Press mobbed by flash Labour tactics

New Labour resorted to a new campaign tactic today - the flash mob.

The venue for this "spontaneous" gathering was Old Billingsgate Fish Market where Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were on hand to unveil Labour's latest campaign posters.

The instant Mr Blair and Mr Brown finished extolling the virtues of the new posters - when the media traditionally fire off a couple of quick questions - a crowd of Labour activists rushed in to block the Prime Minister and the Chancellor from the press corps. And, to ensure the two men could not hear any tempting questions, the mob of activists started clapping. Loudly.

Normally flash mobbing involves crowds of people coming together at a chosen place and talking gibberish. This time it was much the same except the mob assembled to stop people from talking at all.

Mr Blair and Mr Brown were able to avoid answering questions on whether Labour would raise national insurance contributions if elected for a third term or why the Prime Minister's face will not feature on the front of the party's forthcoming manifesto.

The flash mob appears to be Labour's tactic for dealing with the "Nick Robinson" problem. Mr Robinson, ITV News political editor, sabotaged the last poster launch - also at Old Billingsgate - when he caught out the Prime Minister with an unsolicited question on Tory spending plans.

As a result of Mr Robinson's intervention, Labour is policing Mr Blair's media appearances with the officiousness of a London traffic warden a few points short of a pay bonus.

Yesterday the Prime Minister went walkabout in an Asda supermarket - but only for the benefit of Channel Four and the Sun.

Today's event was more heavily orchestrated than a Red Square parade. Labour supporters were ferried in from across London to act as a backdrop for the Blair-Brown photo opportunity.

No socio-economic group had been overlooked. There were pensioners, young couples with families (presumably some were married, some co-habiting), a healthy representation from the capital's ethnic minority communities, and a smattering of young students. These were ordinary people, except that unlike a genuine cross-section of London's population, they appeared undimmed in their admiration for Mr Blair.

Some of them spoke afterwards of how they had been able to meet the Prime Minister. Sadly, none of them got round to asking him any questions.