THE TELEGRAPH: Gordon Brown has played down the damage that The Sun newspaper's decision to switch its support to the Conservatives will do to his electoral prospects, arguing that people, not newspapers, will decide the election.
The paper published a front page headline claiming ''Labour's lost it''.
But Mr Brown dismissed the impact of the decision. "I think Sun readers actually, when they look at what I say, they will agree with what I said," he told GMT.V [sic][.]
Asked whether the tabloid's support could decide the next General Election, Mr Brown replied: "No."
"Obviously, you want newspapers to be for you. We would have liked everybody to be on our side, but the people decide. I've got an old-fashioned opinion that you look to newspapers for news not opinions," he added.
In a separate round of broadcast interviews, Mr Brown added: "It's the British people that decide the election, it's the British people's views that I am interested in."
Rupert Murdoch's paper had backed the Labour party since 1997 when it switched from its traditional Tory leanings.
George Pascoe-Watson, the newspaper's political editor, told Sky News: "We warned back in 2005 that Labour was on its last chance.
"We feel now after four years that they have failed the country and they are letting Sun readers down." >>> | Wednesday, September 30, 2009
TIMES ONLINE: Gordon Brown played down the damage to his electoral prospects today after The Sun withdrew its support for the Labour Party.
The Prime Minister insisted that voters and not newspapers decided the Government, urging people to take a close look at his policies.
In a round of broadcast interviews, Mr Brown said: "It's the British people that decide the election, it's the British people's views that I am interested in."
Mr Brown told GMTV: "I think Sun readers actually, when they look at what I say, they will agree with what I said."
Asked whether the support of the best-selling redtop could decide the next General Election, as it was reputed to have done in 1992 by condemning Labour's leader Neil Kinnock, Mr Brown replied: "No."
He added: "Obviously, you want newspapers to be for you. We would have liked everybody to be on our side, but the people decide.
"I've got an old-fashioned opinion that you look to newspapers for news not opinions." >>> Philippe Naughton | Wednesday, September 30, 2009
