³ÉÈËÂÛ̳

Why bother resigning? If he openly criticises Brown he'll be sacked like everyone else.

Worker 27’s Diary – September 15th 2020


It is nearly 11 years since Gordon Brown won the 2009 election on the back of his wildly popular ‘close the curtains and switch off the lights’ policy - his response to the global financial meltdown.



The postman arrived just as I was wondering why the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ breakfast ‘news’ was covering unicycling rather than the governments track record. Opening the envelope my pension statement revealed that I would need to work until I was 95. As I started the car I wondered if pension tax had gone up again.

Stopping at the check point I got out my wallet and whilst the inspector re-distributed my wealth some ‘year 20’ kids from the local school stuck their fingers up at me. Angry at the youth of today I accidently sped past the Flash-and-Tax (tm) camera as my mobile phone chimed informing me of my fine.

It wasn’t a good start to the day, as I inhaled I felt a little guilty when the electronic On-Board-Brown voice reminded me not to smoke in a public place. One of the traffic wardens tailing me saw me throw the unfinished fag out of the window and flashed their lights for me to slow down and pay the fine.

The pension statement had unsettled me so I phoned the Carrot Council to see if I had landed the job with the juicy retirement package. Despite 10 years experience as a carrot famer before my farm was nationalised, I was told that although I was ideal for the role I couldn’t have the job because they needed to hit their equality targets.

It was over lunch that I found out that Worker 17 had died from ‘Super MRSA’ after he had been in hospital to have his plaster cast removed. As I did the sums I realised that taxes would have to increase now that there were only 73 non government workers left in the country. Retirement at 95 was starting to look a little optimistic, although since the pound had crashed business was booming.

Returning to my desk a call came through from an angry customer complaining that he wanted to speak to a local Indian rather than some English idiot from abroad pretending to be called Vijay. I couldn’t put him through to my supervisor because he was in the T.A. and had left for his 15th tour of Iraq the previous week. He was really chuffed that the lads in the office had clubbed together to buy him some body armour, although his armourless colleagues in the platoon have started to insist he walk at the front on all patrols.

Arriving home I had to bring in the Gordon-Loves-You branded lagging that had been left on the doorstep. Environmental policies meant that the bin hadn’t been emptied for weeks and was full, so I put the lagging in the loft with the rest.

I sat down and switched on the TV. Good news. The country had finally paid off the 1998 PFI investment-debt, although they were a little vague about how long it was expected to take to pay the 1999 bill.

As I started to wonder what tomorrow would bring, I dozed off safe in the knowledge that Gordon was at the helm.

If this is true, and only a categoric denial by David Cairns would put my mind at rest, then he must go, he must resign, and resign now.

There is too much speculation for this to continue. Labour MPs seem to lack any back bone, they must do the decent thing and put the knife into Caesars back together, so that if they fail then they all go down together.

What I think is also influencing labour MPs is the power of the constituency labour party selection committees. The labour MPs who bring down the government will never be forgiven, they will be spurned, and I think treated as traitors. However, I think that they are failing the country by not taking action now.

I have said before, and I will be proved right, we are heading for another Great Depression, this will impact on India and China in a way that nobody seems to understand. Just as nobody saw the fall of the Berlin Wall, or the collapse of the Soviet Union, this is so written in the books.

We need strong leadership, people who will have to say that this is going to hurt you more than it is going to hurt me. This country is closer to revolution than you can contemplate. This is no democracy.

One of the many unhealthy aspects of the UK political scene is the way it is always the freaks, fruits and fringe who make the running on things like this.

I would be inclined to pay more attention if someone other than the usual never-has-beens was to pitch in.

Sadly the Cabinet are all whispering loyalty to the Captain, whilst keeping one eye on the Lifeboats.

There is no 'Team Brown' anymore. he's made so many enemies on the way up there is no one to support him as he stumbles from one failed relaunch to another.

If Ed Balls and Margaret Beckett are the only ones you can rely on for support then it's a lost cause. The former has fewer friends than Brown and the latter failed in the leadership contest of 94 and was the most ineffectual foreign secretary in living memory.

