Can things get any worse for Brown?
David Blackburn 2:32pm
Yesterday was bad enough, but today’s turning into an utter catastrophe for Brown. First, it emerged that the Tories enjoy a 4 point lead in Labour’s traditional northern strongholds, then Baroness Vadera leaves the government to work for the G20, and now another former GOAT, Lord Malloch Brown, tells the World at One that Brown was too “desperate” in his pursuit of a meeting with President Obama. Malloch Brown said:
“I don’t know whether they were frantic or not, they shouldn’t have been frankly so desperate.”
When handpicked former ministers make such statements it's clear that the writing’s been on the wall for so long it’s started to fade. President Obama will probably say something today to indicate that he values Brown, but the damage is done. It’s a back-handed compliment, but Mr Brown’s survival and will to “fight on” speak volumes about his character. Aside from shaking Mugabe's hand, the only way his situation could deteriorate any further is if there was a leadership challenge, but the time for that is surely past.
Previous
Happy days are here again.
:-)
jamespl
September 24th, 2009 2:55pm Report this commentWhen will this cretin ever get the message.The man is a disaster,and whilst he pursues his legacy,at what cost!!!!!!!
Billy Blofeld
September 24th, 2009 2:57pm Report this commentLabour still polls 25%.
It will be interesting to see if Brown is able to stop the continual decline hitting the hardcore vote and thus Labour polling sub 25%.
Anne Wotana Kaye
September 24th, 2009 3:07pm Report this commentMaybe the replacement should be a WHITE, MIDDLE AGED, HETROSEXUAL MARRIED MAN! Maybe pigs can fly.
Ta ta
September 24th, 2009 3:34pm Report this commentCan things get worse for Brown? - Yes.
News today that Tata will close one of its West Midland Jaguar Land Rover factories meaning approximately 2-3,000 jobs lost through vol. redundancy, early retirement etc. by 2011 and the probability that the British icon, the Land Rover Defender vehicle, will have its production transferred to India.
Rather puts the cap on Brown and Britain's fate over the next few years - busted and out of power.
Alun Reynolds
September 24th, 2009 3:36pm Report this comment"speak volumes about his character"
No they don't. They speak volumes about how utterly unbalanced and delusional he is.
Vj Angelo
September 24th, 2009 4:01pm Report this commentThe answer is a resounding "YES". Guido Fawkes blogs a source that Baroness Scotlands house keeper, now in custody, denies ever showing per passport. So Gordon has given full throated support to a minister who has lied. What money Mand dumps him post Lisbon ratification, mission accomplished?
biggestaspidistra
September 24th, 2009 4:10pm Report this commentTwo baronesses and a lord who rule over us (not counting Mendelson), none of whom were elected, all of whom were undistinguished in their previous untitled lives. New Labour has brought us a scenario worthy of a French Revolution. Is there anything other than pitchforks that will sort this ridiculous mess out?
Percy
September 24th, 2009 4:15pm Report this commentThe weather is lovely today and Chernenko's getting a pasting..... what could be better...
Nicholas Hallam
September 24th, 2009 4:17pm Report this comment"Mr Brown’s survival and will to “fight on” speak volumes about his character".
His survival has more to do with the cowardice of Labour MPs than to any positive aspects of his character.
Jock
September 24th, 2009 4:23pm Report this commentDesparate? Lord Malloch Brown is too kind.Assuming the story is accurate, for me the point of it isn't that Obama refused 5 times but that Downing asked 5 times. How needy, pathetic, undignified and pointless was that?
Let's think. Brown and the UK government - rightly or wrongly - currently are widely regarded with disgust and contempt by the USA electorate as a result of the Al Magrahi release. Gaddafi is in town strutting his stuff and hogging the headlights. Obama has to decide. Cosy up with Gordon Pariah Brown and provide photo opportunities for the American people, alongside a stark Lockerbie reminder in the shape of Gaddafi? Or not?
Mmmmmm - tough one.
Sheer incompetence and lack of judgment on the part of Brown and/or his advisors. Seeking to advance Brown's personal position but absolutely certain to achieve the double whammy of damaging that and creating a cringeworthy image of the UK government.
Desparate?? Clueless and hapless.
jon dee
September 24th, 2009 4:33pm Report this commentIn Brown's deluded world the voices of people like Mandelson, Campbell and Whelan drive him towards a humiliating political exit.
