Brown is deluded.
Apologies for the absence of posts on this - probably - historic day.
I've just seen Brown being interviewed on Channel 4 News. The most striking thing was that he really does seem to live in a make-believe world in which we, the people, have chosen him carefully to lead us through troubled times.
"I have been entrusted", he said, of leading the country.
Eh? When? Who entrusted you, Gordon? Apart from the Labour Party, which only had one candidate to choose from. Not one voter has entrusted him with anything.
He then went on talk about how the message of the people was clear: that we wanted him to listen to us, blah, blah, blah.
No, it isn't. The message is certainly clear, but it's rather more stark than that. How else would you characterise a 17.6 per cent swing than 'F off'? No one has said they want him to listen. What they've done whenever they've had the chance is boot out anyone with the appelation 'Labour', for no more obscure or hidden reason than because they want to boot them out.
Brown is not only willing to do anything to stay in office - such as splurging £2.7 billion and fighting elections as if his party was the BNP - he is also, quite literally, deluded. And the longer he remains, the worse and more lingering Labour's defeat will be.
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Water
May 23rd, 2008 7:35pm"'I have been entrusted', he said, of leading the country" maybe by the Labour party but certainly not by the Country and its people as a whole.
Ian C
May 23rd, 2008 8:55pmAgreed - but worse not only for Labour, but for the country as a whole. He needs ousting and it should be as easy and expected as his foisting on us was.
Simon Orr
May 23rd, 2008 9:08pmQuite, I wish there was an interviewing journalist with the intelligence and courage to take him up on this when he uses this 'message' as the answer to EVERY question he is asked.
Albert Hall
May 23rd, 2008 11:53pmWe can but hope he stays where he is for a bit longer. Just to make sure those dozy enough to still want to vote for the nutter and his crazy crew have got their bellyful.
BrianSJ
May 24th, 2008 7:42amCapt Ahab will pursue his white whale to the end. The white whale is of course a delusion - maybe something to do with his father. He left the shores of our reality a long time ago.
Beedeekay
May 24th, 2008 7:53am"And the longer he remains, the worse and more lingering Labour's defeat will be."
If for nothing else than what he did to ruin the pensions of millions of us, bloody good job!
Nicholas
May 24th, 2008 9:14amHe almost said "instructed" but then corrected himself to say "entrusted". So who or what has "instructed" or "entrusted" him to preside over the continuing misery of the British? The ghosts of Labour Past? Common Purpose? The Shadowy Bureaucrats of the EU? President Hu of China, whom he seems to admire and spends a lot of time talking to on the telephone?
A Theologian
May 24th, 2008 9:51amBrown, I am convinced, is, not Macbeth (he could talk big time) but Richard III. Cameron now looks like Henry V. And Boris a redeemed Toby Belch.
Robert Williams
May 24th, 2008 9:54amMorland in The Times shares your view
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/cartoon/
kinglear
May 24th, 2008 10:42amAbsolutely. But he was deluded from day one. I happen to believe none of them ever had any real principles beyond getting to power and clinging on. I think Blair only ever wanted that, not actually to make things better. Gordon probably thought he could, despite all the evidence of the last century that central control is a disaster. But Gordo also thought by being tricky clever and underhand he could milk people without them noticing. That's true to a certain extent, but when they DO notice, its a 180% turn for them, which is what has now happened
Jennie
May 24th, 2008 10:54amI still think it's 'the economy, stupid'. If inflation for essential items were not going though the roof, the electorate would not have turned on Labour in such droves - and probably both Ken and Tamsen would have won.
Bpb
May 24th, 2008 11:31amStephen,
That's the first correct analysis I have read that would seem to agree with what most people actually think.
Brown should F. off, he should also take his ghastly colleagues with him.
Frank Pulley
May 24th, 2008 3:40pmGreat post. Stephen, best on the topic so far that I've read anywhere. Succinct too!
Augustus
May 24th, 2008 8:45pmThe message is certainly clear. After the scale of this truly historic Conservative success, Crewe is now another word for Comeuppance.
David Boothroyd
May 24th, 2008 9:47pmGordon Brown has been entrusted with running the country by Her Majesty the Queen.
Tina
May 25th, 2008 8:19pmYou are spot on.