This is the real dilemma for 'team Brown' - even a cabinet reshuffle wouldn't work because it would mean inevitably electing some of your enemies. He doesn't have enough supporters to form a new cabinet; that's the definition of the end of a prime minister.

Goodbye Sooty.

Nick,

Is there a race now on to 'get to' Mr Cairns before anyone else?

I hear Ladbrokes have odds on him binging found in the House of Lords before noon.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

We have been in a state of 'perma-coup' with Labour for about 5 years now.

If only they had been taken more interest in governing the country instead - they might not be in the situation of being wiped out at the next election.

@2

Inspired

Who? Again?
Yes it is another unknown bashing Gordon - termed as his enemies by the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ ???? - but possibly those who have seen where they are, the mess the economy is in, that Labour is about to be wiped out at the next election and maybe just maybe they wish to let the country decide. This could be their only chance of convincing their constituents they recognise the issues involved here rather than blindly following a failed leader.

Good luck to them all

The Cabinet big hitters will wait for the momentum to increase before making their move. I wrote elsewhere in these pages about trickles becoming streams, for sure this will happen, sooner rather than later.

It's all a game, Senior to Junior colleagues, it's irrelevant, their public utterances in no way match their private opinions. It's the normal routine, a few expendable back-benchers and slowly, slowly the writing on the wall for Gordon Brown becomes clearer.

The Labour party today is riven, Gordon Brown will go and quickly. The simmering resentment's he leaves after his departure will do nothing to unite the party in the run up to the General Election, whenever that might be

#2

Diary of a worker; you're in the wrong job. that's priceless.

you forgot to add - 'as I sat down to turn the TV on a grinning face resembling Tony Blair declared that a ceasefire had been reached in the middle east for the fifteenth time this year after hydogen bombs had eliminated the left bank this morning' 'five thousand key workers would be relocated to Jerusalem to help rebuild the war torn region'.

'The tv announcer also said that this year a record 98% would achieve 1st class degrees at universities and academies across the country, in subjects ranging from the reform agenda in the immigrant community to striking a balance between incapacity and work'

'outside I could hear the rumbling of the lorry carrying offenders to the relearning centre. One man had left a piece of prawn taost uneaten at the local chinese and had been reported for not complying with government directives; another had been half an hour late submitting his tax return; all faced heavy sentences'

Who killed Rev. Green?

Mr Brown, in the drawing-room, with the candlestick.

# 2

You sound a bit of a wild card!

Rest of you chaps should hear my chum Jasper when he has a stiff one, going on about Quangos and the like. He's nearly Eric and Ernie standard. We all think it's a crying shame that he isn't on TV.

Nomination forms for a party leadership contest will not be sent out to all Labour MPs, the party's ruling National Executive Committee has ruled.

Stalin has spoken.

There will be no disent in the ranks.

This is a prelude to them flouting the rules on having an election in 2010.
They will say the markets are too unstable and the terrorist threat is too high to go tho the polls.

Post#2 will become reality

#11 Ilicipolero

Meanwhile, pious platitudes abound and the leaderless country is neglected while self serving MP's position themselves for the aftermath. The need for a new government with fresh ideas, energy and focus is becoming critical. Presently, Gordon Brown and his crew have none of these attributes.

Well if you say it Nick it probably will not happen after your predications of last week. Is Hutton the cabinet minister thinking of going?

The search for a new leader is a symptom of many other things beyond dissatisfaction with Brown. As new personalities like Cairns become the flavour of the day the reality is that the public continues to loose confidence in Labour because of these machinations.
If there was to be a new leader for the Labour party in the next few weeks surely the public outcry would be significant, not to mention the fact that there are so many "sides" within Labour that it is inconceivable that any leader could come up with a convincing team.
This desperate scheming over leadership right in the middle of a massive financial crisis looks so much like fiddling whilst Rome burns that it begs credibility.
How can an organisation which is so inwardly focussed on its own self generated problems have any credibility in providing leadership in the midst of a global crisis ?
The markets are looking for a confident and competent Government and see nothing but a scheming party with an embattled, hapless leader accompanied by a glass half empty Chancellor.

"You can have as many candidates as you like on the list, as long as it's 1 and that it's me"

"You can vote if you like but I won't let you have the voting papers"

"If there is anyone else who dares to get themselves on the list I'll fire them and make their life a misery"

"If anyone doesn't agree with everything I say/do then they're fired."

