Michael Gove’s favoured modus operandi of flattering his opponents into submission (before sticking the knife in) was on full display in his speech on Ed Miliband and the trade unions today. The Education Secretary said of Miliband:
The sad truth is that, charming, intelligent, eloquent, thoughtful, generous and chivalrous as Ed Miliband may be, in this critical test of leadership he has been uncertain, irresolute, weak. To the question [of] who governs Labour, his answer would appear to be, increasingly: the unions.
It seems that Gove was undeterred by John Bercow’s brilliantly accurate mockery of his style during a Q&A with German students at the Hertie School of Governance in February (revealed last week). Bercow observed:
Michael Gove has got a capacity for referring to other members in terms that are elaborate and nominally polite, but which if reflected upon will be seen to be pretty damning,” he said. “Now some people think he’s patronising.
He has got a habit of saying: ‘Well, that’s a typically acute observation by the honourable gentleman; well, I congratulate the honourable gentleman, he’s certainly brought to my notice a matter of considerable import’ – even though the matter brought to his notice is as banal a matter as can possibly have been raised at any time that afternoon.
Michael will sort of lavish the person with superficial praise and then will proceed to explain ‘why in this particular case, not withstanding my very real and deep-rooted admiration, he does suffer from the quite notable disadvantage of being wrong’.
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