Gordo's 'Sole focus is the economy'

[Grumpmeister]

Given that it would have been his sole focus when he was Chancellor and the events leading up to the present crisis were a long time coming I think its safe to say that we are well and truely buggered.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he understands people's fears over the economy and insisted that keeping it on track was his "sole focus".

"We are on the side of home owners, business and individuals," he said.

As in past crises, ministers would do "everything in our power to keep the economy moving forward", he said.

He spoke as a poll suggested 68% lack confidence in him handling the economic crisis - and the Tories said his economic reputation was "in tatters".

  I think with Gordon Brown, what you've got is a pretty serious person who thinks very deeply about decisions and is also a man of conviction

Hazel Blears
Communities Secretary


Tories pin economic woes on PM

Mr Brown will travel to the US this week to meet finance chiefs and discuss the global crisis.

In a visit to east London, alongside Labour's London mayor candidate Ken Livingstone, he said: "This government is aware of the insecurities people feel...

"We are going to continue, as we did when faced with difficult decisions in 1998 and 2004, to do everything in our power to keep the economy moving forward."

He said the UK had been through difficult times in the past and he was "utterly satisfied" that he was taking the right steps.

"We are the only economy of the major economies that has continued to grow without a major recession in the last 10 years," he added.

The prime minister has faced difficulties on a number of fronts over recent days, with the decision to axe the 10p starting tax rate criticised by many Labour MPs and a rebellion expected over plans to extend the limit for detaining terror suspects without charge.

Conviction

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears rejected the suggestion of splits within the cabinet, saying it was more "cooperative" than under Tony Blair.

Thats because the clunking fist of ths grasping scot has battered away anyone in the cabinet who would turn around and call him a bleedin tit.

"I've heard all these stories about people in the cabinet disagreeing... I've seen more joined-up working. There's much more integrated policy making now than I have seen before."

She defended Mr Brown's performance, saying he was "a pretty serious person who thinks very deeply about decisions and is also a man of conviction".

"It's difficult times for government. It's difficult times in the country," Ms Blears told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

At a press conference with Turkey's foreign affairs minister, Foreign Secretary David Miliband dismissed suggestions it was time to replace Mr Brown.

He said: "Gordon Brown was the right man to become prime minister last year and is the right man to lead the Labour Party this year."

Believe it or not I actually agree, Brown is the perfect choice to lead the Labour Party. Because judging from his performance so far he'll be leading it to a massive defeat at the next elextion which means we have, albeit a bloody slim one, a chance to get a half decet government in future.

However, Labour MP Graham Stringer, who is among those opposed to the abolition of the 10p income tax rate, said: "There is no doubt that people's expectations were extremely high when Gordon became PM and I think it's those high expectations not being realised that has disappointed.

"And that comes over. It's sorrow, more than anger, with Gordon."

He added: ""We need to change the mood music - and we really need to be on people's side."

Shadow chancellor George Osborne blamed the present economic crisis on Mr Brown, in a speech to the Policy Exchange think tank.

"At the root of the problem is the failure of the government's economic policy," he said.

Mr Osborne said Mr Brown had "rested his claim to competence on three pillars - stability, prudence and competitiveness".

"Instead, after a decade of worldwide growth, we have ended up with housing boom followed by bust, spending followed by debt, and a country finding it more and more difficult to compete," he said.

Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman Vince Cable said not enough had been done to avert the banks crisis.

He said: "Soaring inflation is further squeezing the budgets of families already struggling to make ends meet.

"The government's tax grab has only served to exacerbate our mounting economic problems.

"Ministers must now act to ease the tax burden on the lower paid and intervene to ensure that spiralling debt costs do not lead to a recession."

Meanwhile a Financial Times/Harris opinion poll suggests 68% of voters are "not confident at all" in Labour's ability to handle the crisis.

The survey of 1,122 people in the UK was conducted online between 27 March and 8 April.

[The Moan Ranger]

OK

The economy is pretty much fu(ked at the moment. We all know that.

Even low(ish) interest rate, high employment and sustainable inflation and ever increasing personal debt are hidden behind this veneer of marginal GDP growth.

But, NuBruin is going to get fucked over right proper. ALL the big High Street Banks/Building Societies have him (or more importantly the BoE) over a barrel. THEY are DEMANDING 40 BILLION to continue to lend, thus sustaining the housing market and all the periphiral spending that goes with it.

But he instigated it.

Now, the Bankers have the upper hand - he can rattle on about passing on interest rate cuts, but when you sign the dotted line, it says that the decision lies with the bank/society. Their choice. Unassailable at court.

They are ganging up to get cheaper money from the BoE, than can be found at LIBOR, or elsewhere. They will win and in the meantime they are using some pretty nasty measures to ensure they do.

All headlines about the credit crunch will further their cause. And NuLabour know it. The BoE will be forced into a corner, used in Europe and America, to keep the boat afloat for a while. The government will "demand" better behaviour from the high street. They will laugh, market forces dictate cashflow. They will continue to profit from the total incompetence of this administration.

I work for the worlds biggest building society and there are no products avalailable any more for mortgagors at the end of their initial period - you have to go to the standard variable rate (which is better than most). Don't like it? Fine - fuck off. Exceptt you can't, as no-one else is lending. Captive audience, sit back and laugh as the money rolls in.

Stagnation will happen, funds will be sourced and then the whole cycle of lending will spike again and Estate Agents can buy a new BMW.

Repeat ad infinitum.

NuBruin will be the first casualty (good) and that fills me with a glee only normally achieved by Young's, a lamb phall and a blow job - in that order.

What goes around, comes around NuBruin - time for you to drop on the rope. Goodbye and good riddance. Custard.

[Barman]

OK

The economy is pretty much fu(ked at the moment. We all know that.

Even low(ish) interest rate, high employment and sustainable inflation and ever increasing personal debt are hidden behind this veneer of marginal GDP growth.

But, NuBruin is going to get fucked over right proper. ALL the big High Street Banks/Building Societies have him (or more importantly the BoE) over a barrel. THEY are DEMANDING 40 BILLION to continue to lend, thus sustaining the housing market and all the periphiral spending that goes with it.

But he instigated it.

Now, the Bankers have the upper hand - he can rattle on about passing on interest rate cuts, but when you sign the dotted line, it says that the decision lies with the bank/society. Their choice. Unassailable at court.

They are ganging up to get cheaper money from the BoE, than can be found at LIBOR, or elsewhere. They will win and in the meantime they are using some pretty nasty measures to ensure they do.

All headlines about the credit crunch will further their cause. And NuLabour know it. The BoE will be forced into a corner, used in Europe and America, to keep the boat afloat for a while. The government will "demand" better behaviour from the high street. They will laugh, market forces dictate cashflow. They will continue to profit from the total incompetence of this administration.

I work for the worlds biggest building society and there are no products avalailable any more for mortgagors at the end of their initial period - you have to go to the standard variable rate (which is better than most). Don't like it? Fine - fuck off. Exceptt you can't, as no-one else is lending. Captive audience, sit back and laugh as the money rolls in.

Stagnation will happen, funds will be sourced and then the whole cycle of lending will spike again and Estate Agents can buy a new BMW.

Repeat ad infinitum.

NuBruin will be the first casualty (good) and that fills me with a glee only normally achieved by Young's, a lamb phall and a blow job - in that order.

What goes around, comes around NuBruin - time for you to drop on the rope. Goodbye and good riddance. Custard.