Cameron then turned to the Pre Budget Report. Accused Brown of embarking on a borrowing binge. Brown says there will need to be a fiscal expansion to help small businesses. Cameron accused Brown of forgetting the difference between monetary and fiscal policy. He then accused Mandelson of admitting there would have to be long term tax rises. "We have made our choice," he said. Brown went on about how the rest of the world were following his example and that monetary policy was not enough. He accused Cameron of setting his face against that.
Cameron then quoted Derek Scott, Blair's former economic adviser. Scott had said it was 'drivel' that the crisis was not of the government's own making. Quoted Brown's own words back at him about unfunded tax cuts. Asked: "If he doesn't agree with his Trade Secretary or Derek Scott, does he agree with himself?"
Brown: "Do we want to help people through difficult times, or do we want to take the advice of the 1980s and 1990s and do absolutely nothing to help people in time of need?"
I missed Clegg's first question as my connection stalled. Clegg accused Brown of "strutting his stuff on the world stage". Said Bankers couldn't believe their luck. Got millions of taxpayers money, don't have to lend and can keep their bonuses.
All in all rather uneventful.
Brown 6
Cameron 6
Clegg 6
Cameron 6
Clegg 6
69 comments:
At the moment the Conservatives are almost completely irrelevant. They have nothing serious to add to the current struggle to deal with the global financial and economic crisis. Cameron and Osborne blather around like Laurel and Hardy talking about fine messes – but without having anything coherent to say. Meanwhile Gordon Brown rises in stature every day – a politician who looks right on the world stage and indeed is the star actor on that stage at the moment.
Laurel and Hardy are good at playing politics and will win the 6th Form debating prize hands down. Meanwhile Brown gets on with governing – and he is doing it rather well…
I see that some Councils are learning from NuLabour's way of conducting opinion polls
http://www.lisburncity.gov.uk/sprucefield-development-poll/
The issue of brown not answering any opposition questions really has to be dealt with asap.
It is getting to the stage where someone has to do something.
I didn't think anything was inevitable buddy. I guess they were punch drunk. PMQ's has to be bureaucratic and the fact that no questions were answered is dispiriting.
Bound to be the case, though I still don't see how you can award Brown points for not answering questions. It's a bit like giving students marks for writing them names in exams. I thought Cameron shaded it with his final question, though. What is more important now is drilling into the public consciousness the message that more borrowing is bad, and that any freebies Brown throws our way are going to need to be paid for in the future. It's not a sexy message, but it has to be put across time and time again.
Just a thought Ian but wasn't it following the rest of the world with lending which got us into this mess?
So is it really wise to follow the rest of the world and getting into more debt to try and get us out?
Doesn't sound like a good idea to me!
Off topic, but...
Given the hoo ha over the leaked bnp membership list.
In the wake of the Iraq war scandal, wouldn't a list of people who are still members of the labour party be more interesting?
What you missed was the change of positions on the gvt bench. Ed Balls at the left ear of Brown, whispering advice throughout PMQ's!
Obviously did not want another bad week. BUT Your scores are ridiculous.
Brown did not answer any question and as such should be marked down.
CAMERON 8. CLEGG 8. BROWN 1 (for turning up)
A frustrating PMQs for the Tories, I thought. It's so easy for Brown to claim that Labour are doing something to help "hard working families" while the Tories do nothing. What Cameron needs to do is come out fighting about this contrast. Tell people that they can't just keep piling on debt. Yesterday's announcement was a great start, now let's see it in PMQs.
It's always going to be easier to claim the moral high ground if you're seen to be doing something nice, like cutting tax, but it's the Tories' job to expose the catastrophe that lies in that course.
Penny Toynbee has just said on SKY that you, Iain, as they referred to this actual blog, that YOU A FULLY PAID TORY BLOGGER.
ARE YOU? IF NOT YOU SHOULD DEMAND A PUBLIC APOLOGY FROM TOYNBEE.!!!!
Iain,
Just wanted to say how useful I find these weekly sketches. As I'm working from a large office the connection is very restricted. The BBC blow-by-blow account doesn't give me a 'feel' for the event. Guido's CoverItLive won't run on some corporate networks running older versions of Flash.
And so, good old fashioned writing wins through again.
Cheers,
Mike
"Brown: "Do we want to help people through difficult times, or do we want to take the advice of the 1980s and 1990s and do absolutely nothing to help people in time of need?""
