Is bigotgate a storm in a teacup?

I have a sense with just over a week to go bigotgate could have quite a significant effect on the outcome of the election. I don't expect the other parties to directly mention it (though the right-wing press clearly will), although it will be interesting if tomorrow night there is an oblique question on it during the leaders debate.

My overall impression of the campaign thus far has been that in the first ten days or so the media were bored, then they had Cleggmania to get stuck into but more recently they appeared to be getting bored with hung parliament dicussions. The time was ripe for a new story, and unforturnately for him, Gordon Brown supplied it.

I expect that this gaffe will have some effect on the polls, probably to knock Labour down rather than the others up. This could be very very significant to the long term political future of the Labour movement. One of the biggest issues now is who comes second in the popular vote. If the Lib Dems beat labour by just one vote, they will have bragging rights irrespective of the number of seats each has. The Alliance failed in 1983 and then gradually fell back. In recent polls the gap between Labour and the Lib Dems was closing, and it looked if Labour might reclaim second spot. Now I think this is less likely.

One other point to note, however, is that if someone makes a mistake tomorrow night, bigotsgate will be forgotten. Unless of course it is Brown that supplies the headlines again.

My own take on what happened today is a) it reinforces the point I made recently about managing events such as leaders' tours. Why did they not have their own microphone? Is no one checkign the details? b) why did the broadcasters feel it was acceptable to broadcast a private conversation off air. We're all said things under our breath, surely Brown should be allowed to let off steam.