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Blair's resignation speech: "This is the Greatest Nation On Earth"

90 replies

ipanemagirl · 10/05/2007 12:52

Whats that supposed to mean exactly?!
Over 6,000 Iraqi civilians dead. Does that make us the greatest?

OP posts:
Califrau · 10/05/2007 16:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lissielou · 10/05/2007 16:58

tbh doggie, i agree with you in that some of labours mistakes are to big to ignore, the fact is (as i said on another thread) Blair inherited a mess created by the Tories and people on the whole are better off now than ever before. add into the mix the progress made with northern ireland and he's not been as bad as some would like us to think.

Upwind · 10/05/2007 17:09

lissielou - there has been a global economic boom over the past 10 years. It is relatively easy to maintain low unemployment etc in the boom times.

Every single boom before this one has ended in a recession - will you never vote labour again if that happens now?

lissielou · 10/05/2007 17:15

no, i will prob still vote labour because they have given us a minimum wage, a better deal for new mums (mat pay/leave) and i know what you are saying about the economic life cycle with every peak there must be a dip but one of the main causes of high unemployment under the Tories was the dismantling of british industries. mining, manufacturing etc.

Eleusis · 10/05/2007 17:34

I think the dip is getting rather close. Inflation is rising, housing is unaffordable, oil prices are still riding high... Something has got to give. And the signs are starting. It will probably be a while... But we will dip. Probably the best we can hope for is a soft landing.

Personally, I'd like to see the housing market crash and burn because then maybe I could buy one.

homemama · 10/05/2007 17:53

But during those 10yrs the world economy has dipped and like him or loathe him, Brown's economic policies have ensured a soft landing.

It's so British of us to be embarrassed that our nation's leader comments that we're the greatest nation on earth. Oh and Churchill and Thatcher have both said pretty much the same thing in speeches so it's nothing new.

I agree that the housing market is out of control but we'd be on here complaining if government started capping market forces.

NoodleStroodle · 10/05/2007 17:55

Eleusis - I think you are right. We all have a huge problem with consumer debt which links into housing affordability. And we all know what happens when everyone stops spending money...

SoapOnARope · 10/05/2007 18:02

Califrau, you want a link to his speech if you get one make sure you have a bucket handy!

Upwind · 10/05/2007 18:10

Homemama - the soft landing has not really happened yet, hopefully it will.

The government does interfere in the housing market - if they did not I could build my dream home on any bit of land I could manage to buy. Prices in the UK are so high because planning regulations artificially restrict supply of land for housing - benefiting those who already own property at the expense of those who don't.

Not that I particularly object to this btw, but if they are going to restrict supply of a basic need, I think they should have done something to stop their friends in banking and construction from taking advantage of the situation. For instance they could have made borrowings in excess of three times salary irrecoverable by the banks, before it became necessary for people to raise far in excess of that to buy their first shoe-box sized home.

Eleusis · 10/05/2007 18:13

Brown's economic policies have ridden the wave of good times and the landing has not yet happened so it's abit soon to judge it as soft. His spending is out of control and if he doesn't slow down, he won't be able to sustain his plans when the not so high times stop bringin gin so much cash flow.

Average people on average salaries can not afford the taxes he commands to build his prosperous empire.

Winston Churchill once said that trying to tax a nation into prosperity was like standing in a bucket and trying to pull yourself up by the handle.

homemama · 10/05/2007 18:27

I respectfully disagree. My BIL is an economist and by his reckoning we've had two 'soft landings' in the past 10yrs (and he's a tru blue tory!)

Almost no non-urban land is owned directly by the government and could be sold for you to build your dream home. Government policy of forcing local councils to set quite high targets of house building over the next five years. Many rural councils are struggling with this as it would mean building on green field sites. Still, it is an attempt by government to flush the market with new houses therfore decreasing the demand that sees prices soaring.

Many (but by no means all) of the people who are renting, could afford to buy if they were to move somewhere else in the country. This is more true of people who live in London and the SE. Of course many people can only work in london but many, many others just want to live where they want to live. It just doesn't work like that.

homemama · 10/05/2007 18:29

Yes, I agree he isn't sticking to his own 'prudent' spending limit at the moment and is currently riding the crest of the wave.

Pruni · 10/05/2007 18:41

Message withdrawn

newlifenewname · 10/05/2007 18:44

I don't know about the 'could afford to rent elsewhere' thing. Isn't it likely that a large number of people renting do, in theory, cover a rent close to, if not, MORE than a mortgage might be? However, their income would not qualify them for an equivalent mortgage (or the equivalent monthly repayment). Plus, if one cannot obtain a 100 percent mortgage there is the problem of a deposit - which its unlikely you'll have (without help) if you've been forking out to a greedy landlord for yonks.

Finally, with the debt/greedy materialism situation as it is here - with lending only just being vaguely regulated - it is probably true that a large number of persons letting property have a thoroughly shocking credit rating (as I do) and do not stand a cat in hell's chance of getting a mortgage.

Landlords rub hands. In Europe, in many cases one can at aleast rent AND save to buy. Not here.

newlifenewname · 10/05/2007 18:45

buy not rent, obv.

NoodleStroodle · 10/05/2007 18:47

Newlife - I think that the gradual rise in interest rates will lead alot of buy to let buyers giving up...as I understand it this is not quite "the sure thing" that it was and lots of people went into without thinking through the lean times...

Can you not approach a housing association?

MrMariella · 10/05/2007 19:06

Crumbs! No-one has said "Close the door on your way out." Or "Don't let the door catch on your arse on the way out". etc...

NoodleStroodle · 10/05/2007 19:07

I am really worried he said "Good Luck".
What does he know that we don't.

poor Cherie - he's going to be under her feet all day!!

MrMariella · 10/05/2007 19:08

Agree sooo much with Pruni.

I never did vote for "New Labour", but the thought of a Tory getting anywhere near power would force me to. They were really shitty times as a nation.

SoapOnARope · 10/05/2007 21:10

his speech was like the greatest SHOW on earth

Nightynight · 10/05/2007 21:51

lol
must admit, my first thought was he had been taking lessons from his friend George Bush. Ghastly line, anyway.

morningpaper · 10/05/2007 21:54

I LOVE TONY BLAIR

When I saw the headline naming the day, I burst into tears and had to run into the office toilet to pull myself together

morningpaper · 10/05/2007 21:55

And I think this IS the greatest nation on earth

Where else do you want to live?

SoapOnARope · 10/05/2007 21:57

Switzerland

morningpaper · 10/05/2007 21:58

Like anything ever happens THERE

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