"If anyone wants to have a debate about anything then they're fired."

Is this Mugabe? No, it's Brown.

How long before he decides to send the boys round to your house to kick you into submission? Get rid of this man now.

And here he is..... Benny Hill!!!!

(Cue saxy-jazz theme tune, followed by a long line of Labour MPs - in speeded-up footage - following / chasing a certain Gordon Brown in BH disguise, round and round in circles.... until the closing titles finish with: 'The End.')

:)

When Downing Street needs to make a statement that something hasn't happened, the smart money has already bet that it soon will.

The Labour party are having an 'ides of March' moment only it's in slow-motion, it's interminable and there is no Brutus; and Gordon Brown isn't Caesar!

#9 Pot_Kettle

Much more of this lot and you'd be surprised......

.....thankfully, well before 2020 they'll all be long gone.

#2 Diary-of-Worker-27

Very good

David Cairns minister of state at the Scotland office? Maybe he just realises that this post won't exist anyway when labour lose Scotland to the SNP. Very shortly he'll be sitting right next to Scotland's ex James Bond and the SNP leadership lecturing us on the virtue of Scotland doing its own thing.

He's not resigning after all? Damn pity. I'd gladly put up with GB if David Cairns received the collective Cabinet boot in an uncomfortable place.

He's done nothing to serve the country at the Scotland Office. Instead of representing Scotland in the government, he's spent his time representing the government in Scotland.

And even if he doesn't go, it just goes to show how untenable GB's position is. It doesn't matter how well he does in the coming months, once talk of a leadership election has started it doesn't stop. We've seen it so many times over the past year or two. Look at Wendy Alexander and Ming Campbell. GB might as well go now, call an election, and let David Cameron have a go at destroying the country.

Brown is setting himself up as a Mugabe style dictator.

Blocking the distribution of nomination papers is beneath contempt.

Come the general election, can we be sure that proper proceedure will be followed?

I can't beleive that someone who had the strength of character to leave the catholic priesthood will have any problem leaving a contemptable, dishonest government.

Isn't this all just so depressing? The media seem to be fixated with the risible Westminster soap that's going on now.

Oooh, look. A ministerial non-entity who's not even a household name in his own home and with an axe to grind might resign. Wow.

Meanwhile, it looks like the global financial system, the world's best illustration of both social Darwinism and ovine flocking instinct, is going to hell in a cart. But, you know that's not the important thing. No, it's much more vital that we argue about Gordon Brown a bit more.

We are all being buffeted by the biting winds of international capitalism. Perhaps all those who were shouting about the wonders of the free market should sit a while and reflect on the fact that the market has its downside. And now the payback is coming.

Welcome to the hangover!

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

Labour have ruined our country.

Wonder how Nick Clegg's feeling?! This was billed as his "make or break" conference but no one's paying any attention!

Someone muttered we will be Ok as we could sell some gold. Then some devil reminded us all that may not be possible.

Apparently our unelected leader frittered most of it away in May 1999 at approx $270 a troy ounce. Pity really as that 400 tons would come in really handy now that is selling for just $800 an ounce now !

But we didn't need to make that £3.5 billion when it is so much easier to borrow that off the IMF. Because that's how our economy works borrow and waste, borrow and waste and we will all feel so much better off !!!

Priest to Labour Minister? Talk about changing sides!

Get on with it!

Ye Gods, we're really getting into tea leaf and chicken entrails territory now. So a very minor cog in Labour's wheel may or may not have decided to kick over the traces - this will not necessarily bring the next election any closer.
While we're in spurious conspiracy territory, I'm surprised you haven't recently looked into the whereabout of our old mate David Davis. This tough-talking, classless standard bearer of tough-love meritocratic conservatism was set to be our next leader. Suddenly he was cut down by the Tory press as having had a "dull" conference and bright young Call-me-Dave appeared from nowhere to grab gold. Davis departed to the back benches on a civil liberties mission which nobody believed and nobody has heard of since.
Could it be that the Men in Grey Suits have realised that an Oxbridge-educated Old Etonian of independent financial means may not be the most plausible leader in an election where belt-tightening will be the order of the day. Does silence on the civil liberties front mean that knives are being sharpened even as we speak.
In the interests of objective reporting of non-events perhaps we should be told

I was trying to think of a word that could be applied to Gordon Brown and his current predicament.

