Brown Bottles It

[NMH]

What complete and utter drivel.

Brown wanted an early election, and has now decided that as he might just lose it he'll not bother.

IMO it should not be up to the PM when an election is called, just set a date for every 4 years. (or even 5 but my preference would be 4)

Therefore unless there is a vote of no confidence we all know where we stand.

I don't thint the Tories wanted an election either, but they called Brown's bluff, and it worked. He is now seen as weak, and damaged - add this to the 'double hospital opening' shambles and the awful fiddling of the Iraq toop figures and he's had a preety crap 10 days or so.

What would MAJORS have done

As is being mentioned by others on here, Brown had NOT mentioned anything about wanting an early election. They must be talking drivel.
Either that, or......

Face it, you just jump on the bandwagon of whatever Cameron says - and surely you can't think he's a 'great leader' .... can you

Cameron wants YOU as a moonbeam

 

[Dandyman]

Not quite sure what you mean there. I seem to remember her winning more than one General Election - how can that be the minority?

She took an Country that was on its knees and being run by a few Union leaders and turned it around. Painful for some yes, but have you seen the Labour Party even try to reverse the majority of what she did?

She got around 40something percent of votes cast ipso facto a minority.

Mass unemployment, 15% interest rates, the destruction of British manufacturing industry, institutionalised homophobia, kowtowing to international finance over national interests, have I missed any other of her achievements?

 

[larus]

She got around 40something percent of votes cast ipso facto a minority.

Mass unemployment, 15% interest rates, the destruction of British manufacturing industry, institutionalised homophobia, kowtowing to international finance over national interests, have I missed any other of her achievements?

Any what percentage did Tony Bliar get in his landslide victories. Roughly what Thatcher got. It's the system; if it was proportional represenation, we would always have hung parliaments. So your argument is crap, unless you apply it both ways.

Another point, Brown could have easily stated 2 weeks ago that there would not be an election, but there was an articale in the Times last week where the ministries were telling civil servants to 'clear there desks', meaning coplete all outtanding activities and prepare for a possible election. Brown was preparing for the possibility, andf only the blind lefties on here will accept that he chickened out one the polls started to turn.

I think he will live to regret this decision, as the state of the country, economic growth, public finances are all getting worse, and the spend in the past on hospitals/education has been overall fairly ineffective. It's not how much you spend, but how well you spend it, but then again, too many will see that as being a selfish right-wing view point.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

It does amuse me that some on here are trying to spin the current situation into one which is positive for Labour. As has been mentioned, all the messages coming out of the Labour Party were that they were going for an autumn election. The political pundits from all of the major newspapers and TV networks were pretty much convinced, and they 'live' within the politicial establishment, talking to MPs and civil servants. Even the PMs appointments and announcements were being organised as a prelude to the announcement.

However, I personally think that David Cameron will be heaving a huge sigh of relief, becuase I do think Gordon failed to call his bluff, as I think the Tories would not have been ready to win an election now; but they may not be ready in 2 years time either!

Papa

 

[sten_super]

It does amuse me that some on here are trying to spin the current situation into one which is positive for Labour. As has been mentioned, all the messages coming out of the Labour Party were that they were going for an autumn election. The political pundits from all of the major newspapers and TV networks were pretty much convinced, and they 'live' within the politicial establishment, talking to MPs and civil servants. Even the PMs appointments and announcements were being organised as a prelude to the announcement.

However, I personally think that David Cameron will be heaving a huge sigh of relief, becuase I do think Gordon failed to call his bluff, as I think the Tories would not have been ready to win an election now; but they may not be ready in 2 years time either!

Papa

Excellent post. Labour would have won a November election (albeit with a reduced majority). By delaying the election, Brown has given the Conservatives time to get themselves organised. However, at the same time, Brown will now have the opportunity to spend whatever war chest he has built/is building up, to 'give something back' to the population in the run up to an election. It's going to be a close run thing to see how makes the most gains between now and an election in 9/21 months.

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

Whatever has happened over the last three weeks, Brown's bounce is now most definitely over. He'll have to work hard to actually do something. Coping well with whatever comes his way e.g. F+M, NR won't be enough

The tories have done well enough to sound competent. They make get holes picked in their figures, but I'm not really sure how much the electorate will care?

Going to be an interesting couple of years in the run up to the election. Might see what the odds are on a 2010 election.

 

[NMH]

Excellent post. Labour would have won a November election (albeit with a reduced majority). By delaying the election, Brown has given the Conservatives time to get themselves organised. However, at the same time, Brown will now have the opportunity to spend whatever war chest he has built/is building up, to 'give something back' to the population in the run up to an election. It's going to be a close run thing to see how makes the most gains between now and an election in 9/21 months.

"time to get themselves organized" ??

How many YEARS do you think they NEED?

If they haven't got themselves organized by now, then gawdelpus if they had to organize the country!


('up brewery a organize piss a couldn't in')

 

[Marshy]

I doubt it. One thing Brown has done is force Cameron to show his hand probably at least a year before he needed to. Smart move.

You seriusly think he planned to make himself look weak and destroy a huge lead in the polls ! damaged goods now is Mr Brown...

 

[Albion Dan]

The problem for the Tories is that their sums just DO NOT add up, they got their numbers from a Sunday newpaper ffs. EU rules also may make the charge on non domecile resident illegal so the whole policy is dead in the water.

Brown now has plenty of time to pull the policies apart and show them up for the twaddle they are, whilst also sorting out Labours own Tax policiies which do need sorting.

 

[sten_super]

"time to get themselves organized" ??

How many YEARS do you think they NEED?