His tall tales and worse have caught up with him and the electorate no longer believe a word he says.Be it on the economy,Lockerbie, Afghanistan and much more, his credibility has sunk.
Collecting Mickey Mouse awards, spouting ampty rhetoric or churning out useless initiatives are not enough.Nor will carefully crafted slurs and smears gain him any respect in the run-up to the election. His "global" vanity is turning him into a figure of fun and is it any wonder that President Obama shows reticence towards him ?
He needs a friend to advise him to leave the stage.
Dirty Euro
September 24th, 2009 4:35pm Report this commentThis stuff just winds me up.
England is the most right wing nation in Europe, infact it is more right wing than Canada and the USA, so it is most right wing nation on Earth, and the younger generation are getting worse. What happened to concern for others, solidarity, peace, tolerance, decency, humanity justice, concern for the poor, a sense of fair play, giving everyone a fair break, honour, integrity, seeing a greed as a sin. Why did England lose those values did they have have them? Who knows.
TrevorsDen
September 24th, 2009 4:37pm Report this commentJLR
The mood music was that there would be no job losses. That might be changing to no involuntary job losses.
Its still vague.
But the point about the LR Defender is a good one.
Unless there is a surprising amount of room in one of these factories it seems difficult to imagine the Jag XK, XF, XJ and the LR Freelander, Discoverty, RangeRovers and Defender all being built in the same place. The interesting issue as well is the paint shop facilities which is the pinch point at BMWs MINI plant in Oxford.
Brown
I note he was talking about 'global' co-operation again. Code for Global governance - all stealthily brought in under a cloud of facke global warming obfuscation.
For what its worth that's my paranoid conspiracy theory.
Billy Blofeld
September 24th, 2009 4:38pm Report this commentCan things get worse for Brown.... they already are.......
The conference is just one giant bad news magnet. No wonder the bunker seems like such a safe place.
Dirty Euro
September 24th, 2009 4:41pm Report this commentSo Anne Wotana Kaye you say the next leader has to be WHITE, MIDDLE AGED, HETROSEXUAL MARRIED MAN!
Why do you hate women, gays, single people, blacks, jews and gypises? Why should these people all be banned from the job. Maybe such bigotry make you feel powerful. Oh and I am sure you feel the leader has to English too.
patricia
September 24th, 2009 4:42pm Report this commentBritain's 'fate' as you define it has nothing to do with Brown, who has done much to save us all from a economic meltdown that the Tories never even saw coming.
Offshoring realities and BRIC ascendancy aside, the roots of this 'fate' stretch back to Thatcher.
So pin the blame on a donkey by all means, Mr B, but take off your own blinkers first so you might at least get the right one.
Hysteria
September 24th, 2009 4:45pm Report this commentcan things get worse? - Oh Yes!- Guido watching Mrs Scotland closely !
Dirty Euro
September 24th, 2009 4:51pm Report this commentIs England now the most right wing nationalistic, selfish nation in Europe according to opinion surveys. A nation where the greedy can win and the poor will be punished for the greed of the rich.
The right continues to grow the left dies in agony.
Values of socialism, tolerance, humanity, social justice and equality are now dead in England Only the celtic nations keeps these values going.
The Celtic nations must escape quickly, it will get uglier.
Chuck Unsworth
September 24th, 2009 4:51pm Report this commentCan things get any worse for Brown?
I do sincerely hope so.
Death or Tory
September 24th, 2009 5:07pm Report this comment@ Dirty Euro [4.51pm]
Calm down, dear - it's only a Blog...
dave, surrey
September 24th, 2009 5:14pm Report this commentdirty euro.. clam down man..
the sweet irony is if Mr Brown (he of the Celtic nations) had called an election in 2007 he would have won and be comfortably ensconced in Downing street with a popular mandate until 2012..
Anne Wotana Kaye
September 24th, 2009 5:28pm Report this commentDirty Euro: You obviously have a serious eye problem. Do you know your left from your right? You see everything as a mirror image. You say Britain is the most right wing country in Europe. This is pitiful. You are obviously a politically correct Marxist, probably support Galloway and Ken Livingstone, and gnash your teeth as you read the "Spectator." I dislike none of the groups you mentioned, but like many here, I am sick and tired of people receiving positions and honours for what they are, and not for what they have achieved or their potential for success. I don't know whether to call you Sir or Madam, no doubt you prefer to be addressed as 'Person'. Sorry to be so harsh, but you appear to live up to to your nom de plum Dirty Euro.