The word that I will use is that has Gordon no dignity left. I mean it it just so demeaning. That is what is sad. Can we expect him to shed a tear aka Margaret Thatcher when eventually he vacates number 10.

This lack of dignity reflects badly on all of us, so as i have said before when, and if Gordon next attends PM Question Time then that is the time to show how awful the situation has become. Just stand up and walk out, leave him to it, just like David Davies, walk out, and say this really is the end. It is in the hands of the worst parliament in living memory to act. Do it.

Does anyone ever think 'wouldn't it be nice if the occupants of the Westminster village could just rise up into outer-space and take a look back down at themselves'? (yes I know that doesn't work but you get the gist)? Maybe then they'd get on with what we pay them for instead of indulging in this endless speculative and self-serving tittle-tattle. I, for one, have had enough. Let's talk about something else.

#2

As the newsreader declared that the national emergency government of 2009 would be returned unopposed for the twekth time this year a ticker in the TV flashed up to show mortgage rates of 15% being offered by the Bank of Gordon. Savings rates had risen for the fourth time and were now at a high of three percent.

Tomorrow was 'be good to each other' day. it had replaced the British Day' of the early years of the 'save the country, vote Gordon' years and followed on from the 'Taste the difference' holiday and the 'Finest' holiday. We ahd a lot to be grateful for as the food industry had done its best to get us through the difficult times; riots had broken out in 2010 over 100% food price inflation but the main supermarket responded with extra points for returning carrier bags.

News was coming though that President Palin's seventh tax cutting package had failed to work again; the US economy was only growing at 5% per annum and had failed to create a public sector job for five years.

Suddenly advertisements were hitting the screen for seventy five year mortgages available to all who had a proven track record of fifteen years as a key worker in the government's diversity centre, which had now taken over most of Henley on Thames. Henley had been thought an ideal location, next to the river, to launch the governments' 'wash away the capitalists' programme back in 2011. The annual regatta had been stopped now for over a decade as it was clearly representative of old Britain, fun, open to all and everything the government was trying to save us from. The Proms had been stopped the following year and replaced by 'Gordon's festival of international music, culture and diversity'. Wimbledon had been given over to Rwandan refugees in 2013.

Then a familiar face popped up - a well known Tv star had been arrested for showing signs of affection in public and wa being rehoused in the Kings Cross key worker compound to have her thoughts 're-aligned' by now all dsiplay of emotion other than for the Great leader were banned.

I dozed off to the strains of 'Rule, Gordon. Gordons rule the World'

#2
Remarkable and o so true.
:-)

Sir David Sugar aka Gordon Brown, "Your FIRED!!!!"

Captain Mannering aka Gordon Brown to all those against him "All fall out!"
He finds Millipede hiding under a very small chair, "You silly boy!"

I want Gordon Brown to stay at the helm.

He is not very good at his job (but he wasn't a very good Chancellor either) and my fear is that if Labour does find someone more competent (which admittedly would be a major struggle given the complete lack on anyone who is even halfway up the task in nuLabour) that new person may persuade enough people to vote nuLabour in the 2010 election.

5 more years of nuLabour would be an unmitgated disaster. So Long Live Gordon Brown the Prime Minister!

Also the infighting is tearing nuLabour apart which is a wonderful spectator sport!

For those complaining about the blocking of sending out nomination forms, it's important to realise that the forms are not actually necessary; no official form is required. Requesting a form is actually a form of protest, rather than a genuine attempt to get rid of the leader.

When the support finally evaporates, Brown will be told in private, by the Cabinet.

Nick, a bit of subject but could you please list some tough questions for Sarah Palin to be asked. As a Brit writer for Times-Union and American Chronicle it frustrates the hell out of me that no one knows what to ask her? This is a lady who smilingly tells Charlie Gibson that we should let Georgia join NATO and have a war with Russia over them? Like we wnated Cuban missiles and a force field for them in the JFK era? She also states that Iraq is/was a 'task from God'. She also believes you can pray away homosexual leanings?

