Brown: yesterday was yesterday

Yesterday was yesterday. Today I want to talk about the economy.

With that Gordon Brown made his first reaction of the day to the Rochdale debacle. After this appearance in a Halesowen factory he will go back to his hotel to prep for the debate and his best last chance to speak at length to the voters.

No sign in his words here of a man who has found a new clear way to say, I protect you and the Tories won’t. (I should say Labour folk tell me people know what double dip means but I think it sounds like something from Santa’s grotto).

Then there’s the question of whether people will be listening to him tonight or will now have closed their ears to Mr Brown.

There’s been a Q and A at the factory and as ever when the questions come from employees on their bosses’ premises they’re not too racy.

There was one on immigration and, as so often, the PM answered it in economic terms. In answer to media questions, Mr Brown said he was “concerned about immigration” and talked a lot about it, trying to make it clear it isn’t a no-go area for him.

A moment ago I spoke to one Labour candidate, an MP fighting a marginal, and I asked “How’s it going?” The candidate laughed for 20 seconds before collecting themselves and saying “What do you think?”