Gordon Brown, the British Prime Minister, likes to think of himself as a straight-talking guy. On Tuesday, in a punchy speech to the Trades Union Congress, he had an opportunity to prove it. He could have laid out how he would nurse Britain’s public finances – deep in structural deficit – back to health. Instead, Mr Brown chose the path of least resistance. He flunked it.

The prime minister did allow the word “cut” to escape his lips. But only after warming his audience with promises on the minimum wage, agency workers and paternity leave, while offering “guarantees” on services. When it came to how these would be paid for, Mr Brown vowed the “tough truth”. The TUC got warm words instead.