In every election campaign, with promises of tax cuts and increased spending flying back and forth, at least one leading politician stumbles embarrassingly over the figures. Perhaps Labour should be thankful that Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, questioned by Nick Ferrari on LBC radio about how Labour would fund 10,000 extra police officers, talked arithmetical gibberish with more than a month still left before polling day. Like most history graduates, Abbott is not strong on numbers.
Everybody deplores the robotic way in which politicians repeat approved soundbites and fail to give direct answers to straightforward questions. Abbott’s fate shows why aides put them on a tight leash during campaigns, insisting they learn their lines and stay on-message. They are, after all, trying to win the public’s confidence that they can govern competently.
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