A strangely disconnected PM may need more connected staff

Labor MPs are turning on Gillard's staff, blaming them for the Prime Minister's disconnect with the public:

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard is coming under pressure from senior Labor figures to reorganise her private office…

MPs have said there is widespread discontent in the Caucus over the quality of the political advice the PM is receiving from inside her office.

"We are drifting into an iceberg and it is widely recognised the staff are a major reason," one MP said yesterday.

The pressure to replace Ms Gillard's chief-of-staff, Amanda Lampe and her deputy, Tom Bentley, has intensified in recent days following widespread criticism of the Prime Minister's response to the floods in Queensland.

Ms Lampe is on maternity leave following her partner, Frier Bentley, recently giving birth to twins.

And Tom Bentley is from Britain.

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