public at every turn.

It was the moment when the playground bully was dragged by his ear to the head's office as grateful kids jeered at his dramatic descent from arrogance to public humiliation. It was the little guy kicking the neighbourhood thug in the family jewels. Much like the expenses anger, which wasn't anything to do with the paltry sums involved, it was a catharsis for every persecuted grouping that Brown's party have targeted.

And it happened in a way that couldn't possibly have been more apposite. Someone held an opposing view to Gordon's, so he instinctively spewed out the racism insult.

It's hard-wired in lefties and their preferred quangoes. If challenged, don't bother with trying to engage in a constructive manner, just throw accusations and smears.

If you worry about immigration, you're a racist. If you object to government spending, you want the poor to rot in the streets. If you are sceptical about climate change hyperbole, you are happy to see third world countries drown and/or are paid by oil companies. If you disagree with bans on smoking or fox hunting, you're quite happy to see kids die or you're a bloodthirsty butcher. If you believe ID cards are an outrage to civil liberties, you have something to hide. Et cetera to fade.

When a party has made so many enemies from differing spheres, there's little natural pity left when confronted by such a pathetic image. It's just natural justice.

Kinnock, you can breathe easy again. We haven't forgotten how funny your public gaffes were, it's just that this time it's more personal ... and oh so much sweeter.