Me things there was room there for a quip about not learning the lessons of the 60's and 70's when intervention of the type Brown favours led to stagflation - rising unemployment and inflation at the same time - and economic stagnation.
Paddy Briggs - As you seem to be the one man in the room with his eye on the big picture, may we know your views on John Sergeant's sensational withdrawal from Strictly Come Dancing?
Colin, was that the 'Iraq war scandal" that wouldn't have happened if the Tories hadn't voted for it? Or was there another one?
In complete fairness to Cameron his bi-partisanship on his first question was much better than his attitude and display last week so credit where it is due...
On the wider issues I think this PMQ's was a bit of a stalemate but it at least emphasises that clear differences are opening up between the parties...
Gordon Broon has NO MANDATE in England!, he loses by default even if Cameron didnt even stand up and ask ANY questions!.
Also, i see the "Pollsters" are still coming through for their McLabour masters.
@ Paddy Briggs 12.30
'Gordon Brown rises in stature every day' - what, like a morning woody?
'Brown gets on with governing - and he is doing it rather well ...'
Ah yes. He's as smug and self-satisfied as he was when he sold off half the nation's gold at a £4bn loss, took our incomes, took our savings, took the nation's savings, mortgaged our grandchildren's earnings and blew the lot on lunatic social engineering experiments. He's doubled public expenditure with only minimal improvements in State services and, as with all Labour governments, will lose office with unemployment substantially higher than when he gained it.
So for a Labour PM, he's 'doing rather well' in that he's doing the nation and the economy much more damage than usual. Is that what you mean?
Another waste of time, as Brown is still not answering questions.
He didn't answer Cameron or Clegg, and he was twice asked about the falling pound and din't answer either of them.
I would score it Cameron 6, Clegg 6, Brown 3.
Brown can't have equal points unless he answers questions.
Brown's example of Barclays' directors foregoing bonuses as an example of the pressure the government can bring to bear on the banks was risible.
Barclays is the only bank to have run a mile from the bailout, choosing to raise finance privately to avoid government interference.
That none of the bailout recipients have followed Barclays' lead shows the governments impotence.
I'm sorry to say this, but I thought DC was awful. He needs to be more forceful - when Brown fails to answer the question, he needs to repeat it and labour the point.
On the tax issue today for example - all six questions should have been devoted to getting Brown to admit that Tax rates will rise after the next election. Of course, Brown won't want to answer but by repeatedly asking the same Yes or No question, over more than one PMQ's if necessary, I believe Cameron would shame him into answering. If necessary the Tories could even launch a media blitz - with the question emblazened across bill-boards etc.... with th rider: the question Gordon won't answer.
Gordon doesn't even go through any pretence of answering the question any more. I wonder whether one week, after say question two, Cameron should just say - "Do you know - what's the point? I've got four more questions, but this Prime Minister and accountability are clearly not on speaking terms. He does not try to give a coherent response to questions justifying his actions. But he will have to - in the General Election."
Then sit down. That would get some coverage!
Clegg much improved, though Brown still treating him like Private Pike.
PMQ's is about the democratic process and the role of Her Majesty's Official Opposition to hold the governemnt to account.
And I do understand the political reality of making sure your answers, as PM, reflect the best on you and your government.
But how does an Opposition frame questions for a Prime Minister who, let's face it, just lies in his teeth or just never even attempts to give an answer?
It might work for Dave & Co. to just keep asking questions and letting Brown's responses work aginst him with the Voter. Let him hang himself. Is this what the Tories are doing?
Or do they need to demonstrate some real bottom and properly get after Brown. If so how, when Brown is so devious and deceitful? How do you deal with a bare faced liar who maintains black is white?
I am sure that we have all had arguments with someone who 'wins' the argument, with us more truthful people, by stating a fact of which they claim intimate knowledge but which after the event is shown to be a downright lie. This is Brown's tactic.
In my view the Opposition needs to be so much more up on its brief so that it can instantly nail these lies. Otherwise Brown will keep getting away with it, because by the time he has been found out the moment has passed and the fleeting attention span of the media is elsewhere.
This is becoming a Labour/BBC habit - referring back to the 80's and 90's - without the context of the 70's.
Paddy Briggs - Brown says nothing - he just makes assertions he has no intention of justifying. That might seem like leadership to you, its something else to the rest of us (and if I say what the Iain will censor my comment).
Paddy Briggs, quick! Your medication is running out!
Can someone please tell me what the actual figures were for the following at the time of the 1997 election:-
Unemployment
Inflation
Interest rates.