Hawkeye
September 24th, 2009 5:29pm Report this commentApparently things will get worse with the publication of a new book detailing the expenses scandal. It seems to be getting ready to launch on Amazon on the start of the Labour party conference.
What fantastic timing!
Fergus Pickering
September 24th, 2009 5:33pm Report this commentWhy should Dirty Euro calm down. It's all dust and ashes. The most right wing nation on earth, old son. Unlikley when there are all those Muslim states about. Or don't they count? Do only white Christian nations count? I really want to know.
Anne Wotana Kaye
September 24th, 2009 5:37pm Report this commentDirty Euro: You are slipping and so am I, as they were not mentioned in my earlier blog.. You forgot to mention in the list of people you assume I hate Ginger Tops. The only people I hate and despise are Loonie Lefties who pretend to be caring and compassionate, but are guided by a political ethos. Look into your broken mirror, and see if you can honestly say you did a few good altruistic deeds lately.
Hysteria
September 24th, 2009 5:40pm Report this commentI generally find my mental health is improved by ignoring the posts from DES......
gareth
September 24th, 2009 5:40pm Report this commentHe's reaping what he has sown for the past 12 years, so I hope he's enjoying himself and feeling proud.
I remember the heady days of 1997 when all of Europe was commenting on our efficient economy and were envious of Tony's inheritance. He certainly reaped where he had not sown and the golden opportunity he had has gone.
John Howard asked Tony what he would take from Thatcher's legacy "I'll take all of it" was his truthful reply.
Tankus
September 24th, 2009 5:43pm Report this commentMax clifford now dealing with the Baroness Scotland's former housekeeper's story.
Rumour is that the Tongan did not show the Baroness her passport.
Immigration officials did recover an expired passport from her residence.
So ...photocopies of what ? bit more than a congestion charge technicality now, isn't it
My bet is... Gordon will go to ground when he comes back ...read the sunday's and then implore her to resign next week .
Just gets better and better
Victor Southern
September 24th, 2009 6:01pm Report this commentBaroness Scotland will discover a yearning to spend more time with her family/aged mother/ indoor plants/mattress full of money - one of those.
Otherwise she can plead an advanced case of terminal hypocrisy aggravated by greed.
And yet another Labour Baroness bites the dust.
Ian Walker
September 24th, 2009 6:15pm Report this commentHopefully the Tories will study carefully the demographics of those still in the 25%, and target their cuts appropriately. After all, I've had 12 years of giving my hard-earned money to the client state - time for a bit of payback.
What a national embarassment the man is.
Scottish Cheeselog
September 24th, 2009 6:48pm Report this comment@ Dirty Euro 4:35pm
“What happened to concern for others, solidarity, peace, tolerance, decency, humanity justice, concern for the poor, a sense of fair play, giving everyone a fair break, honour, integrity, seeing a greed as a sin. Why did England lose those values did they have have them?”
Twelve years of a Labour government.
Next question?
Olaf Rye
September 24th, 2009 7:32pm Report this commentOh dear, Dirty Euro has also shown himself to be racist ! But then again, socialists often have that ugly nationalistic streak. It is part of their perverse misinterpretation of concepts like 'freedom', 'justice', 'selfishness' and 'greed' which informs their delusional world-view and fills their dreams with nightmarish creatures like kulaks that are alone responsible for why their policies never achieve the desired results.
Holly
September 24th, 2009 7:56pm Report this commentDirty Euro..'What happened to concern for others, peace, tolerance..blah, blah, blah'?
LABOUR!!!!!!!!
Alex
September 24th, 2009 7:59pm Report this commentI live and work 'across the pond' and my American friends regularly give me a lot of stick about Gordon Brown.
Roll on June 2010.
Hysteria
September 25th, 2009 1:56am Report this commentAlex - but you will also know that as an expat you are effectively disenfranchised by the EU rules on postal ballots. Proxy voting is the only viable option if you are in the US.
Matthew Hague
September 25th, 2009 11:17am Report this commentLets not be too hard on Gordon, without him, Blait would have bounced us into the Euro. That fact, and the appaling financial situation will be Gordons legacy
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