Putting two and two together and not being certain of the answer, but you may have an answer in your post below.

John Hutton seems to be aware that if he's in government he's got to back the PM, but outside government he's a free agent.

Anyway, I think that passing pig is mine! :)

hanging around waiting for a labour MP with a spine to emerge is very time consuming isnt it...

Clobber on, spot of lunch with Jasper. Hear what he's got to say about various things. Always good value. Report back.

re: 15 Pot_Kettle

"This is a prelude to them flouting the rules on having an election in 2010."

I've always thought that'd happen ever since Brown refused to have a leadership election prior to his coronation.

He will definitely try it (assuming the labour MPs don't physically eject him from number 10 before that).

But I have faith in the British people; they'll just shout loudly about the lack of democracy inside the labour party and for the PM's job, but if labour try to delay a general election beyond the legally allowed last-minute then I think they'll have a revolution on their hands; people just won't stand for it.

Brown's already started "tweaking" the election dates for by-elections to help save his own job, and he's bullied his MPs into not having a vote for their leader, but passing laws to delay or cancel the requirement to have a general election is a whole different ball game.

He's gone as far as I think he can in the eyes of the general public when it comes to abusing democracy; I think he reached a tipping point when he bullied his minions into refusing to allow the voting papers to be sent out.

If he even mentioned the possibility that a general election could be delayed after the last legally allowed date then he'd get a very big shock I think; the British people are patient/tolerant generally but there'll be a point at which they all just stand up and say "no", and I think we're very close to that point now.

Whatever happens, I don't think he'll ever quit even if his entire cabinet resigned in one go, and he'll definitely do whatever he can to get rid of the democratic means that could unseat him; I think it will need someone physically pushing him out of number 10 and into the street. whether that's labour MPs over the next few weeks or the general public in 2010 depends on the labour party.

So we have a Minister Minister - state minister, ex church minister - considering his position - seeks new position, missionary, I presume.

Will he ? won't he ? seems this dithering is catching ...

I think its time for the Queen to sack this government or the Tory's to bring in a no confidence motion against this government.

I was hopeful that Mr. Brown is going to bring in messures to revive the economy but he is not doing any thing.

# 31 ... Appalling

What are you chuntering on about, please?

Why so incredibly angry about a voted for and clearly mandated investment in public services? Okay maybe time to realign now but, still, why the foaming at the mouth?

In this great democracy of ours, you'll have a vote in the upcoming General Election and you'll be able to vote for the party offering tax cuts and a tight lid on government spending. Then, if enough people feel the same as you, the LibDems will win hands down and you'll get what you want, won't you? What's the big problem?

How dare anyone complain about our wonderful leader.

Look how strong his leadership skills are.

Any one who doubts him will be sacked, then their property will be seized.

He has learnt well from Mugabe, look at the election that made him prime minister. At least in Zimbabwe they pretend to have one.

@2
Good stuff. A bit too close to the truth for comfort.
Nick. Did I notice a little smile when you were interviewing Harriet.
Oh dear, poor Harriet sounds like a broken record.
What was that little man called, the one that insisted, on tv, Saddam was in complete control.
He was in denial too.

I assume that nomination papers are forms a bit like benefits or license applications divided in blocks, one for each letter which has to be completed in capitals with a black biro.

These forms, you will recall, were designed so that even the illiterate could use them and, if completed correctly, would never be read by a human being because there were computers to do that.

What ever happened to the day when MPs were sufficiently well educated that they could write a letter on a blank piece of paper? Not that anyone would read that either.

"Dear Chairperson,

I am p****d off with Gordon and want a new leader. I do not know who I want but first things first. Please give him the push.

Thank you"

Not that difficult is it?

Moderation queue 41 and counting. Go to reactive moderation, buy a new pc or simply shut down the blogs altogether. This is not good enough.

David Cairns??

I thought it was Gordon Brown who was going to resign. After all it is not long since he said how he needs to re-engage with the people.

Self-flagellation I think it's called.

#2 - Quite outstanding!

#31 - Agreed. Selling the gold was bumbling incompetence of the first water.

