Brown’s misplaced hope

Swiss Bob

He might win. It doesn't look likely but given that Labour have won the last three elections, and can do so with a minority of the vote in England don't be too sure.

Sir Graphus

The economy is unlikely to be as much help to him as it was to the Tories in 1997.

Sasquatch

I think that should actually read "Gordon Brown's only hope of a comeback in the polls is if he lies about the economy."

Sally Chatterjee

Hope dies last.

Percy

The latest OECD report puts an end to that then.

Draughtsman

It matters not a jot what Brown thinks or does any more. People are sick of the sight and sound of Brown, Harman, Mandelson, the Milibands and all the rest of the shower and just want them gone. We have been lied to, lectured at and patronised. We have heard despicable lies spread about Labour's oppenents. We have seen our country, traditions and freedoms destroyed with a myriad of petty new laws with jumped up jobsworths to enforce them and we have been taxed into oblivion for the privilege.

So far as the economy is concerned, Brown got us into this stinking mess in the first place and we will be paying for his no more boom and bust arrogant incompetance for years to come.

Thomas Cussans

Sir Graphus is only halfway there. In 1997, the economy actually was strong yet this wasn't nearly enough to salvage victory for a discredited, dispirited government.

Now, an even more discredited, dispirited government can do no more than 'hope' the economy might come to their rescue.

Not the proverbial snowball's chance.

T .England

And Brown thinks we would vote for him if things pick up!?
The man has always been delusional but does he really think we would forget ALL the wrongs that he & Labour have done to us over the years because the economy is returning to "normal"?

Maybe he thinks that him borrowing stupid ammounts of money to fix the mess he didn't see coming & us all having to pay it back for the rest of our days is something we will thank him for?

When you feel like somebody has messed up & let you down big time & you end up having to help them put the mess right they should have been in control of it can leave a sour taste in your mouth. Brown has left more than a sour taste, he has left us battered, bruised & wanting to give him the biggest polictical kicking of his life!

If Brown thinks borrowing his way to recovery is a vote winner then he is more delusional than I ever beleived.

mac

Sasquatch:

"If he lies about the economy . . ."

If?

You mean that Mr Brown might ignore his vaunted moral compass and - michty me - lie to the electorate?

But we can all be sure that he'll only do so if his ingrained presbyterian conscience commands him that it's 'the right thing to do'.

So, lie he will. It's what he does, after all.

Rob C

I think Draughtsman has it spot on - the only think I'd add is that in the last 6 months, Europe and the US now see him and his government in the same light as we do!

As his tangled web of financial mismanagement unravels in Europe and his involvement in the al-Megrahi release sours relations with the US, the fact that we'll lag behind in the recovery will finish him off at home too! Britain will probably never recover from the utter decimation of the Blair/Brown years and if it does, it will take perhaps 25-30 years.

cuffleyburgers

@ T. England

Whether Brown thinks "borrowing his way to recovery" is a winner or not is totally irrelevant, because his personal incentive is the same as the much reviled bankers': if he does and it works, great, he gets the benefit of another 5 years playing on the trainset. If it doesn't work and he loses, well, he was going to lose anyway, HE doesn't have to pay for it, just sit back write a few more books on courage and cash in the gold plated pension.

A win/not lose situation.

But you're right, as well, there can be no doubt that he is totally delusional, and his advisors are doing the nation a gross disservice by not leading him away in a strait-jacket.