I know for certain that the opposition parties are still cashing in on the 10p tax rate fiasco - I’ve seen the leaflets. And many voters are probably not aware that the government has back-tracked on this. All very bad timing from Brown, not to deal with it before it got so close to an election. This is one of the issues which will weigh on the Labour party’s minds when they look at the results next Friday.

They need to blame themselves too, of course, for not foreseeing it - but the man at the top will get it in the neck, especially since HE personally brought it in, and took it out!

As I said in my post on the Blair portrait we expect too much of our politicians. They’re not bloody supermen! It’s a wonder they don’t all end up in the funny farm.

http://keeptonyblairforpm.wordpress.com/2008/04/25/blair-portrait-if-a-picture-paints-a-thousand-words/

Yes - re the portrait, you make a common sense point. I think this ageing business is one of the burdens of power. Looking at Blair since then, though, he seems to have recuperative powers. Doesn’t look so bad now, imho.

I think this week is going to be very difficult for Brown what with the 10p policy that isn’t going to go away soon, to the May 1st election, to the general crisis whether it is to do with petrol shortages, food price rising, credit crunch need I say more !!.

I truly hope that Brown comes out all right about all of these mentioned above, although I haven’t any affection for Brown I definitely haven’t got any for Cameron and his crew!!. According to the polls and it depends on which polls you are looking at and what agenda they are coming from LOL it would appear that the Conservatives are well ahead in them, and they smell blood and are going to take all the advantage that they can. As much as I fear that Cameron could upset the apple cart on a lot of things, as a leader he hasn’t any more idea on things as Brown, just makes a better job of pretending to, that’s the thing, he can’t fake it.

I really hope that all goes well this week but somehow I feel a bit of doubt creeping in and I believe a lot of the Labour party members feel that way too, hence the comments we have been hearing lately.

Anyway, all we can say is all the best for Brown for this week as regards May 1st keeping fingers and toes crossed for good results !!! but don’t hold your breath !!

As regards Tony and the painting. I thought he looked tired but very thoughtful, no doubt if you are I were top leader for 10 years, we would feel and look the same. If the Media were honest about these things then they would realise that a lot of top leaders age dramatically over time due to stress, responsibility but because it is Tony, they have to make a song and dance out of it and put it all down to Iraq or something !!.

The number’s game, you may have a thing going there who know’s !!

Bye for now

Shaz

I’m afraid they’re about to be hammered on 1st May.

They don’t have to call an election until June 2010, but it was expected to be next summer.

And meanwhile the Tories only have to sit back and watch. They hardly need to do anything. They don’t need to work hard or inspire to win. All Labour needs to do is to lose support.

Governments generally LOSE elections rather than oppositions winning them. Even in 1997, any Labour party would have beaten the Tories. Having said that Blair’s win was a landslide and uniquely huge - so there was SOME positive voting for HIS Labour party going on.

Cameron isn’t nearly as popular and I don’t think ever will be. Still, Labour will be panicking now, and Brown will be sleeping even less than usual - watching out for the knives ;0(

You could say that. But WHO is managing that stage? Whoever it is, sack the guy!

I tell you, even in the theatrical world of politics, a capable prompter is hard to come by.

Exit stage left.

Guy
http://www.sleepywhisper.com

I think the point is that only a few days ago, while in the states, and when he had just returned, he said he wouldn’t be changing anything re the 10p tax. Then Brown realised he could not win since Frank Field had got such a strong campaign up. The campaigners knew they had a negotiating tool to use on the government with the local elections just a week or so away. So they used the tool well.

I think it does raise questions of incompetence though.

1. Why hadn’t Brown sorted this issue when he realised he wasn’t going to be able to slip it under the ‘election that never was’ radar. Like last autumn, say?

2. Surely, SOMEBODY was mentioning it? If not, what a dereliction of duty from the PLP.

3. Or is Brown so unapproachable that they didn’t dare!?

4. Why didn’t they tackle it WELL before the local elections, even if not last autumn? JUST before the local elections is ‘way too close for comfort.

5. Has Brown any real idea of the balls you have to juggle as PM? It’s relentless stuff, and you don’t get a break.

This would never, and did never happen under Blair.

To be fair I am trying to work out if I would still call it a U-Turn if Blair had done it. I’m willing to analyse my own prejudices just in case I’m being unfair.

Right. Thought about it. That’s long enough.

No, if Blair had done it - it would have been because the Chancellor, who would have come up with it in the first place, ditto today, had “miscalculated something or other.” Or there had been an alteration due to new figures or some such. And Blair would have spotted the trap weeks or even months ago.

Gordon’s problem is simple. He WAS the chancellor.

It was HIS decision to start with - then HIS decision to drop it - then HIS decision to get within touching distance of the local elections with this own Left and the opposition parties accusing him of letting down his poorest supporters.

He was forced into this u-turn. Possibly Darling too bears SOME responsibility. But I always think of him as a Brown mouthpiece anyway.

Brown is holding down two jobs right now - PM & (sub-)Chancellor, when he can’t seem to manage one of them properly!

Incompetent? I think so.

Btw, I have seen a Tory local election leaflet today with details of how all poorer voters will lose under this 10p policy! So the harm is done. Even if WE know that he is going to compensate people, many people won’t know. They’ll get this Tory leaflet through the door (which they were sharp enough to get to the printers before today’s changes) and that’ll be that!

They’ve blown it, Stan.

Or Gordon has.