We would be several Billion quid better off if Blair hadn't given away the 3Billion a year special EEC refund that Maggie so valiantly fought for.

It took the socialists several decades to really bring Russia to it's knees, but Labour have wrecked the UK in less than 10.

Brown will probably get the usual knighthood - what irony - when really he should be incarcerated at Her Majesty's Pleasure.

Lord help us all (and I don't mean me).

First we had Alistair Darling with 'pissed off'. Now we get Jack Straw with 'mother and father' have you no idea of what that stands for, get up to date with a band MC5, we of a certain age know exactly what mother and father really means. I thought he could have been a good replacement for Gordon but with his support for the Iraq war and now this!!!

Get this lot out of office, they can't even communicate properly.

Nick,

There are times when the Labour Party and its Leaders prove themselves to be beyond parody.

Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble,
If I stay it will be double,
So c'mon and let me know,
Should I stay or should I go?

As sung by any junior minister from within the government / Cabinet.

Meanwhile back in Brownland, we are dealing with a Global financial crisis, and we are doing the right things for the long term future of Gordon Brown. Oops, I meant the country - of course I did.

All I can add, is that when you have wee Dougie Alexander coming on to TV to defend you, you know your time is up. Come in Number 10.

All the best

#58

Just to help you out look up the words to 'Kick Out The Jam', only I would say 'Kick Out the MPs' all of them the mothers and fathers.

re: 50 alphaGlen

"I think its time for the Queen to sack this government or the Tory's to bring in a no confidence motion against this government."

I'd agree; I wish the Queen would use her right to sack the government and force an election, but sadly I don't think that'll happen.

If the tories brought in a vote of no confidence then that'd be doomed to failure too because there are too many labour MPs who put their own jobs/perks before the good of the country, and they want to keep those jobs/perks and their pensions racking up until the very last minute in 2010.

Personally I think Parliament should use technical/legal means, such as giving examples of when Brown knowingly lied to the house on so many occasions; technically I think he could be barred from the commons for his abuses/lies to the house. But then again with the speaker being on the labour gravy train too that's not going to happen either, and Brown is allowed to continually lie to parliament without any consequences against him.

#11 WHAT CABINET BIG HITTERS?


Brown has got rid of all the big hitters in the PLP there is no one in the Cabinet or even on the back benched that would touch the leader of the labour party position until after the next general election. Come on Nick would you take a job that you knew you had a 95% chance of getting the sack from within weeks of starting? Any new leader would have to go to the country and hope that he was going to get the bounce of a superball (small extremely bouncy balls). So unfortunately Gordon knows no matter how much he is disliked and how big a failure he is like all government departments local and national there is nothing we can do until 2010. No wonder he walks round like the grinning idiot he is.

Cairns doesn't have a conscience to examine, that much has been clear for years.

Good lunch chaps, thanks. Left Jasper to it down there. J on great form, as always after a few snifters. Told me some pretty astounding stuff, I must say.

Told me that Gordon Brown has wasted all our money on paedophones and quangeroos (that's what Jasper calls Quangos, what a wild card!). Also said that he's sick and tired of busybodies sticking their noses into things. Says a chap can't get about his business these days without falling over a busybody. He was actually shouting a bit when he said that so it was obvious he's got a very good point.

Even better is when he tells me (and the whole pub!) what a blighter Gordon Brown was for selling all our gold for the price of a packet of dry roasted. That's what he said, exactly that. Told you that Jasper was a lively type, didn't I? Anyway, according to Jaspers, this thing with the gold, that Gordon Brown did, has led directly to the International Credit Crush! Can you believe it?

And this point about the gold, and how GB has caused the Global Crushing, is obviously an even better one than the busybody point because Jasperooners is yelling at the top of his voice now and (even better!) he starts waving his arms around like a windmill. I think it's great when he does that but not everyone does and I'm sorry to say that the Manager felt he had to come over.

Anyway, the point is what a hell of a damnation and what a carry on. I'd like to think Jasper is talking up a gum tree (it is, after all, only a few weeks since they let him out) but he says, if I need to know more, all I have to do is have a gander at either the Daily Telegraph or something called the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ log.

