Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Politics
Original poster

Shadow Chancellor Not Up To The Job

109 replies

Chil1234 · 11/01/2011 14:43

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/8249198/Alan-Johnson-struggles-over-National-Insurance-rates-on-live-television.html Johnson Confusion

You'd think, as the Shadow Chancellor, Alan Johnson would be up to speed on something as basic as employers' NI contributions. His stage persona of 'honest bloke who knows nothing about economics' is wearing very thin already and not reflecting well on Miliband's judgement. Cooper and Balls must be seething.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
GabbyLoggon · 24/01/2011 11:23

It appears a police officer may have had a part in Johnsons resignation.

Dont the police have RULES as to what not to do on duty?

There was the odd affair of undercover police allegedly sleeping with demonstrtators. "Gabby"

LegoStuckinmyhoover · 23/01/2011 16:24

...crafTy liar, i mean.

LegoStuckinmyhoover · 23/01/2011 16:23

but, DC does have 'judgement issues' [i mean he is a crafy liar].

lifeinlimbo · 22/01/2011 23:40

Agree the current chancellor doesnt know his proverbial arse from his elbow.

Why do we have such inexperienced, unknowlegable people in these positions??

I understand jobs are allocated by the leader, but you'd think leaders would take some account of an MPs qualifications and previous world experience!

Deciduousblonde · 21/01/2011 16:33

Economists

Deciduousblonde · 21/01/2011 16:19

How many chancellors have been actual ecomomists? I remember Gordon Brown admitting he wasn't one when he was chancellor.

As I said before, I wouldn't expect to go into an Accountancy job without having the neccessary qualifications. How on earth do they get away with it in government?

NetworkGuy · 21/01/2011 15:38

"The decision to have Johnson as shadow chancellor is a strange one."

Had to laugh, hearing Ed Miliband say that DC had judgement issues (regarding his press secretary) when EM himself appointed a non economist in the post of shadow chancellor.

Talk about pot, kettle, black...

EightiesChick · 21/01/2011 14:49

Crikey, that's jumping forward 7 steps at once, surely, wanttofeellikeaprincess ?

I don't care if he does look creepy (I know many people think this), I just want him to be competent, and preferably highly competent. Then he doesn't have to be likeable. Osborne, after all, is neither.

WantToFeelLikeAPrincess · 21/01/2011 12:49

If someone is catatonic or Manic, they are possibly bipolar?

Jordansmum1997 · 21/01/2011 12:17

I feel really sorry for Alan Johnson, he must feels so betrayed. A nice man who could relate to the rest of us, a rare thing in politics.
However, am I the only one who thinks that the actual Chancellor is seriously creepy? Watching him at PMQ's he either looks catatonic or manic!
Apparently while he was a school they used to hang him up by his ankles and make him shout out "I am despicable", perhaps they knew something about him even then lol...

Deciduousblonde · 21/01/2011 11:54
Grin
BenHer · 21/01/2011 11:50

As a former health minister he probably advised her to use protection if having sex outside the marriage.A simple misunderstanding!

duchesse · 21/01/2011 11:37

Sounds like his protection officer was shagging his wife to me.

mollymole · 21/01/2011 10:26

it seems irrelevent why he has gone HE WAS SIMPLY NOT CAPABLE OF THE JOB !!!!!!!!
it's one of the reasons we are all pissed off with the lot of them

MummieHunnie · 21/01/2011 09:57

Edd Balls, I could not believe the smugness of him in the news last night. Alan sounds like a nice enough guy. Evette, Edd's wife is who everyone wanted for leader, she would not take the job, Edd woud probably go nuts no doubt!

jackstarb · 21/01/2011 08:46

"Ahhh..but it was still public school. It would be interesting to see the anti-tory-toff brigade deal with that one"

Ed Balls' father campaigned for the closure of his local grammar school. But balked at sending his own son to the local comprehensive school - instead paying for him to attend the private Nottingham High School.

Despite his own elite education, as Education Secretary, Ed Balls was very anti selection (even for a Labour Education Minister).

IMHO - his upbringing was pretty screwed up - which possibly explains a lot.

Alouiseg · 21/01/2011 07:26

The Times is implying that his wife had an affair with his police protection officer.

Do you work for the Times Lady Blah Blah :o

newwave · 21/01/2011 01:33

Klaus, all opinons I know but Gideon is the uber smug git but maybe Balls will wipe the sneer off his smug cunt face.

peachcrumble · 21/01/2011 01:33

this story should be on the safe sex forum , at least Johnson's wife used protection

Deciduousblonde · 21/01/2011 01:33

Ahhh..but it was still public school. It would be interesting to see the anti-tory-toff brigade deal with that one Wink

klauskinskiinthekinotech · 21/01/2011 01:20

newwave you are delusional , I hate BOTH chancellors but if you ask me Balls is a smugger cunt, I don't want Malcolm Fucker or Jamie from "The Thick of It" running our country. For all thos e going on about the public school mafia Balls went to a (minor) Public School....

newwave · 21/01/2011 00:47

I dont want nice I want effective and if he can upset that utter smug cunt Osborne then he will do for me.

I am not a member or ever have been a member of the Labour party I would have voted for Ed Balls for leader (I should have kept my union membership up, stupid of me)

imright · 20/01/2011 23:25

In Johnson's defence he was a far, far, nicer person than Balls!

imright · 20/01/2011 23:23

Alan should have stuck to posting my mail!
Grin

longfingernails · 20/01/2011 23:08

If that is the reason he is going, I feel very sorry for him.

Unlike Gordon Brown or Ed Balls, he wasn't a vindictive man, propogating the culture of smear - just a slightly dumb one.