Brown's spend, spend, spend during his Chancellor's days has brought us into the current economy we are facing today. His appeal at a Downing Street meeting for the lenders to pass on cuts appeared to fall on deaf ears with HBOS, which owns the Halifax, increasing its rate on some mortgages from 6.09 to 6.59 per cent. Borrowers taking out this type of deal will now pay 46 more a month. On a two-year tracker, the rate will increase from 1.49 points above base rate to 1.99 points, giving a current rate of 6.99 per cent.

Other lenders are expected to follow Halifaxs lead.

If the Government wants the banks to lower mortgage rates to home owners - why not just offer them through Northern Rock? Everyone would rush to the Rock to get the loans forcing banks to match the rates or lose the business? Or maybe the government would then run into bigger credit crunch?

Global problems yes but all Gordon's decisions are like chickens coming home to roost. Raided the pension schemes now strikes when companies can't pay the price, selling our gold at the bottom, damaging the Aim market, driving our large companies to take refuge abroad, pushing out our high spenders who are keeping the retail sector afloat, sending rivers of money into schools hospitals where it is not properly controlled and washes away, I could go on and on! Meanwhile with all the local unemployment and benefits paid out--down in this area fruit and veg are rotting in the fields because nobody will take the jobs now immigrants are going back home! rant over it's a lovely day down here.

'S a lovely day up here too.
No great support for GB from me, even if it came across as such, but I can't think of a single person in any party who is up to the job or could be trusted with any power at all.
Funny thing is, 15 years ago the slide to obscurity for the tories started with accusations of giving money to the fat cats. Today we lambast GB for taking it away. Enoch Powell was ostracised for his warnings on immigration. Now GB could pay heavily for not heeding them. Every PM since Pitt the Younger (nearly) has been taken to task for not applying sufficient funding to health and education, yet this one gets it in the neck for giving too much, and it being wasted by a system created by the other party. He got rid of the fuel duty accelerator introduced by the tories and has deferred rises on petrol many times, and then suffers when he applies other taxes to make up the shortfall.
My point is that we all demand free beer today, and the most any PM can offer is free beer tomorrow. Tomorrow of course never comes and the PM has a limited life expectancy. GB perfect? No. Good? Not really. Just run of the mill.
I agree, Gus, that a little honesty may be a good thing, but the ignorant populace would never elect anyone whose hoardings speeches said that they had 2 years of austerity, no solution to immigration or terror problems,a health service and education system that will always fall short of what we need no matter how much money we throw at them and the best they could offer was opportunity for those who can, to make enough money to provide for their own. Everyone else would have to make do and mend. But if we are honest, thats the truth of it.
Remember, even Churchill lost when he said all that, and he was our greatest leader on the back of a jubilant world war triumph!!

see Prescott is good at Fairy Tales.

the only thing he advised on was the colour of the toilet paper.

I agree Alan sadly. I think any politician who said no free terminations on the NHS after 2 [ some regulars are having 4/5 at my local hospital and treat it as easy birth control]-- limit child benefit to 2or 3 children---abolish road tax and price in pay as you drive on fuel---encourage use of buses by half price promotions at quiet times etc---raise the lower earnings level for income tax by a substantial amount to make it worth giving up benefits---and finally raise the level for house purchase tax to kick in to at least 250000. To pay for this I'd prune out the quango gravy train, slim down the multi masses in public sectors, and raise vat to 20%. I'll get my coat!!

For me, mp, the only real changes I would make are partly as outlined by you.
I would save the country several gazillion pounds by getting rid of the beurocracy and idealistic, elitist liberals who cost so much to sit polishing committee room chairs with their pompous arses, telling us to eat no more than 0.632 eggs per day or debating whether a lesbian branch of the BNP deserves support and nurture for being lesbian or derision for being BNP.
No-one other than a teacher has any place in education (though I would make the buggers work for a change) and no-one other than practising health professionals should have any say on the NHS. Surely I am not the only one to question the wisdom of entire departments costing millions to save thousands!!!
I would get rid of all advisory and regulatory bodies that are not essential for the well being of the population. The FSA would be gone, as would the ASA, the milk marketing board, the white fish commission and many more. Not only would this save the country the equivalent of an African nations debt, it would make business easier to conduct and both cheaper to the consumer and more profitable.
Of course there would be strikes and unrest, but the 80's saw Thatcher do all that to the industries that were dragging on us, so why not do it to the beurocrats.
That would be my first day in office. On my second day there would be free beer.

Lol--I love it!! I wish I had your quick wit and fluency.

Alan, you got my vote.

This looks like the Cameron's NEW Tory party's policies. Long live chaos. 8-)

This looks like the Cameron's NEW Tory party's policies. Long live chaos. 8-)

Frank Field, a leading Labour backbencher has stated that he believes Brown will not lead the party into the next General Election. It was he, of course, that was sidelined after his views against Browns actions on pension funds. He commands much respect and this may be the begining of the end for Brown.

I do feel a trifle sorry for the man--bear baiting and death by a thousand knives comes to mind! on the other hand if you can't take the heat etc...

Labour is totally trash. And its leader is the same too

They've had it, they've shot their own feet off and they treat the general public like we are idiots.

Good riddance Brown in 2 years time, he won't be able to not call the election then because he thinks they will win it :-))

I am reminded of my old mate Denis Skinner (love him or hate him, he at least is true to his convictions) addressing Major in the twilight years of Tory rule.
"For Gods sake, GO. And take the rest of the ragtag and bobtail with you."

I may be wrong but, I can not say that I have heard him say anything similar on this occasion. Perhaps he has lost his voice. On the other hand, I have heard Frank Field say plenty.

All Gordon needs to survive, is another war like the Falkland. Sit on a tank with handkerchief like Magpie, blow up a ship in international waters killing just "a few foreigners". If he does that all the Tories will be out in strength to vote him back in.

The problem is, which country, Syria, Iran. West Bank. The problem Brown will have is persuading himself that it is in the National interest to do so. At least Brown knows where those countries are. The Bush didn't, but "Mission was Accomplished". The right wing policies being suggested above, brought about the present chaos in the American economy.



I think Gordon will still be PM in 4 years time.

That should be no problem withdraw the troops in Iraq and invade Iran after all its only next door and it will teach Iran an important lesson in democracy and give support to Brown in the next Election.

I'm in favor of a new war in Iran it makes perfect sense and Brown is the right man to lead us.

You wish Fred1new. The cat is out of the bag for Brown. Its nothing to do with right wing this and left wing that, that has caused the mess, it has been sheer greed and incompetence and disrespect for anything that seems fair. Don't forget New Labour have been there 10 years. I can not see what help Iraq was to Blair if that is your argument. Its time to see old labour take back the party. At least you can have respect for them and can at least see what they stand for. New Labour would have done ultra right wing Tories proud with their cosying up to the Mega rich. Go on Frank Field give them hell.

Yes thats right mitzy put him in the front line

See politicalbetting.com. Mention of a Times article saying that privately many ministers are now opposed to Brown remaining as Prime Minister. His days would seem numbered. The high turn out coupled with the 18% swing to the Conservatives at Crewe and Nantwitch is probably the final straw. I cannot see them pursuading him to go quietly. To try and save some face, a deputy will probably be appointed under the pretense that he is being groomed to be next leader under an understanding that the deputy will take over in a few months. However, the sooner he goes the better the chances the party has to recover some ground before the General Election in 2010. imho.