Gordon Brown challenges mother to televised spelling bee

By Jeff Nicols

The Prime Minister has challenged the grieving mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan to a US-style televised spelling bee in response to criticism he received after spelling her name incorrectly in a letter of condolence.

In the offending letter Brown used a thick crayon, and referred to the mother of soldier Jamie Janes by the wrong name.

“I would never show disrespect to anyone by spelling something badly,” said Mrs. Janes (Is this right? -ed.)

The Prime Minister, well known for having a head for figures, is “a dark horse when it comes to spelling”, according to one spelling expert.

“It’s kind of ironic that he misspelt her rather simple name when he gets regular practise spelling long words like Incompetence, Recession and Financial-Armageddon.”

Calligraphy

Gordon Brown drew fire of his own this week, and not all of it friendly, when he was accused not just of bad spelling but poor penmanship.

The maligned PM has reportedly taken up calligraphy in an effort to improve his writing. He is thought to be working on Baroque Hand and Champignon Serif in an effort to wow the next tranche of bereaved next of kin.

Support

Labour supporters believe the recent events work in the government’s favour, pointing out that a one-eyed man who can’t spell has much in common with the people, or at the very least should secure the crucial pirate vote.

A Conservative spokesman this week said: “I’ve been in politics for 58 years, the writing is on the wall for Labour - though to be honest you can hardly read it.”