Brown's last act of spite

That's my experience under Labour, Edam.

Animula, no, I'm not a CM - but know of many people who are!

actually it is entirely true that the NHS is vastly better under Labour. How quickly people forget... under the Tories healthcare was rationed, basically by seeing who was still alive after two years. If by some miracle you were still around, congratulations, you could have heart surgery!

Thanks VictoryA.

Btw, are you a childminder? Just nosiness, really.

I'm angry about GB because:

He became PM by foul means (and I hated Blair, so I was glad to see him go - but not by duplicity).

He has lied, lied, lied, lied throughout his tenure (about improvements to the NHS, 16-y-os becoming cleverer every year, improved schools).

He has done nothing for SAH parents, carers of old people, or the self-employed (if you're self-employed, you qualify for practically nothing that's on offer to PAYE parents, even if you earn a pittance, as I do).

He didn't create the global economic situation, but he did so many things to make it far, far worse.

Above all, he is an ideologue of the most dour, rabid kind. I detest ideologies, particularly ones that put the state at the centre of the individual's life - which is what GB has tried to do almost from birth with the introduction of the EYFS, its extension to CMs etc, etc. Had he remained in power, I am quite sure that parents would have been inspected to see if they were following the EYFS.

They are just the first few things that come to mind!

Mimizan, you mention our society being tolerant and accepting thanks to GB. In the past week, as a Tory on MN, I have experienced intolerance, gross insults and bullying on a daily basis. It seems that one has to be tolerant and accepting of everyone so long as they don't vote Conservative. Fortunately I have a thick skin!

VictoryA - Obviously, you don't have to answer this, and I'm sure you have explicated elsewhere but I haven't read it - but may I ask you why you are so angry about GB? I'm really, genuinely curious.

I can't say that much here as I like being anonymous, but I have a good degree of 'insider' knowledge of Sure Start in a professional capacity. Although I'm sure it has done some good, much of it is spin and lies.

The idea of GB resigning for the stability of the country is laughable. If he were that bothered about the stability of the country, he wouldn't have been clinging on since last week. I think he realised that he was doing massive damage to the Labour party, and went because he didn't want the entire party to be tarred with his brush.

Surely MN isn't representative of the general population in its wilful blindness and fawning over GB?

I just hope that all his good work is not destroyed now he has gone.

'He will go down in history as one of our very worst Prime Ministers'

That is your opinion however I actually believe he will be missed more than anyone can imagine right now. He was a thoroughly decent person who wanted to do the best for this country and not win a popularity contest. I personally would like to thank him for guiding us through the last couple of years, we wouldn't be coming out of this recession as well as we are without him.

I wasn't a GB supporter, but his speech brought a tear to my eye. Like woolworths, he'll perhaps only be missed once he's gone.

I wondered if he resigned early to force the Tories and Lib dems to cement the deal quickly for the stability of the country. Once Cameron was PM there was an extra oomph to get it done.

I felt sorry for Fraser and John. They have known Downing Street their whole lives. I wonder how their parents prepared them for these possibilities over the last few weeks? Equally for Nancy and Arthur life is going to change forever at an important time in their lives.

Victory- no I'm not 4 but my DD is, and I fear for her future under a Government ridden with Tory values.

Re GB's decision-making. He has made some of the best social policy decisions this country has seen since the formation of the welfare state. Sure start has made a major impact in improving the life chances of millions of children in the uk. GB was responsible for this, not to mention working family tax credit and the minimum wage.

I see him more as an intelligent thinker, than a manipulator.

Victorya - I suspect historians will be closer to Mimizan's view than yours. And I can just see scholars of the future drawing shaking their heads as they draw their conclusions over the media coverage of this election.

I think he left to retain his dignity, don't blame him.

Best PM in your lifetime, Mimizan? How old are you? Four?

Well said mimizan

I didn't know that Builde. Is it one of those weird fiefdoms like the Channel Islands?

Unelected prime minister is a strange phrase because we actually all vote for a member of parliament, not a prime minister.

Only the people of Fife and got to vote for a prime minister.

He's been the best PM in my lifetime!!!

Leave him alone.

Can't wait to see who the media will choose as their next victim. Hopefully they'll deserve it. It makes my blood boil to see how bullied GB has been when the Tory party is full of racist, homophobic bigots. GB has done alot to make our society the tolerant, accepting place it is now.

With rather marvellous results IIRC Janos

I thought that about Churchill too.

Mind you, he did get voted out in 1945!

"How vindictive can you get?"

A lot more, judging by quite a few of the posts on here.

One of the reasons why many people are so concerned about the new govt, I imagine.

Churchill. Unelected Prime Minister.* Just sayin'.

*Of course this phrase has no logical or constitutional meaning whatsoever.

Anyhoo - back to the OP, according to the Guardian he waited until he got a phone call from Nick Clegg confirming that Clegg was definitely going with the Tories, before resigning.

So it looks like he did wait until the deal was final.

Is that alright for you now OP?

Ah, no, I don't forget. You can't get much more of a die-hard Tory than I am, and even I thought they had gone past their sell-by date by the time JM ousted Thatcher.

VicToryA, John Major ousted Margaret Thatcher to become an unelected Prime Minister too. (oh how quickly you forget)

Ronshar "This is all public knowledge and I am sure that we shall see an avalache of books by civil servants etc about it all very soon."

I'm not sure civil servants are allowed to publish their memoirs - probably have to sign official secrets act- for at least 30/40 years