Theresa May gambles that row with Brussels will help her win election
The PM is taking a calculated risk by accusing some in the EU of trying to interfere in the UK's election.
Wednesday 3 May 2017 18:01, UK
The podium speech after the dissolution of Parliament is the Prime Minister's chance to make a pitch for office framed by the famous doorway, but on Wednesday the tone was sharp and uncompromising.
While most observers were expecting to hear Theresa May draw a distinction between her "strong and stable leadership" and Jeremy Corbyn's "coalition of chaos," the opening section focused on Brexit.
The accusation that "some in Brussels... are the General Election" will irritate many within the EU institutions, given the UK is still in the club, for the next two years at least.
Accusing the EU of actively trying to interfere in a member state's democratic process is bound to draw a response from the Commission and the Council, both in private and in public.
Mrs May's team are clearly hoping for the latter during the election campaign.
It also follows an attempt by Mrs May's Brexit Secretary, David Davis, to pour cold water on the leaks after last week's dinner, which he seemed to shrug off as "one of those things" during a tough negotiation.
So the turnaround is stark and suggests there was a decision made by CCHQ as she headed to Buckingham Palace.
There is a political calculation here: the Conservatives believe that potentially irritating those with whom we would strike a trade deal is worth the cost if it helps secure a bigger majority.
Characterising the EU team as dirty fighters because it "doesn't want Britain to prosper" feeds into the wider narrative that the UK needs a tough figurehead to face them down.
So we are back to the big message of Mrs May providing "strong and stable" leadership - but this is quite a high stakes gamble.