political commentator * author * publisher * bookseller * radio presenter * blogger * Conservative candidate * former lobbyist * Jack Russell owner * West Ham United fanatic * Email iain AT iaindale DOT com
Saturday, October 06, 2007
The Dangers of Being a Big Girl's Blouse
Matthew Parris is at his withering best in The Times today, urging Gordon Brown to go for it.
Post Michael Howard the full caution is actually now as follows :-
“You have the right to remain silent, but it may harm your defence if you fail to mention now something you later seek to rely on in court.”
Sorry, Verity, if you think that all people in UK know this but I can assure you that there are some innocents who have not been arrested recently (I, for example, had to look up the revised caution, rather than hearing it directly from the mouth of a officer of the law).
Seriously, the revised caution does rather neatly sum up Brown’s dilemma. He cannot remain silent. His acolytes have stirred up so much speculation that he has to explain himself. He will, most likely, say that there will be no election and then give some spun explanation.
His explanation is likely to be seen as an excuse and that will be very damaging. “Safe pairs of hands” do not stoke the fires of anticipation and then throw cold water over them. Brown has tried to portray himself as a safe pair of hands because he knows that there are stormy waters ahead. He will lose that reputation and that is a golden opportunity for David Cameron.
Chris Paul (1.03am) "I am finding this juvenile teasing of the Prime Minister very interesting."
Chris, I am no juvenile - I'm probably old enough to be your grandfather (not a pleasant thought for you or me, I admit) but I would hope that even you will realise that Brown has made an almight mess for himself.
Whatever way he turns he will be seen to be panicking, opportunist, reactionary and "frit".
You know my view - Gordon's on the ropes and Cameron and Co will keep jabbing at him - floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee.
If we get as far as PMQs on Wednesday I look forward to Cameron making the sucker punch.
I blogged Brown as a 'girl's blouse' last year. I was in hospital and did a mini-survey of the nurses for their views. They liked Blair, but thought GB was a GB. Female intuition, I guess.
I thought Matthew Paris's analysis of Gordon Brown last week was spot on: "a bully with a big ego, a yellow streak and nothing to say". He's just the fag end of the vacuous, spin-obsessed, lying Bliar era. And in Baghdad he was shown up for what he is.
I've always supported June 2009. There is no need for an election now.
It's the media that have made any mess that there is. They are in three minds. They want an election. They want to stop an election. They just want to make mischief.
My view of the Tory conference runs counter to many:
1. Osborne's announcements were appallingly badly researched and don't stand up;
2. Cameron's speech was an empty thing and "No Notes" can be joined with "No Content";
3. Other Mimicsters similarly failed to deliver any substance.
Apart from my own long held preference for 2009 there are a good many practical points that will be spat by Tories if Gordon does decide to go now.
- The register - The potential postal strike - The farmers - Climate Change
OK, not climate change.
Thanks Hristov. I knew the caution wasn't verbatim for the old or the current one. It didn't affect the point I was attempting to make.
What Tories are saying on blogs now and the immaturity of much of it e.g. those thewrongman graphics is all on the record and rich in insight to the true working of the cuddly new conservatives.
What happened to all you Brownite's juvenile bravado from 2 weeks ago. If you can't take it when the boot's on the other foot then don't start it in the first place.
I'm not sure of Mathew Paris's game. Double bluff? He wouldn't want Brown to win. John Major did a masterly little summing up of election pros and cons on the Today programme this morning. Sarah Montague wisely just let him get on with it. Major commands a lot of respect. I hope he'll continue to be active in the media.
Matthew Parris refers to the word sly in his last paragraph. I always use the wonderful all round Scots word *sleekit* when describing Brown the politician, it means sly, treacherous and deceitful! It is a rather apt description for man who would attack his own boss and colleagues in an underhand way and perfectly describes every budget that Brown has written in the last 10 years.
Brown's two week long teasing, hinting, and dithering over whether or not to call an election is becoming a national disgrace.
I have been following the political scene since the late sixties and I cannot remember any other Prime Minister abusing the constitutional process in this way and making such a mockery of the election process.
It has to stop now before it does irreparable damage to the image and standing of Britain.
Brown should say that it's happening on the first Thursday in May 2009 and there's an end to it.
That would teach Fleet Street and the BBC that they cannot simply demand a General Election in order to give themselves something to do (but avoid having to report what is actually going on), and then bang on and on about it until they get one.
Brown should make it clear that the grown ups are in charge. And this is how to do it.
"John Major did a masterly little summing up of election pros and cons on the Today programme this morning."
Really? It sounded to me more like trying to prevent a quick election. Like Mathew Parris said: "I don’t think the Tories do want a election in November, whatever they say".
The tories are bluffing. They can lose an election now and get rid of Cameron, or they can do the same at a later date. Either way, goodbye tories.
15 comments:
You must surely hope Iain that Gordon does not take MP's advice?
I am finding this juvenile teasing of the Prime Minister very interesting.
