Alan Johnson, from affable to aggressive
Peter Hoskin 4:44pm
If Alan Johnson continues as he has started, then he may be a surlier, snarlier shadow
chancellor than many of us expected. He's got an article in today's News of the World and an interview in The Observer – and, in both, he's on unusually combative form. Osborne's cuts are labelled as
"deep and irresponsible," and the VAT rise is highlighted as a measure that will affect "those on middle and low incomes the most." Johnson even claims, with Balls-like
stridency, that the coalition could drag us screaming into double-dip.
And there's more. With a disingenuousness that would impress even Gordon Brown, Johnson glowers that the coalition's cuts are deeper than those during the Thatcher years. Depending on which metric you use, that's true enough. But the shadow chancellor must have forgotten that both Alistair Darling and Liam Byrne admitted the same when it came to Labour's plans. I suppose these details don't matter when you're trying to caricature the nasty Tories and their nastier cuts.
Not that this is too surprising. Labour are now in the business of opposition, and business demands a tough exterior. Far more important is the actual policy that lies behind the rhetoric – and, on that front, there are some encouraging signs. In the News of the World, Johnson backs the Darling plan once again (even if he does create some wiggle room by adding the proviso, "if economic circumstances allow"). So for now, at least, Balls-onomics remains off the political agenda. Long may that continue.
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Bloody Bill Brock
October 10th, 2010 5:07pm Report this commentWhen he gets his 'o level maths, he will have a better idea about the double dip.
Ricky
October 10th, 2010 5:08pm Report this commentThe mouse that roared.....
oldtimer
October 10th, 2010 5:42pm Report this commentIt probably suits politicians of all parties to keep rabbiting on about "cuts" even though actual cash spending is still galloping ahead, and the deficit is still growing out of control.
It serves to divert attention from the "squeeze" which everyone outside government is feeling because of:
1 growing inflation (to be fuelled by printing yet more money -or QE in politician speak);
2 the hike in energy prices that will result from the monstrous Climate Change Act (courtesy one one E Miliband); and
3 the extra tax rises looming on the horizon.
The nation has been and remains ill served by its political class.
ollie
October 10th, 2010 6:46pm Report this commentNo serious commentator can possibly take what johnson says seriously.
There is a reason why he has relatively remained unblemished - he's a gutless old warhorse who hasn't a scintilla of political courage.
Johnson - and Miliband - are totally out of their depth.
Red RAG
October 10th, 2010 6:47pm Report this comment"When he gets his maths O'level....".
So Gideon Osbornes real life jobs of data inputer and folding towels for Selfridges makes him a perfect candidate for chancellor does it?
http://redrag1.blogspot.com/
Noa Zrk
October 10th, 2010 7:56pm Report this commentAh Alan Johnson. Neathergate's hinge, sleeping not clunking...
(10th Octcber, Sunday Times- De facto amnesty for Ayslum Seekers, 145,000 plus sa far...).
libertarian
October 10th, 2010 8:40pm Report this comment@red rag
The post never mentioned Osbourne at all. It was about Alan Johnson you see. Having a shadow chancellor of the exchequer who knows nothing about economics or business is utter , utter garbage .
Just telling us that someone else isn't up to the job either doesn't make it right.
2/10 Must try much harder
normanc
October 10th, 2010 8:51pm Report this commentYou have to hand it to the left, when they get in power they don't do things in half measures and before you know it the goalposts are out of sight.
If we Conservatives could achieve in 20 years what they do in 5 we'd be rubbing our hands with glee.
It seems the Brown legacy is going to be government spending of 50% of GDP to be the new norm and anything under that is simply too nasty to contemplate.
Until we start defaulting.
Edward McLaughlin
October 10th, 2010 9:31pm Report this commentIt was only friday evening that this man admitted that in order to do his new job he would need to read up on economics.
Thin book.
TrevorsDen
October 10th, 2010 9:52pm Report this commentDear thicko 'redrag' - I would rather have Gideon than Gordeon any day.
Darling himself with dumbo Gordeon at the helm admitted that his own cuts would be deeper than Thatchers. Clearly redrag the dopey postie is confident in your thickness but he will have to try harder to fool me.
Johnson - far from being smart- merely prostitutes himself by his remarks.
Dimoto
October 10th, 2010 11:56pm Report this commentBalls has just (helpfully) given him a few pointers/soundbites, which, of course he doesn't understand. Thus, the gobbledegook.
The Spectator sounds disappointed that Johnson isn't the "chummy" they imagined.
Major Plonquer 1
October 11th, 2010 1:34am Report this commentAffable to laughable, I think.
With all this talk about 'who's the heir to whom' truth is that Cameron is the 'heir to Heseltine'; Milliband is the 'heir to Kinnock'. This is bad enough. How TF did the country get into this pickle?
Now, even worse, Johnson is obviously the 'heir to Brown'. I just can't make up my mind whether its Gordon Brown or George Brown.
Dinosaurs roam the Earth.
emil
October 11th, 2010 7:25am Report this commentMaths O'Level - is that an Irish economist?
revolution
October 11th, 2010 8:02am Report this commentJohnson like all the other labour stooges has left a mess wherever he has been and will always be the postman that could never make it to chancellor.
David Bouvier
October 11th, 2010 9:50am Report this commentArticles - written by someone else unless he is a very quick study - prove nothing.
It will be fun seeing, oh, Evan Davis asking him a follow up question, or something.
Olaf Rye
October 11th, 2010 2:26pm Report this commentThe threat of a 'double-dip' recession are the nightmares of neo-Keynesians that seem to think that the economy cannot function without the government. How is printing money and borrowing vast quantities going to keep the economy going ? All it does is postpone the inevitable collapse, which is what Labour presided over so brilliantly. Until I see a Labour politician with some experience in the private sector and that rejects this neo-Keynesian drivel, I pay about as much attention to their opinions as I do to a waiter giving me advice on surgery. What a bunch of conceited, self-important imbeciles--perhaps there is little more dangerous than an idiot that thinks that they are clever.
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