Extent of public sector debt
My recollection is that things were not nearly as bad as Brown constantly claims (witness again today his charge of 15% borrowing)but no one ever disputes what he says
Paddy Briggs; "Gordon Brown rises in stature every day......"
Not sure how he can rise in stature by repeating "difficult times". I lost count of how many times he said it during PMQ's.
But he will have to - in the General Election."
Really? You think so, eh?
We'll see.
Anonymous @1:02 PM
Yes that would the Iraq war scandal where everyone, including the Tories were lied to by the labour regime.
The same scandal where the Tories were being vilified for any semblance of attempting to hold the regime to account - a bit like the current fiscal scandal.
The same scandal, that in this day and age is as bad as it comes.
The same scandal where untold thousands of innocent people were unlawfully killed, as a result of disgusting lies by a disgusting regime. A regime by the way, in which brown was and still is a senior henchman.
The same scandal that was only yesterday denounced as illegal under international law by Lord Bingham.
That would be the scandal I was on about.
Whatever you say about the bnp, and, in my view it has many, many members who hold disgusting views, the one thing you can't say is that they perpetrated one of the most shameful and morally disgusting acts of political depravity so far seen this century.
Cameron sounds more and more like the right wing of the Labour party.
He could be, in all honesty, a disgruntled Labour party back bencher. He does not disagree with Brown on ideology, just tactics.
Idiot Clegg pops up demanding that the government "force" the banks to lend, conveniently forgetful that this course of action started the sub-prime / bad debt undermining of the entire banking system and got us where we are today.
New Labour, Blue Labour or Dim Labour, is no choice at all, we are living in a de facto fascist province, of an unelected fascist superstate.
May I see your Identity Card sir, you have nothing to fear.
Score draw? You´re having a laugh, Mr Dale.
DC´s final flourish - a quote from disgruntled and irrelevant former Blairite Derek Scott - was desperation personified. In response to Brown´s quoting of Cameron´s own recent position it was dismal, pathetic and truly laughable.
Six apiece? I´d say Brown 9, Cameron 2 - just like whenever Cameron tries to take on Brown over the economy. Looking at Mori and yougov´s latest I´d say many people are starting to agree.
Roll on Monday.
Davefromluton,
UK interest rates from 1985 onwards shown here.
http://www.houseweb.co.uk/house/market/irfig.html
No score draw means 6 each!
Did you go to the same accounting school as Gideon?
By the way I scored it a close
Gordon 9
Dave 1
Clegg 0
Cameron is starting to get better again after being thrown by financial events. However Brown's (poisoned) carrott will keep his ratings up for a bit. But you cannot buck the market, so any giveaway next Mon will only be short lived - but may squeeze Brown another electon win if held sooner than later.
Remind me: How did Howard get the better of Brown - as mentioned on the Daily Politics today?
paddy briggs,
US press totally ignored Brown's attendance at G20 summit. He is indeed the star 'actor' - trying to spin himself out of responsibility for historic financial meltdown and debts.
Brown continues to ignore Opposition's proposals to help small businesses - 1p tax reduction, VAT freeze etc.
paddy briggs - you're as deluded as the man you worship ...
But Colin, you simpleton, lots of Labour MPs saw through that ridiculous Blair/Bush smokescreen. The Tories were either stupid, or just content to vote for any old war against Johnny Foreigner at any time.
I repeat, without those Tory idiots Blair could not have got his war plans through.
November 19, 2008 1:27 PM
I agree with you. The tories have to be more vocal about Brown's disregard for this half hour paid for by licence payers.
Sadly they're not coming up to the line at the moment.
If Brown, as is suggested in some quarters, intends to call a GE in February or March, then the tories have little hope. They don't seem to be organised at all and with no big hitters on their front bench either.
All very disappointing really as I've been willing them to do better. Please up your game DC, use all the talent around you - there's plenty of it.
What was Peter Mandelson doing on the floor of the house at PMQs? I thought it was just elected members and relevant civil servants permitted on the floor.
Someone will correct me I'm sure.
What I took away from PMQs is that all 3 have dug themselves into an embarrassing hole, with the Banks looking down on them, laughing their silk socks off.
Their response? More state control. All of them. They cannot work out that they made a fundamental mistake in thinking they could force banks to do their bidding. Their solution, all 3 parties, is to dig deeper and move towards more state control.
This shows not only that the LibDems are Authoritarian Statists - everyone but half the membership of that party knows it, but that Cameron's instincts are that way inclined also.
