James Forsyth James Forsyth

In Brown’s version of reality he has nothing to apologise for

The story is out. For days there’s been gossip in Westminster that the Prime Minister had a Brown out on the plane to Washington, losing it when journalists asked him if he was going to apologise for the mistakes he had made as Chancellor and Prime Minister which have exacerbated this crisis. Now, Simon Walters in the Mail on Sunday has reported out what actually happened:

‘What is it you think I should be apologising for?’ [Brown] demanded. ‘I have nothing to apologise for. You guys just don’t get it do you?’

When one reporter asked why he had let banks get out of control, Mr Brown leaned towards him and said: ‘You’re saying I got it wrong? But I didn’t. The same problems have happened all over the world and our regulations have been better than anyone else’s.
‘Get in the real world. People are saying it is my fault and that I caused the recession. They are wrong. It is not my fault.

‘It did not start in Britain, it started in America. We have had low interest rates and low inflation. Every other recession in Britain has been created by high interest rates and high inflation. That has not happened under me.’ If Brown really does think he has nothing to apologise for, as opposed to believing it wouldn’t be politically wise to do so, it is really quite worrying. It suggests that the Prime Minister needs to get in the real world quite urgently.
 

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