Okay, the Telegraph obviously. Everyone reads that, don't they? But this log thing, well excusez moi and q'est ce que c'est as the Hun used to chunter.

Can anyone here point me in the right direction? I'm hellish keen to take a looksee because Jasper tells me he features quite prominently. Even though he uses different names ("Jasper" would be too much of a giveaway, he says) I'm fairly sure I'll be able to spot him!

It seems somewhat rich that Cairns should be the one puting the boot in to Brown. He's precisely the type that makes Labour so unelectable and despised these days. We used to hear a great deal from him in Scotland -until recently- and each time he chided us in that Metro-Labour way more and more voters went running to the SNP.

Nick

Your 11:00 update wasn't very reliable.

Do you actually have contacts that give you an inside line? or are you just given the party line to (uncritically) pass on to us?

I am finding other blogs far more useful and informative than yours nowdays...

re: 66

Well as another blogger has pointed out he's been a member of two massive scams hasn't he? The church and the government!

What interesting times we live in!

Nick

Cairns is just another rat leaving the sinking ship...

It won't do them any good whatever they do. Labour is dead and buried so far as the next election is concerned. They have lost the respect of the electorate as economic conditions worsen thanks in very large measure to their total mismanagement of the economy.

And if I hear another minister or Labour MP saying that Gordon Brown is "getting on with the job", I won't be responsible for my actions!

Very few of us remain. Dad's Army seems much reduced today. Where are the rest of the brave old troopers?

It seems fairly obvious that these Labour MP's aren't acting for the good of their party, rather as a lame attempt to distance themselves from it in order to try to save their seats at the next election.

There are only 2 lessons to be learnt from this blog:
(1) people do not tell Nick Robinson the truth; but
(2) he believes them.

Gordon Brown?

No Gordon Mugabe surely?

re: 70

Do you mean the regulars phoenix? There has been an influx of new bloggers as of late, no doubt driven to these boards to express their frustration with the rotten Labour party.

Welcome to the board new bloggers. The time is almost at hand. Viva la revolution!

#67 The Real Truth

Which blogs do you find better informed than Nick's? I must agree that Nick does seem to pay little notice to the comments posted so it's a pretty limited channel of communication.

#2 is quite outstanding as post. and scarily close. have you considered a job at Private Eye?

In truth it is Labour's fault for not at least going through the sham of a leadership election in 2007. The coronation of Brown did not help him to establish himself as a credible leader. It's bad enough that the Windsors get to put the next in line, regardless of how useless they are, into the top job without Labour doing it too.

I agree with Cairns resignation. The Tories are shallower than Zimbabwe's cash reserves. Unfortunately Brown is too arrogant to step down. The man waited 11 years to get rid of Blair and would rather take it to the wire and complete 36 months of "power" and see Labour banished to a couple of terms in the wilderness again than do the right thing and give someone else the chance of recovering a pretty hopeless situation.

#75

Young Mr Fawkes over at www.order-order.com is a fun blog (some of the contributers can be rather crude - moderation? wossat then?).

Its layout also works better than this one when there are a lot of comments.

I see labour supporters are flooding in here to say how insignificant the resignation of minister is.

I have to say, I have no idea who they are trying to convince -- it must be to try to convince themselves -- the country aren't listening, because they have heard it all before (although everthing they heard was withdrawn and redefined, so even listening first time was a waste of their time...).

74. power_to_the_ppl

The more the merrier. A warm welcome to
new bloggers, prepared to face moderation from Big Brother if they get too wild, and scorn and sarcasm from Brown's supporters in this forum, writhing in their metaphysical death throes. Just let's hope though, that there isn't a secret army using noms de plumes. We must guard against old foes metamorphosising into new persona.

Gordon Brown will be toppled in november.

74. power_to_the_ppl
I've seen some of your stuff in a few blogs now and I think that you seem to be brainwashed by Tory propoganda. I'm not being funny but you seem very harsh on the Government. I cannot see the conservatives doing a better job at the moment because quite frankly they made the country what it is now. Thatcher made a system- not policies- she laid the foundations and every government since has been merely building on it. I will admit Gordon should have cut the spending a little bit when things were good (save for a rainy day and all that) but I think you have been overly harsh on him.