Are you looking forward to Gordon Brown as your prime minister ?

[mozhe]

I'm wondering how other MNers are thinking ?
Will he be an improvement on Blair ?
Are you discussing such a momentous change even.....?

Short answer - yes

Have always rated Brown- think he is less attention seeking & more sensible than Blair. I think peple underestimate the good he has done as Chancellor. However I don't think hat the change will be that momentous - will still be "new" Labour & all that entails & I think that he has already had quite an influence on this government's policy & direction. I do think it is critical to see who GB appoints as the new chancellor though..

My prime minister is Alex Salmond

Hurray!

I know technically Gordo will be PM of the UK, and sadly Scotland is still not independent, but I'm trying not to think about it too much...

Seriously though, I agree with mumzarello

will be v interesting to see who ends up in all the top jobs

absolutely NOT, no way....

Fuck no.

And Gordon never phoned to congratulate Alex Salmond. He phoned the Welsh bloke.

But Alex is still waiting . . .

god no
arrogant policitican ( much like most of them)
altho don't think he'll schmooze with Bush as much as Blair did which would be a good thing.

and I hate how it's been assumed that he would be next leader (of course he is now) from the minute Tony decided he was going to leave a couple of years ago. But even if there is an election soon, I think Labour wil stay

Well, I wouln't say "looking forward to", but I'm not upset.

No way. People voted in Blair so why is it now being handed over to someone that no-one voted for. There should be another general election so the public can decide.

Well, the premiership was handed over to John Major when Thatcher was booted out and it was handed over twice after Anthony Eden's debacle in Egypt (Eden to Macmillan and Macmillan to Hulme) so I have no problems with it as there is precedent.

In the media age, GB comes across as dour and uncharismatic but that should not be the determining factor. I think he is more focussed on the details of policies unlike TB and I await with interest to see his direction on public sector reform.

Ditto Lynettescavo, time will tell I guess.....

Agree speedymama. Blair wasn't our president, much as he liked to think he was. The electorate voted in the Labour party, not TB specifically - he just happened to be the leader. That's the way the UK system works.

Anyway my bet is that GB will call a quick election - next spring?

Expat - yes - I don't think Jack McConnell phoned Alex to congratulate him either... just plain rude.

Expat is it you that really hates GB with a passion? I'm sure I remember a thread where you were vomiting all over the place about him

I'm expecting a more traditional PM, less of a president-type - he reminds me a bit of John Smith, probably the best Labour leader of the last couple of decades (although that might be because we didn't get much of a chance to judge him sadly).

I am 41+2 pregnant though, so in fairness, Eamonn Holmes would probably be a good choice, given my state of mind

no, not looking forward to it. Liked him as chancellor, but think he hasn't got what it takes to be PM and will quickly become a creature of the new Labour spin machine. Also very disturbed by some of his ideas about 'Britishness' - isn't it GB who wanted to have some kind of national Britishness day (tries to force addled brain to remember...)

Yes, GB makes me want to hurl, doggie.

He's determined to resurrect Dickensonian Britain through his financial policies.

I'll be happy as long as he doesn't start to think that we need to see him eating his cornflakes over a web cam tbh.
I personally loathe the current Blair/Cameron 'creepy smile, lets all put people in little boxes' type thing. And I could do without all the nanny state type business aswell.
Time will tell.

There was a puff piece in the guardian G2 this week - all this stuff about how he's very 'human', 'charming', 'I saw the real Gordon' etc etc - it's interesting how the media machine is gearing up to show us all how normal and not dour he is. As if it really matters whether he smiles in photos or not - the shallowness of it depresses me.

That's the media age for you. Gravitas vs fluff.

Yeah, I'll second that doggieswoof, couldn't care less if he is dour, rather that than a creepy smiling loon. Unfortunatley the media appear to think that's what the people want, when I think that nothing could be further from the truth!!

DSW & RantingH I agree - that's what has depressed me about Blair - all show & no substance - here' hoping GB keeps some substance...

I don't give a flying fuck if he's dour or charismatic, etc.

Under his regime as Chancellor, the gap between rich and poor has widended and continues to grow.

That's what matters to me.

That's true expat. New Labour is obviously very pro big business and that's the bottom line for them - they know who their real friends are, and it certainly ain't pensioners/lone parents/people on incapacity benefit etc

Unfortunately, most governments are, this is how they get their funding, I wouldn't be so naive as to think that the tories would be any different, because they won't. Doesn't make it right tho'

Is there anyone who works in the city with an opinion ? I thought he was quite popular there but my bro-in-law,( who does work in the city....), admittedly he's a dyed in the wool tory, says no.....If ' no ' why is that ? Has he not been a famously prudent chancellor, and will he not continue to keep a tight rein on things from no 10 no matter who he appoints to succeed him ?

NO!!!!!!!!!!!

I hate him more than Expat does. He takes too much and gives too little to the people who work hard to support this country.

Average people on averages wage:
Can't afford a house
Can't afford a decent education for their kids
Don't support the war in Iraq
Can't afford childcare
Public transport is underfunded
Don't want ID cards
Are not happy with the current state of the NHS

I know there is more. Expat, feel free to jump in.