If he had the balls for it, he would fess up and admit that the plan could only have mmanaged to prop up the banks and no control was ever possible. He has not.
p.s. Brown's face cracked into the most god-awful "smile" at one stage. Hideous.
davefromluton said...
Can someone please tell me what the actual figures were for the following at the time of the 1997 election:-
Unemployment
Inflation
Interest rates.
Extent of public sector debt
November 19, 2008 1:50 PM
It's not just the figures at that point in time, it's also the trend of those figures.
Unemployment had been falling for 2 or so years
Inflation had been falling since we had been ejected from the ERM
Interest rates had been falling similarly
Public sector debt, as a percentage of GDP was gradually falling following the disater of the early '90's recession.
Ken Clarke had previously announced a three year spending review that was particularly tight. This planned to bringing down the PBSR to nil by 1999/2000.
To his eternal credit (the only thing he can be given credit for and it was a political decision NOT an economic one), Brown went along with the spending review (in fact, according to Clarke, he kept much more in line than Clarke would have!) and the PBSR disappeared around that time.
As you can probably appreciate, the only reason he could get away with this was by blaming the Tories.
Result in 2000 - Billions to spend and borrow to make good the 'pledges' (remember that word?) about health and edukashon.
Trouble is, he simply cannot stop spending. Particularly other peoples money. In fact, I think it's an illness - as if he isn't ill enough now, the psychophantic son of a.............
manse.
I'm usually a pretty peaceable type, but when I watch PMQs these days I am shocked at the virulence of my loathing for Gordon Brown. I guess we all know that Parliament isn't much use any more, and MPs don't feel much obligation to reflect the views of their constituents, but Mr Brown takes it to whole new heights: openly contemptuous of valid questions or truth, and psychopathically absorbed in his own ego.
I hope I never meet him. I would be unable to control my contempt.
Yet again the Big Girls Blouse did not answer one question. Pathetic.
We all know why the pound has taken a hammering. The rest of the world has had a good look at the balance sheet of UK plc and does not like what it sees. The cupboard is bare and the BGB is not the person to restock it.
When oh when will the BGB and his Nu Liebour apparatchiks understand that you cannot spend more than you earn, that you have to cut your cloth to fit the circumstances and, when you screw up, you have to accept the s..t and move on. It's called accepting responsibility, something that has disappeared under the Nu Liebour regime.
In the Nu Liebour world of fantasy economics you never have to take any pain as the taxpayer is always there to bail you out. It's a farce.
There is absolutely nothing new about Labour. Their tenure will end as it always does with more unemployment, a weakened pound and too much borrowing.
The only person paying attention to the BGB is his reflection in the bathroom mirror. The rest of the world is not following his plan. Indeed, it never was "HIS PLAN", it was put together by two directors of Standard Chartered Bank.
The apologists for Labour on this blog really need to enter the real world. There is no such thing as a free lunch. You have had your 11 years in the sunshine. It's now time for the big boys to return and restore order in the playground.
I can see a good question for the 2009 "A" level economics paper:
"Gordon Brown couldn't run a pie shop so he ends up running a country. Comment".
Anonymous @3:14 PM
Ok, so the Iraq war was all the fault of the Tories - classic stuff indeed!
I would point out that most, if not all those labour MP's who apparently opposed the war, are still regime henchmen in one form or another. In effect, the horrific outcome of the biggest political deception and foreign policy disaster of the last 20 years was not enough to persuade these self serving cynics to quit the despicable regime they are a part of.
Like most opportunists on the left, when they wrestle with their conscience - the conscience usually loses; especially where taxpayer funded perks and baubles are involved.
Meanwhile Gordon Brown rises in stature every day – a politician who looks right on the world stage and indeed is the star actor on that stage at the moment.
lol are you for real?
paddy briggs.12.30
Are they putting something in the water round your way?
I wonder if I was watching the same programme as most of those replying to this blog.
Cameron was terrible. Brown doesn't answer the question, but so what? He performed better than Cameron and easily swatted away his silly remarks. He will have to be better to lay a glove on Brown.
This really sums up the Conservative position. Ten years in oppostion, bank nationalisation, the prospect of 3m unemployed, the pound through the floor, taxes to rise in the long term, borrowing at unheard of levels and loads more. One wonders what more has to go wrong before this excuse of an oppostion can actually oppose this shambles of a government.
