There have been heart rendering stories of a Scottish machine politician crying on a set-up interview with Piers Morgan. You can't play it both ways Gordon Brown. You either protect your family from the public gaze or you use them for your political ends. For instance, your performance allows me to say that your wife has so many charity engagements here and in the United States that no way is she looking after the family. Sorry, the Daily Mail has already said it!!
The new book by Lance Price, which I have yet to read, does not give you a very flattering picture. I get the sense that over half of the Labour Party would be estatic, if you were run over by a Clapham omnibus. That might be a bit harsh but Mr Brown, you screwed up my pension (dividend tax changes) and cost me a fortune in council tax paying for all those Labour areas. I would have forgiven you if Great Britain had pulled out its troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. The US anyway have been critical about our military performance (Basra and Balaclava, army disasters beginning with B?) Sorry, Singapore begins with an S). However, that would have screwed up your chances of top international jobs a la Blair when you retire. Or are you going to write your memoirs and explain how you employed a yob like McBride?
You are always grandstanding on the world stage but I get the impression that the IMF thinks you are an economic cretin. How you let Lady Ashton get a top EU job is beyond me. She is an easy pot shot for the French. Ashton should never have been let out of UK quango land.
However, Gordon, you are a very determined politician. I think the class card strategy might be working with the dim British electorate. The Tory Party does seem to have been taken over by Old Etonians and Cameron cuties. I get the sense the US would prefer working with you. Dave has never really hit it off with the Americans. I know the European Union would be aghast if the Tories got in. Peter Mandelson saved you last year from your Cabinet revolt but as you are not really a loyal kind of guy, he has been disappointed by your behaviour since.
I think you might struggle in the forthcoming general election campaign. It will be a test of what the voters think of a Scottish machine politician.
PS. Dear Reader, I am sorry this might not be a balanced, nuanced view of a complicated individual but you should read Jeff Randall's demolition of Gordon Brown
in yesterday's Daily Telegraph.
Saturday 13 February 2010
Monday 8 February 2010
Eurozone "Pigs" could lead us all to slaughter!!
In Saturday's Daily Telegraph the economics columnist Jeremy Warner has written an interesting article headed "Eurozone #Pigs# could lead us all to slaughter".
Warner writes "both Washington and London seem gripped by the sort of political paralysis that can indeed prove lethal. We should not assume that the sudden loss of confidence that has afflicted Greece - essentially a developing market economy that should never have been in the euro in the first place - will be confined to the "pigs" (Portugal Ireland, Greece and Spain). The burgeoning size of public indebtedness the world over makes all economies vulnerable."
On the following day Liam Halligan, in the Sunday Telegraph, notes that the budget deficit in the United Kingdom is running at 13 pct of GDP compared with 11 pct in Spain. I wonder if his figures include the borrowing figures of the Spanish regional governments and regional health authorities? I remember years ago the Andalusian health body Insalud seemed to take almost years in paying its suppliers. Personally, I think Mr Halligan is comparing apples with pears when he talks about the UK and Spain. For instance, our town halls might be useless and incompetent but they are not as corrupt as Spanish ones, which Brit expats are finding out to their cost.
I think Liam is also too harsh on the Tories since there is no point in David Cameron scaring the voters (who are a pretty dim lot in the UK) with ideas of public expenditure cuts. People who voted Labour in 1997, 2001 and 2005, knew that the middle classes would be crucified by tax rises and that there would be redistribution from the south-east to Labour areas. However, I would not expect these policies to figure explicitly in any Labour manifesto but more cunningly in phrases such as "opportunity and prosperity for all". Then, there would be increased funding on Labour councils and less funding for Conservative ones leading to
higher council tax bills for Tory voters.
I think both Labour and Conservatives will cut public expenditure and increase taxes.
We could save a few bob by pulling out of Afghanistan and lifting VAT to 20 pct
from the level of 17.5 pct. The Irish government has received quite a few plaudits in cutting the pay levels of the public sector by levels ranging from 5 pct to 15 pct. This would be fought tooth and nail by the trade unions here in the United Kingdom but we are already being softened up by stories on police overtime scams. In the private sector the choice has often been a stark one "Do you want a job or not?"
and people have had to take pay cuts, reduced pension schemes and loss of crucial overtime.
