Gordon's Never Gonna Do Stand-up

I'm probably in the minority over this, but politics is interesting, I think.

We're nearly into the party conference season now, and debate about new policies.

But politics, at the moment, is more about psychology.

The saying: 'Be careful what you wish for,' seems to sum up Gordon Brown's predicament.

He plotted for years to get to the top, and now that he has, it's all gone wrong.

And it's arguably because he's just not suited to the job.

The problems he's had have been complex and wide-ranging, and not all his own fault. He could hardly have stopped some American banks from giving out mortgages they couldn't afford, leading to the credit crunch.

But the cause of his dire personal ratings with the public is simple: he should never have entered Number 10.

He appears to be not so much a private man, as a shy one, looking uncomfortable on camera.

And if someone looks uncomfortable, it's difficult to concentrate on what they're saying.

The contrast between Boris's speech in Beijing - the one in which he said, 'ping pong is coming home,' and Gordon's, which came straight after, was uncomfortably stark.

The PM actually made quite a witty comment, ironically commending Boris on strengthening relations between Britain and China, but he swallowed it, smothering its impact, winning a chuckle from those alert enough to get it, but missing the bigger belly laugh he was surely hoping for.

Tony Blair would have dominated the stage with ease - it would have come naturally to him, briefly sparring perhaps with Boris before going on to combine humour and subtle self-deprecation. A few serious points would have slipped down easily after all the light-heartedness.

I've heard people comment that a hundred years ago, say, Gordon Brown would have found it much easier to be PM, without the demands of 24-hour rolling news.

But the top job today is all about being a public figurehead, about communicating with the voters through the TV screen and radio speaker, and Mr Brown seems unable to do it.

It's not that he won't; it's simply that he can't, and for that reason he should call it a day and write his memoirs, which, I predict, only political anoraks will buy.