General election. You are Gordon Brown.

[Leekbrookgull]

The so called experts say dont expect G/B to hang on to May 2010. Just out of interest when would you 'call it' ? As for me Mar,Apl or May. The Tories are losing ground ?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

March 2009.

 

[Don't get me started]

I would probably shoot myself before I got rumbled for not being able to add up..

Or I would shoot George Bush that way society would be rid of us both.

Either way no election that I would have to worry about

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

I wouldn't have thought it would be before April. Too much chance of bad weather. Whatever the polls say it is Labour that are going to have to get their vote out the best.

It's a gamble for Brown. The recession hasn't really began to bite yet. If he goes Spring 2009 he might get back in as a minority government or with the lib-dems. If he waits he has to hope that by Spring 2010 that the country is pulling out of recession or Labour will be decimated.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

I would resign immediately.

Dear people of the United Kingdom,

I have presisded over the biggest economic cockup in history. I am guilty of gross incompetence. I lied to you all about how prudent I was being with the economy whilst all the time I was just allowing a massive debt bubble to inflate, fuelling over 10% of the economy. Now the credit has run out and we are all doomed. I am very very sorry.

Gordon.

 

[London Calling]

I would resign immediately.

Dear people of the United Kingdom,

I have presisded over the biggest economic cockup in history. I am guilty of gross incompetence. I lied to you all about how prudent I was being with the economy whilst all the time I was just allowing a massive debt bubble to inflate, fuelling over 10% of the economy. Now the credit has run out and we are all doomed. I am very very sorry.

Gordon.

and then they vote him back in

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Dear Country,

er, mmmmm, er,,,,,

Yours,

David Cameron

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

The economy is going to crash and burn and Brown knows if he waits until 2010 he'll lose big. Plus polls looking much better for Labour now than 2 months ago. He has to go soon so February or June.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The economy is going to crash and burn

says who?

 

[Don Quixote]

i say wait gordon and go out in style, come out with a statement that you f*** the queen or something. That'll make your name go down in history

 

[Harty]

The elction predictor sometimes featured on this board comes up with an itneresting angle, which is obviously to do with the boundaries etc. If the Tories poll 40% and the Labour poll 35% they end up on indentical seats, 288,with Mr Clegg and co holding the balance of power.
I think we could possibly be moving towards that kind of figure by March/April which will be Browns best hope.
Actually had a heated debate with members of my staff in the hearse coming back from the cemetery this morning.
Clearly I employ two rabid Tories as they went ballistic when I said Thatcher had to take some of the blame for the state we are in now.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

says who?

Just wait 'til the new year and beyond, it's going to be carnage in terms of unemployment. Hundreds of thousands of jobs will go. The banks are still not lending to each other let alone to businesses, most of whom operate on credit basis. If they can't get decent credit, how will they finance their busineses? More job losses. No-one knows for sure, but I think we could be in for a long recession which will last well into 2010. Things are already bad. We came very, very close to a complete melt down in the banking system. The American and the British governments did the right thing by adopting an interventionist Minsky styled approach and next up we'll follow the Americans and the Japanese before them, by printing more money. All the right things to do but will it be enough? What if it doesn't work? Either way by then we'll be full blown recession with very low growth rates.

Brown's best argument is to say he's the man to sort it and go early.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The wheels of recession are already turning, and banks are still showing reluctance to lend, slashing overdraft facilities etc. Therefore 2009 will certainly be a bleak year.

However, with low interest rates and the prospect of further cuts, combined with relatively low house prices and deflationary forces at work there might be green shoots of recovery in places, but this won't kick in until 2010.

2 million unemployed and parity with the Euro are happening right now, so the Tories have ample ammunition to tear Labour to shreds.

If I was a Labour strategist I'd be hoping for a feelgood heatwave and summer election. This gives labour 6 months to try and get some good news out there, and if things really go tits up in the election they have enough time to come back in the Autumn conference season with a new leader and new ideas.

 

[Barry Izbak]

Leave it as long as possible.

He wanted the job so much, he'd better make the most of it.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

May 2009 , before the real shit hits the fan , if Labour win they will have 2012 and 2013 as recovery years before the general election in 2013/4. If the Tories win it doesn't matter if it all goes down the pan because we are doomed under Cameron.

 

[vulture]

he wont go till 2010 as late as possible as he will panic if he goes any earlier