Warner writes "both Washington and London seem gripped by the sort of political paralysis that can indeed prove lethal. We should not assume that the sudden loss of confidence that has afflicted Greece - essentially a developing market economy that should never have been in the euro in the first place - will be confined to the "pigs" (Portugal Ireland, Greece and Spain). The burgeoning size of public indebtedness the world over makes all economies vulnerable."
On the following day Liam Halligan, in the Sunday Telegraph, notes that the budget deficit in the United Kingdom is running at 13 pct of GDP compared with 11 pct in Spain. I wonder if his figures include the borrowing figures of the Spanish regional governments and regional health authorities? I remember years ago the Andalusian health body Insalud seemed to take almost years in paying its suppliers. Personally, I think Mr Halligan is comparing apples with pears when he talks about the UK and Spain. For instance, our town halls might be useless and incompetent but they are not as corrupt as Spanish ones, which Brit expats are finding out to their cost.
I think Liam is also too harsh on the Tories since there is no point in David Cameron scaring the voters (who are a pretty dim lot in the UK) with ideas of public expenditure cuts. People who voted Labour in 1997, 2001 and 2005, knew that the middle classes would be crucified by tax rises and that there would be redistribution from the south-east to Labour areas. However, I would not expect these policies to figure explicitly in any Labour manifesto but more cunningly in phrases such as "opportunity and prosperity for all". Then, there would be increased funding on Labour councils and less funding for Conservative ones leading to
higher council tax bills for Tory voters.
I think both Labour and Conservatives will cut public expenditure and increase taxes.
We could save a few bob by pulling out of Afghanistan and lifting VAT to 20 pct
from the level of 17.5 pct. The Irish government has received quite a few plaudits in cutting the pay levels of the public sector by levels ranging from 5 pct to 15 pct. This would be fought tooth and nail by the trade unions here in the United Kingdom but we are already being softened up by stories on police overtime scams. In the private sector the choice has often been a stark one "Do you want a job or not?"
and people have had to take pay cuts, reduced pension schemes and loss of crucial overtime.
Saturday 6 February 2010
A rant against David Lammy, Labour MP for Tottenham.
I have nothing personal against David Lammy, Labour MP for Tottenham. However, I think he is a bit of a worm for announcing major cuts in UK budget expenditure for British
universities in his role of minister.
As an ex-alumnus of Harvard Law School and a big pal of Obama, he himself has benefitted from a world-class education. The least Lammy could do his resign his UK ministerial post. In the 1960s Labour Chancellor of Exchequer, Jim Callaghan, resigned after a devaluation and still made it to Prime Minister in the 1970s. A resignation might do the political career of Lammy some good. He is famous for his leaden performances in the
House of Commons.
It is estimated that 200,000 kids could miss out on an university place in 2010-11.
There is a high number of applicants due to various factors such as a birth-rate bulge, disguised unemployment, gap-year students and places going to Chinese and Indian students, whom the universities can charge virtually what they like in terms of fees. The grove of academe!!
Lammy says that university expenditure has risen by 25 pct since 1997, when Labour got into power. However, I think National Health Service expenditure has risen by 100 pct during the same period.
Part of Lammy's current job is chasing up on Islamist extremists in our universities.
I don't think the United States is overly impressed by the role of University College of London (UCL) in educating the Detroit bomber.
Note for our foreign readers: Tottenham is the famous home of the Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs) football club based at White Hart Line. Perhaps it is fair to say that the
fans, who go to the matches, do not share the same demographic profile as the current residents of the area. A lot of the fans have moved out to Essex and
Hertfordshire.
Tottenham is now locally famous for deprivation, poverty and Turkish gangland violence.
universities in his role of minister.
As an ex-alumnus of Harvard Law School and a big pal of Obama, he himself has benefitted from a world-class education. The least Lammy could do his resign his UK ministerial post. In the 1960s Labour Chancellor of Exchequer, Jim Callaghan, resigned after a devaluation and still made it to Prime Minister in the 1970s. A resignation might do the political career of Lammy some good. He is famous for his leaden performances in the
House of Commons.
