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Politics

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:
Alouiseg · 20/01/2011 21:16

oh dear

Alouiseg · 20/01/2011 21:14

All I'm saying is check out Guido Fawkes. Scandal & intrigue.

Mr J might have been a norty man after all.

claig · 20/01/2011 21:12

Channel 4 reported it at the end of Channel 4 News at about 19.50. Interesting that Sky News are not saying that.

Agree that Johnson was never right for the job. I think he is an actor in the mould of Charlie Chaplin. Ed Balls is formidable and will be real opposition for Osborne. Agree, Labour are a damp squib, and we need some real opposition. They should have made Ed Balls leader, that would have set the cat amongst the pigeons.

Unwind · 20/01/2011 21:11

there will be some scandal - much talk of "personal reasons"

LadyBlaBlah · 20/01/2011 21:08

I could see Alan Johnson trannying it up at the weekend, wearing an old nylon dress, high heels, a slap of red lippie and a motherly wig attending one of those backstreet tranny clubs.

As you were.

EightiesChick · 20/01/2011 20:55

claig where did you see marriage break up reported?

I was in the camp who never thought AJ was right for the job. Don't care how warm and fuzzy he can be, I expect the person pitching to look after the country's finances to know about finance and economics, in the same way that I wouldn't be happy if I was told that the surgeon operating on me had never been trained in surgical procedures, but was a great bloke, who could really connect with his patients...

Balls will make Osborne scared, which is one point in his favour.

Ed M is proving to be a big disappointment. He's hardly gone for the government big time has he? And I have no idea what Labour are now moving towards. Not bright prospects for them, overall. Sad

Unwind · 20/01/2011 20:40

so prepare for some hilarious head lines

Unwind · 20/01/2011 20:38

Balls is replacing Johnson

CatIsSleepy · 20/01/2011 20:25

ooh who's going to replace him?
yvette cooper should have had the job in the first place

claig · 20/01/2011 20:20

There's always one exception that proves the rule

cakeywakey · 20/01/2011 20:18

Two Eds are better than one though Grin

FluffyHamster · 20/01/2011 20:13

I'd put money on there being a scandal/bigger story in the Sunday papers... they usually duck out when this is about to happen - they get a tip off on Thurs/Fri.....

claig · 20/01/2011 20:06

They have reported that his marriage has broken up

ModreB · 20/01/2011 20:04

I have a horrible feeling that there is more to this. Either an affair or a horrible illness.

byrel · 20/01/2011 19:56

Ed Miliband as leader and Ed Balls as Shadow Chancellor, I think they'll be a few glasses of champagne drunk in Downing Street tonight

claig · 20/01/2011 19:53

the Gruffalo? Hasn't he had enough of Gordon Brown?

tethersend · 20/01/2011 19:50

In a way, any change in the shadow cabinet is academic- with Ed at the helm they remain unelectable.

maggiethecat · 20/01/2011 19:50

For all I know it could have been the Gruffalo.

claig · 20/01/2011 19:47

or was it Machiavelli's 'The Prince'?

claig · 20/01/2011 19:44

'He was reading his book.'

Das Kapital?

cakeywakey · 20/01/2011 19:40

I'm sorry that Alan Johnson has gone, he's one of the few politicians around that aren't putting on an act. Nice man but not right for the job. Shame to lose him from the shadow cabinet.

tethersend · 20/01/2011 19:38

Or Cain and Abel perhaps?

klauskinskiinthekinotech · 20/01/2011 19:38

Yes Mina and great stupidity....

MinaTannenbaum · 20/01/2011 19:31

Would that have been The Dummy's Guide to the Welfare State, maggie?
Or maybe Ralph Miliband's Theory of the State...

I am sorry Alan Johnson has gone. He was a man of great integrity Sad

maggiethecat · 20/01/2011 19:11

He was reading his book.

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