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

74 replies

mozhe · 31/05/2007 09:28

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

OP posts:
Eleusis · 31/05/2007 11:57

But it is what it is, and I will have to accept that he is the PM (sniff sniff sulk sulk... I'm not there yet). But, what I think will be interesting to watch more than Gordon's relationship wtih the US but how he gets on with Merkel, Sarkozy, and even Putin. Now, that will be interesting.

Desiderata · 31/05/2007 12:02

No. I always imagine that his underwear smells.

To quote the 80's classic, I cannot help but think that 'Gordon is a moron.'

1dilemma · 31/05/2007 12:04

To answer op no will be interesting to see what happens to public services though. I thought a lot of the booming economy is built on sand (not quite sure how to say it without being vv long winded) but eg people feel rich because their house is worth a lot but the housing market round here isn't working, inflation was kept down by political means and could be out of control, influx of cheap labour has helped but like PFI the true costs of that are yet to be paid (and their ability to keep it coming is looking limited).
I think when people really think about it they are unhappy about lots of things but there is such inertia, plus this gov really doesn't care for the will of the people. Agree with expat and Eleusis

1dilemma · 31/05/2007 12:05

What do you think mozhe?

expatinscotland · 31/05/2007 12:07

My main complaint about Gordon is that he is bull-headed and refuses to think outside the box. He's about as innovative as a box of rocks.

All his policies seem to involve financial penalties as a way to control and cajole people to do what he wants.

Let's see, how can we get folks to use public transport more? Maybe if we try improving the sytem - update, upgrade and provide more comprehensive service for cheaper, people will use it more. And then if they don't, then we consider raising taxes.

Nah, let's just raise tax!

But make sure you leave loopholes in for big business!

Ah, the countryside! Nice playground for the rich.

But oh, those pesky farmers and 'animal people'. What a nuisance!

I know, unleash the combined forces of Tesco, ASDA and Sainsbury's on them. That'll fix 'em.

Goverment by the people?

Who needs that when you've got goverment by target!

Wahey!

Hey, wait, why does everyone want to move to Australia?

Cascara · 31/05/2007 12:13

He scares me pretty much for the reasons expat stated.

Manictigger · 31/05/2007 14:52

No, for the same reasons as Expat. The only good thing he's done is hand over interest rate control to the B of E. I think he's a crap chancellor, this 'great' economy is based on cheap foreign labour, cheap foreign imports and huge amounts of personal debt. The rich have become much richer and everyone else who works at all has to a greater or lesser extent become worse off. Can't stand the man and think he's just as bad as TB in his own way.

Aaahhhhhhhhh..... I feel better now

kate100 · 31/05/2007 15:13

No, also for all the reasons Expat has said. Also, he's no leader, if he was he'd have got rid of Blair long ago, but he didn't have the guts. In one way I hope that he makes a complete mess of it and we get rid of him quickly. I cannot, begin to imagine how much more tax my family will be paying in 12 months time.

expatinscotland · 31/05/2007 15:17

His whole tax credits vehicle is still in shambles.

WHY NOT JUST RAISE THE PERSONAL INCOME THRESHHOLD SO VERY LOW-WAGE EARNERS DON'T PAY TAX OR AS MUCH TAX (but aren't on as many benefits and costing the state even more)?

Oh, well, because then there'd be fewer 'targets' to meet.

Can't have government without targets.

That would require a working brain then, Gordon. Uh oh.

doormangav · 31/05/2007 15:18

I can't see any sign of the spin machine stopping with GB at the helm..

I love the way that people delclare he has been the best chancelor for X years and what a gr8 job he has done...

The economy is a bit like an oil tanker - in that it takes a long time for it to change direction.. the economic healt we have had over the past 10 years was due to the correct managemnt by the tories last time around - I know people say well under the tories we had two recessions but it was them that got us to a stable level in the end...

So far all I have seen GB do is tax more, and spend more on public servcies that don't work... our public spending is out of control.

We PAY MUCH more now than we did in 97 and it is going to get worse...

suedonim · 31/05/2007 15:19

Eleusis, you missed out selling our gold reserves when prices were at a record low and ram-raiding people's pensions.

LazyLine · 31/05/2007 15:20

Putting aside what I think of him as a chancellor, I can't accept the argument that he'll be a good PM because he's a good chancellor. They are not the same job. Have to say it seems odd to me that someone who is CotE would WANT to be PM. Surely one of the few truly specialised jobs in the government. The others are completely interchangeable. I would have thought that the desire to be the best Chancellor and to be a PM would be mutually exclusive.

Aside from politics, would like to add that he appears to be a miserable bugger with no sense of humour. As for the embarrassing attempt at pretending he listens to modern music....HA!

JoolsToo · 31/05/2007 15:21

God no, but he may surprise us. One thing is for sure, I can't bear to watch him, he's creepy (Uriah Heep)

Thing is I'm not a fan of Dave Cameron either, he's an arse

expatinscotland · 31/05/2007 15:21

And you also left out screwing over the Scottish oil industry, Eleusis .

expatinscotland · 31/05/2007 15:22

He makes me want to leave the country. And sadly, it may not be a 'want' after he's in power if he keeps going the same way, but a necessity.

Eleusis · 31/05/2007 15:26

We contend that for a nation to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.

-Winston Churchill

Eleusis · 31/05/2007 15:28

I'm sure I've missed many more.

Oh yes, the unemployed Scottish oil instry sure loves him. Bet he's Mr. popular in Aberdeen.

alipiggie · 31/05/2007 15:30

Who's worse Dubya or George? I wish all of you good luck with GB. I truly believe that the state of the country will not improve. Taxation will increase and as Expat says the gap will widen even further.

expatinscotland · 31/05/2007 15:34

The thing that gets me isn't just the rate of taxation, it's that you don't seem to get much in return for it - poor services and infrastructure.

And if I hear one more person say, 'Well, there reason we have such a problem with homelessness is because this is a small island' I'm going to vomit.

The reason you have such a problem with homelessness is because of government policies (like not taxing multiple-homeownership and allowing the continued sell off and non-replacement of socialised housing for rent) and wrecking of pensions leading house prices - and consequently rents - through the roof.

Eleusis · 31/05/2007 15:40

Ermm... Dubya or George? You got me there. I thought Dubya was George.

JoolsToo · 31/05/2007 15:42

I thought that but I think she means George BROWN

JoolsToo · 31/05/2007 15:42

but of course its Gordon!

alipiggie · 31/05/2007 15:47

lol oops yep George Bush or George Brown. Umm could be very interesting couldn't it.

JoolsToo · 31/05/2007 15:54

GORDON Brown

akaJamiesMum · 31/05/2007 16:00

Not looking forward to it - but not dreading it either. Have real politics apathy at the moment. All equally as bad as each other.