Keep it going.
You have the right to remain silent.
Whatever you do say may be taken down and used in evidence against you.
@ chris paul
Post Michael Howard the full caution is actually now as follows :-
“You have the right to remain silent, but it may harm your defence if you fail to mention now something you later seek to rely on in court.”
Sorry, Verity, if you think that all people in UK know this but I can assure you that there are some innocents who have not been arrested recently (I, for example, had to look up the revised caution, rather than hearing it directly from the mouth of a officer of the law).
Seriously, the revised caution does rather neatly sum up Brown’s dilemma. He cannot remain silent. His acolytes have stirred up so much speculation that he has to explain himself. He will, most likely, say that there will be no election and then give some spun explanation.
His explanation is likely to be seen as an excuse and that will be very damaging. “Safe pairs of hands” do not stoke the fires of anticipation and then throw cold water over them. Brown has tried to portray himself as a safe pair of hands because he knows that there are stormy waters ahead. He will lose that reputation and that is a golden opportunity for David Cameron.
Chris Paul (1.03am) "I am finding this juvenile teasing of the Prime Minister very interesting."
Chris, I am no juvenile - I'm probably old enough to be your grandfather (not a pleasant thought for you or me, I admit) but I would hope that even you will realise that Brown has made an almight mess for himself.
Whatever way he turns he will be seen to be panicking, opportunist, reactionary and "frit".
You know my view - Gordon's on the ropes and Cameron and Co will keep jabbing at him - floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee.
If we get as far as PMQs on Wednesday I look forward to Cameron making the sucker punch.
iain
any idea why 3 oct today prog on radio 4 is not available
I blogged Brown as a 'girl's blouse' last year. I was in hospital and did a mini-survey of the nurses for their views. They liked Blair, but thought GB was a GB. Female intuition, I guess.
I thought Matthew Paris's analysis of Gordon Brown last week was spot on: "a bully with a big ego, a yellow streak and nothing to say". He's just the fag end of the vacuous, spin-obsessed, lying Bliar era. And in Baghdad he was shown up for what he is.
I've always supported June 2009. There is no need for an election now.
It's the media that have made any mess that there is. They are in three minds. They want an election. They want to stop an election. They just want to make mischief.
My view of the Tory conference runs counter to many:
1. Osborne's announcements were appallingly badly researched and don't stand up;
2. Cameron's speech was an empty thing and "No Notes" can be joined with "No Content";
3. Other Mimicsters similarly failed to deliver any substance.
Apart from my own long held preference for 2009 there are a good many practical points that will be spat by Tories if Gordon does decide to go now.
- The register
- The potential postal strike
- The farmers
- Climate Change
OK, not climate change.
Thanks Hristov. I knew the caution wasn't verbatim for the old or the current one. It didn't affect the point I was attempting to make.
What Tories are saying on blogs now and the immaturity of much of it e.g. those thewrongman graphics is all on the record and rich in insight to the true working of the cuddly new conservatives.
chris paul,
What happened to all you Brownite's juvenile bravado from 2 weeks ago. If you can't take it when the boot's on the other foot then don't start it in the first place.
Got it?
http://the-tap.blogspot.com/2006/11/gordon-brown-girls-blouse.html
I'm not sure of Mathew Paris's game. Double bluff? He wouldn't want Brown to win.
John Major did a masterly little summing up of election pros and cons on the Today programme this morning. Sarah Montague wisely just let him get on with it.
Major commands a lot of respect. I hope he'll continue to be active in the media.
Matthew Parris refers to the word sly in his last paragraph. I always use the wonderful all round Scots word *sleekit* when describing Brown the politician, it means sly, treacherous and deceitful! It is a rather apt description for man who would attack his own boss and colleagues in an underhand way and perfectly describes every budget that Brown has written in the last 10 years.
Brown's two week long teasing, hinting, and dithering over whether or not to call an election is becoming a national disgrace.
I have been following the political scene since the late sixties and I cannot remember any other Prime Minister abusing the constitutional process in this way and making such a mockery of the election process.
It has to stop now before it does irreparable damage to the image and standing of Britain.
Brown should say that it's happening on the first Thursday in May 2009 and there's an end to it.
That would teach Fleet Street and the BBC that they cannot simply demand a General Election in order to give themselves something to do (but avoid having to report what is actually going on), and then bang on and on about it until they get one.
Brown should make it clear that the grown ups are in charge. And this is how to do it.
bebopper said...
"John Major did a masterly little summing up of election pros and cons on the Today programme this morning."
Really? It sounded to me more like trying to prevent a quick election. Like Mathew Parris said:
"I don’t think the Tories do want a election in November, whatever they say".
The tories are bluffing. They can lose an election now and get rid of Cameron, or they can do the same at a later date. Either way, goodbye tories.
Gordon Brown's pathetic little game of bluff, double bluff, and tease, is making this country look like a banana republic.
The man is a disgrace particularly after his vile Iraq stunt last week.
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