Yes, they need to time to be ready for an election campaign. They clearly weren't ready; this was why they had a limited number of policies.

An election called now would have seen all of the parties effectively campaigning on the base of how 'electable' their leader was; not any of the half-arsed policies any side would have come up with.

The BBC 'experts' seem to doubt that there will be an election in 2008; so all parties have got a year and a half to prepare at least...

 

[Tooting Gull]

I haven't understood this 'crisis' at all. What crisis? Brown doesn't have to call an election for years, and is merely exercising that right. How is that a disaster for the country?

It's basically all the chattering Westminster classes and political journalists who have been totally wrong-footed, know they look like idiots for what they've written and said on TV, and have to find a different scapegoat. In this case the Prime Minister.

You can't win in this situation. If the polls are against you and you delay, then you're a bottler. If they're for you, you are cynically manipulating the system.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Why is every one getting hot under the collar about this?

He is under no obligation wahatsoever to call an election and as for Cameron to call him a coward is just pathetic.

So now whenever in the future the government of the day, be it tory, liberal or labour, change a leader or perhaps even push through a policy someone doesnt like, we are going to have people bleating on that there should be a general election?

Ok, we all know its people politics at the moment with some people no doubt voting for Blair, however most people who voted Labour did so to give them a mandate to govern for 4 or 5 years...not until they changed the leader!!!

 

[NMH]

Yes, they need to time to be ready for an election campaign. They clearly weren't ready; this was why they had a limited number of policies.

An election called now would have seen all of the parties effectively campaigning on the base of how 'electable' their leader was; not any of the half-arsed policies any side would have come up with.

The BBC 'experts' seem to doubt that there will be an election in 2008; so all parties have got a year and a half to prepare at least...

So what you ARE saying, is that Cameron is completely either foolish, or baiting, to even 'challenge' Brown to call an election now. Aaand, that Brown is WISE not to blink, and make any plans to name the day anytime soon.

Whichever way you call it, Brown comes out looking better. Swift move, Cameron!

 

[Buzzer]

The problem for the Tories is that their sums just DO NOT add up, they got their numbers from a Sunday newpaper ffs. EU rules also may make the charge on non domecile resident illegal so the whole policy is dead in the water.

Perhaps you'd like to put your concerns to Alex Hawkes, tax correspondent for Accountancy Age. He seems to think the figures DO add up.

http://taxhack.accountancyage.com/2007/10/accountancy-age.html

Still - what does he know, eh?

 

[Buzzer]

Whichever way you call it, Brown comes out looking better. Swift move, Cameron!

Yep. He's certainly getting the plaudits in all of the media and from his own party, is ol' yellow - the pm previously known as brown.

Do you really know more than the political establishment on this? It's just that, to a man they think Brown has cocked up.

 

[NMH]

Yep. He's certainly getting the plaudits in all of the media and from his own party, is ol' yellow - the pm previously known as brown.

Do you really know more than the political establishment on this? It's just that, to a man they think Brown has cocked up.

By doing nothing in response to what Cameron wants him to do, he's cocked up?
So, by not asking the tories how to lead the country, he would be cocking up?

The 'political establishment' who think he's cocked up, are just a bunch squeaking rodents, trying to claim the piper's playing the wrong tune.

squeeeek squeeek!

They are dancing towards the water, and the Piper has barely even tuned up!

 

[sten_super]

So what you ARE saying, is that Cameron is completely either foolish, or baiting, to even 'challenge' Brown to call an election now. Aaand, that Brown is WISE not to blink, and make any plans to name the day anytime soon.

Whichever way you call it, Brown comes out looking better. Swift move, Cameron!

Since you seem unable to give the Tories even the slighest bit of credit, let me spell it out for you.

Brown, seeing the Tories in trouble (as they were, only a matter of weeks ago), thinks there is political gain to be made out of a snap election (gains, and allowing him to roll out 'I have been given a mandate by the people' spiel), releases rumours that there may be a snap election.

Tories respond by drawing up some fairly populist policies, and present them at their party conference, to make it look like they are ready for an election. They go down well.

Brown then realises that his plan has backfired, and that the Tories are likely to be the ones to make gains from any snap election. Calls the whole thing off.

Cameron gains qudos (sp.) for putting the frighteners on Brown. Brown gains some knowledge of which way the Tories are heading with taxation policy.

As Buzzer points out, are you really saying that you are better informed and more aware of the goings on in and around Westminster than pretty much every political analyst in the country?

 

[Buzzer]

By doing nothing in response to what Cameron wants him to do, he's cocked up?
So, by not asking the tories how to lead the country, he would be cocking up?

The 'political establishment' is just a bunch squeaking rodents, trying to claim the piper's playing the wrong tune.

squeeeek squeeek!

They are dancing towards the water, and the Piper has barely even tuned up!

so, that'll be a "yes". Those people who's job it is to be in the know, politicians, pundits, journalists, consultants, academics are all wrong and you are right.

 

[NMH]

so, that'll be a "yes". Those people who's job it is to be in the know, politicians, pundits, journalists, consultants, academics are all wrong and you are right.

You would have been an excellent voter for GW Bush.
Even my dog won't eat everything that's put in front of her, just because it's put in the right colour of bowl.

 

[sten_super]

You would have been an excellent voter for GW Bush.
Even my dog won't eat everything that's put in front of her, just because it's put in the right colour of bowl.

But that's because YOU'RE the only person that she has to rely on for information. If you put it out, and a hundred people came in and agreed that it looked good and was edible, surely she'd eat it then? Unless she's a particularly stupid dog!