I listened to PMQ`s while driving and nearly had an accident because i was screaming at the radio so much. Brown NEVER answers a question he doesn`t like and its now getting ridiculous. Theres never any help from the biased speaker. In fact his intervention today telling Tory MP`s to stop shouting "Answer" was disgusting. He said "He (Gordo) is answering but not in a way you might like!!" Incredible. Cameron has got to find a way to get round this because he is unable to embarrass or question Brown because of his non answers. This is not democracy.Even Blair answered some questions!!
One thing I noticed during today's PMQs was this question;
Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston) (Lab): Does the Prime Minister believe that it is right for councils to go on encouraging their tenants to take out mortgages that they can ill afford to repay? If he thinks that it is wrong to encourage people who are only on benefits, in arrears or have been bankrupt to take out mortgages, will he please tell Birmingham city council, which is controlled by the Conservative party, that it should stop taking advertising from companies that facilitate just such loans in its council tenants’ freesheet?
Now compare that with the recent comment from Hazel Blears, a direct response to which can be found here;
http://www.moneyweek.com/personal-finance/dont-listen-to-hazel-blears-dont-buy-a-house-13546.aspx
So there you have it. Conservative advice to buy a house - bad. Labour advice to buy a house - good. Wonder if El Gordo will be looking into the irresponsible advice being handed out by members of his Cabinet in the same way he plans to look into the advice from Birmingham City Council. Hmmmm...
dear iain
why have neither you nor guido mentioned the bnp story?
love peter
Cameron: Would the Prime Minister agree that any tax cuts now will have to be paid for later?
Brown: Half past seven.
With the level of answers by Brown being roughly as that shown above, Cameron will seriously have to consider answering his own questions. There is a way of doing this, and a clever barrister would be able to advise.
paddy briggs
Brown governing rather well? You confuse rhetoric with deeds.
Take the PMQs question today about banks.
What has he done to make sure taxpayers and small businesses are getting value for the vast amoungs of money the government has poured into their vaults?
Answer (basically) have meetings about it.
Why has the pound crashed against other currencies?
It was all worse under the last Tory government.
You forget, colleague of DollyDraper, that the Tories aren't in government. It isn't their job to come up with new ideas but to test the government's ideas.
Since Brown never, ever answers a question without making a uni style debating point, easy to see their difficulties.
BTW Ian, I think you were unduly generous giving Brown 6. Squirming with pleasure was Polly Toynbee not on Sky.
Paddy Briggs is absolutely spot on. Cameron was useless today, and even most Tories would agree. If Brown was as bad as many here say, why did Cameron fail to land a significant blow? Why has Iain Dale scored it a draw (a less biased or more honest person would score it a convincing Brown win, especially the 4th and 5th answers where he quoted Cameron´s position of Sept 30) if Cam was so spot on and Brown was so bad.
And don´t even get me started on Cleggy, or squeaky George.
I never expected GB to answer questions but I did expect DC to say something intelligible, crisp and hard hitting. The average person would have found what he said unintelligible.
General election last Thursday in January or first Thursday in February. Enough successful spinning has occurred and people will still be basking in the glow of the winter and Xmas give-away from Brown.
He cannot wait much later as many of them will wake up to reality by end of February and begin to realise the dangers posed by another 5 years of Labour rule.
Ian,
Not sure the pest problem in the Commons isn't spreading here.
You haven't accidentally bumped into Mandelson, have you?
Hague used to give Blair a regular pasting in the house, but it didn't make a jot of difference in the country generally. The real battles are being fought in the shops and petrol stations. The reason why Brown is doing less badly, is falling food and petrol prices. Simple as.
Oh-oh, a NEW LIST has just been released onto the internet
Colin, you're talking out of your arse. How many of those who voted against the war are 'in the government'?
How many of the Shadow Cabinet voted against the war?
Oh yes, I forgot, they were just gullible fools weren't they.
why is it that almost every week the same Labour backbenchers ask their questions? and the Speaker must have a list who to start and who to finish with!
Everything is being designed to try to make Broon look good.
Cameron should learn from William Hague and Blair. Where Blair was quite often wrong footed by Hague askig a series of six different questions on six different subjects.
Watching Brown going through his notes, time and time again, would be good television.
Crikey!
Clegg was dreadful today!
I think the BBC need to start reving up the yellow Taxi graphis for the next elections. The :D's look to be doomed. Clegg to lose Hallam especially if JC will challange and conquer Clegg's seat's/ The popular campaign to decapitate Nick Clegg continues a pace after he looks like being in Brown's pocket.
