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Monday, 21st January 2008

Brown's politicking on the world stage

Peter Hoskin 1:31pm

No-one thought that Gordon Brown would be much of a statesman but, even so, it’s still surprising just how clumsy his efforts in India and China have been.  His speeches may have contained words such as “co-operation” but the substance of them has been self-serving and – as the Spectator’s Fraser Nelson has pointed-out – domineering.  Take the talk that Brown delivered to business leaders in Delhi today, in which he claimed that the International Monetary Fund needs to be reformed and given a new “early warning” power so that it can stave off crises such as Northern Rock.  In other words: Northern Rock was the fault of international organisations and nothing to do with the British Government.  Buck-passing now has a truly global flavour…

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David

January 21st, 2008 2:40pm Report this comment

Christ that's embarrassing.

Tiberius

January 21st, 2008 4:18pm Report this comment

Increasingly there seems to be no limit to Brown's breathtaking arrogance, or to his disrespect for and rudeness to other people.

Mike Stallard

January 21st, 2008 5:41pm Report this comment

Hey - didn't he fit in well with the black suited Chinese? Interchangeable!

Jo

January 22nd, 2008 1:06pm Report this comment

What did the Chinese and Indian press say?

Austin Barry

January 22nd, 2008 5:55pm Report this comment

What next for our responsibility-dodging PM? "Interpol needs to be reformed and given new "early warning powers" so that it can stave off crises such as Peter Hain."

albert hall

January 24th, 2008 5:49pm Report this comment

20,000 coppers march for 1.9% How many will march for the referendum? 2 million, 5 million. My bet is on 2 million

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