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Tuesday, 27th May 2008

Brownism defined

James Forsyth 5:29pm

Tom Bower, who wrote a rigorously researched and extremely critical biography of Gordon Brown, delivers a devastating summing up of Brown’s record to date in today’s Evening Standard:

"Thatcherism and Blairism were easily defined but what exactly is Brownism? Obsessed that the state knows best, Brownism can best be described by its dubious achievements: record taxation, hyper-regulation, the biggest debts in Europe, the destruction of private pension schemes, post office closures, appalling public transport and a looming energy crisis."

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Austin Barry

May 27th, 2008 6:03pm Report this comment

Tom Bowers other biographical subjects include Robert Maxwell and Conrad Black. The connecting theme seems to be that they are overbearing, charmless bruisers who delight in squandering other peoples money. The only difference is that Brown does it entirely legally.

Prodicus

May 27th, 2008 6:03pm Report this comment

Link please?

PSJ

May 27th, 2008 6:10pm Report this comment

In fairness, Brown doesn't always believe that the state knows best. He believes HE knows best, so when the state is run by other parties, or even his nominal colleagues, he always tries to undermine them.

Water

May 27th, 2008 6:20pm Report this comment

How unutterably devastating as you say.

William Norton

May 27th, 2008 7:51pm Report this comment

Fairly simple: "Brownism" is the valiant, and doomed, attempt to prove that Harold Wilson was right all along, and that if only it hadn't been for sterling devaluation/disloyal colleagues/trouble with the unions/Vietnam/13 yrs of Tory neglect/the class system (add favourite cheap excuse here) then it would all have come out right. Most of Brown's big ideas can be traced back to some half-cock gimmick that was tried in the 1960s. I mean, the blithering idiot has even turned his hand to an incomes policy.

As a matter of principle I don't mind resurrecting 40 year old policies - but why resurrect ones which are obviously crap?

john

May 27th, 2008 7:57pm Report this comment

Now come on: one is not automatically entitled to an '-ism' in the same way that a US President is entitled to a 'library'. Gordon is the heir to Blairism. His own experience of that legacy is so far an alarmingly rapid succession of cavings-in.

Perhaps History will have something to say, but it is premature to try to attach an iconic label to an unfortunate nullity.

AlanofEngland

May 27th, 2008 8:28pm Report this comment

Bower only found 7 dubious "achievements"? An achievement is an accomplishment, is it not, and Brown's major accomplishment is the ruination of this country within one year. Blithering idiot is right!!

Ian C

May 27th, 2008 8:32pm Report this comment

A record a Labour Chancellor/PM can be really proud of - one that is even worse than his predecesors.

Water

May 27th, 2008 8:36pm Report this comment

“Tom Bowers other biographical subjects include Robert Maxwell and Conrad Black” well there is irrefutably a salient theme emerging, it’s more then mere co-incidence that flashes name seems aptly ensconced alongside two fraudsters. Though it’s safe to say Gordon doesn’t possess the same touch, by way of the media, as with the others.

Water

May 27th, 2008 8:43pm Report this comment

Oh flash has added to the undoing of this country alright, but the buck doesn't stop with him by any means, as recent blogs have shown (hence why so many are paradoxically happy yet blue).

Hysteria

May 27th, 2008 9:06pm Report this comment

for a well written piece on the question take a look at this - scathing, funny and depressing - all in one go!

http://www.socialaffairsunit.org.uk/blog/archives/001788.php

Perry

May 27th, 2008 9:52pm Report this comment

What a sad, depressing control freak. A life that encapsulates, as perhaps no other British life, the aspirations and failings of the Control ‘n Command mentality. For this guy doesn’t just talk, or theorise. He has gained the reigns of power. And played havoc. Even Bliar, that slippery charlatan, could not, or would not, contain him.

All we need now, or at some time in the future, is the Damascene conversion and recantation.

Water

May 27th, 2008 10:20pm Report this comment

"As feared, Moving Britain Forward gathers into one painful volume ten of Gordon Brown's finest mumbles" haha, I might have to get that book (then again maybe not) but thanks none the less Hysteria.

ROJ

May 28th, 2008 8:46am Report this comment

Brownism is perfectly well defined in his ghastly book “Moving Britain Forward: Selected Speeches 1997-2006” – no need to read it, I haven’t, just read the review by Dominic Hilton. And what Brownism comes to is this: East European Socialism, behind a Painted Smile.

atropos

May 28th, 2008 8:05pm Report this comment

Alan of England. Your sentiments are laudable but I take issue with your time-line. GB has been working on the ruination of the UK and the dissolution of the Union since he was a student. It took him 10 years to bankrupt the Nation: the fruits of his labour (no pun intended) have only become ripe in the past year.

john

May 29th, 2008 4:26pm Report this comment

I relent. He shall have his '-ism'.

Fiscal tricks and no big picture, sums it up so far.

Tapestry

May 29th, 2008 5:15pm Report this comment

http://the-tap.blogspot.com/2008/05/new-labour-gordon-brown-is-leninist.html

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