Chris Huhne looks set to be defeated in Eastleigh! Looks like Huhne has met his Dunkirk!
Troll @ 5:56 pm said...
The average person would have found what he said unintelligible.
Well, I understood him, so you're wrong there.
And I've warned you trolls before; get back under the rickety-rackety bridge before Great Big Billy Goat Gruff catches up with you.
Cameron is an idiot. There again he did go to Eton. The nonces and ponces who infest our political system are only interested in what's good for themselves. There needs to be a major shift in how politics work in the west or else we are in deep trouble. Let's limit them to 2 or 3 terms in office and get id of the 'professional politicians' and replace them with people who have achieved something. Failing that let's just have a good old fashioned civil war.
Paddy Briggs.
First on the comments again.
When teacher called on the class to put their hands up if they know the answer did you shot yours up at every opportunity, bright face, bursting with excitement and enthusiasm?
Good to know that being wrong on each and every occasion has never stopped you from trying.
Seriously, do you know why the pound has devalued 25% against the dollar in 2 months? If you can answer please pass it on to the PM. He doesn't seem to have a clue.
Anonymous Troll @6:27 PM
You don't have to be in government to be part of the regime, if you sustain it in any way, you're part of it.
As for the shadow cabinet; maybe you've missed something, but the Tories haven't been in power since 1997. The shadow cabinet didn't take the decision to kick off an illegal war, the government of the day, ie the labour regime did. I would ask that you get over it, but I'm not sure how you'd get over the fact that you're part of a regime that is directly responsible for creating the conditions that led to the unlawful deaths of untold thousands of innocent Iraqi's. What a burden!
What we need is a set of playing cards with brown's face and those of his fellow warmongering, henchmen on them.
The Bingham statement is just the latest installment in the run up to a long overdue day of reckoning, beginning with a public enquiry.
ps can we have a separate topic on this? I think the Bingham intervention is significant.
Have you seen that joke site Politicshome.
Rawnsley's fictitious 100 'political experts' give Brown the biggest score today at PMQ's!!
Rawnsley always lived in Clown Cuckoo land and this proves it.
C'mon Iain. You could get 100 of your regular people to join the Iain Dale Diary 100 political experts
and you could come up with a good line almost every day.
Rawnsley, who is in need of a diet and a haircut, is a legend in his own mind.
I have suggested people who could help Cameron. (Gaunt was sacked so is available - but what about John Sergeant? he has been there and done it! great sense of humour, highly regarded by the public. IF he was to front the Conservative cause - we would be halfway there.
Paddy Briggs, have you been drinking?
Cameron has a problem all right but it is not because the Brown duck has over night turned into to a fascist corporate Eagle. This took lots of time and lots of planning, by a lot of people, in very high places.
Cameron must have known this as must have Gordon Brown.
However Cameron and his parties job is to OPPOSE before, obviously stupid policies go very predictably extremely wrong for the ordinary people, not so much afterwards.
All Cameron seemed to be interested in for his first two years was riding his cycle and looking as green as possible in all respects.
Not a bad idea if you know that economic times are going to be perfectly wonderful forever. Not at all a good idea if you should know as sure as eggs is eggs they are most surly not going to be.
I am seriously wondering why I should want my party running this mess anyway. 5 more years of Gordon Brown and the middle as well as the lower classes will/could be ready to burn down the entire apparatus of the state.
Imminent starvation and effective 98% national income tax rates, can do strange things to once free people.
You simply can not worry about biting off the hand, that no longer even feeds you. Still less when it will not even allow you to feed yourself.
Atlas
The Chipmunk is on Newsnight !!
" Victor, NW Kent said...
General election last Thursday in January or first Thursday in February. ........
November 19, 2008 5:58 PM"
I agree.
All this talk of Tax Cuts is bull.
His budget statement will be the usual waffle - we hope, would like, intend etc etc - but never we definitely will.
He cannot issue a give-away budget in March, and then cancel it with the inevitable tax rises after re-election in April/May.
So a load of waffle in the run up to Christmas, and a snap election after before the credit card bills have to be paid at the end of February.
Insofar as there is one, then, based on this week's PMQs, it is the Labour Left (Gordon Prentice, a Campaign Group member I think, although these days so is even Austin Mitchell) and the Cornerstone Group (three questions, including a superb one from David Burrowes about one-sided extradition arrangements with the United States).
But Cameron and Clegg are paid extra. They are receiving money under false pretences.
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