It is estimated that 200,000 kids could miss out on an university place in 2010-11.
There is a high number of applicants due to various factors such as a birth-rate bulge, disguised unemployment, gap-year students and places going to Chinese and Indian students, whom the universities can charge virtually what they like in terms of fees. The grove of academe!!
Lammy says that university expenditure has risen by 25 pct since 1997, when Labour got into power. However, I think National Health Service expenditure has risen by 100 pct during the same period.
Part of Lammy's current job is chasing up on Islamist extremists in our universities.
I don't think the United States is overly impressed by the role of University College of London (UCL) in educating the Detroit bomber.
Note for our foreign readers: Tottenham is the famous home of the Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs) football club based at White Hart Line. Perhaps it is fair to say that the
fans, who go to the matches, do not share the same demographic profile as the current residents of the area. A lot of the fans have moved out to Essex and
Hertfordshire.
Tottenham is now locally famous for deprivation, poverty and Turkish gangland violence.
Friday 5 February 2010
For our American readers the JT problem explained!
I am assuming there are American readers of this priceless blog and so I will explain a bit about the John Terry (JT) scandal. You lot are used to your sporting heroes being overpaid and oversexed, which we share, although there is not the same problem over the use of weapons. Being captain of the England football team is still an honour here and team manager Fabio Capello had warned his players to behave up to the run-up to the World Cup in South Africa. Dipping your wick with your mate's ex-bird is not really a hanging offence but we got to put our best foot forward. So, Capello just took a 12 minute meeting to strip the captaincy off
Terry.
On a personal note a few years ago I was behind the Chelsea goal at Stamford Bridge when JT gathered the ball, took a few paces and then delivered this amazing curved pass to the left wing. It was literally a thing of sublime beauty. And I am a ManU supporter!
Terry.
On a personal note a few years ago I was behind the Chelsea goal at Stamford Bridge when JT gathered the ball, took a few paces and then delivered this amazing curved pass to the left wing. It was literally a thing of sublime beauty. And I am a ManU supporter!
Wednesday 3 February 2010
UK lights go out from 2015? Ofgem.
UK power regulator Ofgem has probably timed its intervention into the murky political/energy arena to perfection with its "Project Discovery". The report also probably makes the case that Ed Miliband, the Labour minister for environment, is a a complete **** (you chose the epithet!).
Ofgem chief executive Alistair Buchanan says decisions on energy security
have to be made by 2013 so as to prevent the lights going out in Great Britain from 2015.
One possibility outlined by the Ofgem report is a central buyer of energy, which is the nationalisation of part of the market.
We let Iberdrola take over Scottish Power for a very small premium but if Scottish & Southern wants to buy a Spanish utility the screaming from Madrid would be amazing. As for dislodging the EDF monopoly in France, don't even think about it.
One minute E.on was planning to build a new power station (Kingsnorth) and now it is not. We might as well as offer the Germans a low price for the old assets of Powergen. There was environmental opposition to the new unit at the existing power station but we are going to have to get real eventually.
I am not a little Englander but can we can really let our energy security be dictated by external groups and countries?
The dash into renewables such as wind power will probably prove a waste of money.
Ofgem chief executive Alistair Buchanan says decisions on energy security
have to be made by 2013 so as to prevent the lights going out in Great Britain from 2015.
One possibility outlined by the Ofgem report is a central buyer of energy, which is the nationalisation of part of the market.
We let Iberdrola take over Scottish Power for a very small premium but if Scottish & Southern wants to buy a Spanish utility the screaming from Madrid would be amazing. As for dislodging the EDF monopoly in France, don't even think about it.
One minute E.on was planning to build a new power station (Kingsnorth) and now it is not. We might as well as offer the Germans a low price for the old assets of Powergen. There was environmental opposition to the new unit at the existing power station but we are going to have to get real eventually.
I am not a little Englander but can we can really let our energy security be dictated by external groups and countries?
The dash into renewables such as wind power will probably prove a waste of money.
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