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, April 25, 2009
Looking Into Gordon's Future
March 2010: Gordon Brown returns triumphantly from a meeting with the IMF, clutching an IOU for £25 billion.
The first two comments (the only ones here as I write this) are correct. This is, apparently, why Brown went to see certain middle-eastern purse string holders some months ago, as was reported in some of the media.
It is strongly believed he was asking them to put more funds into the IMF, knowing full well that Britain will need to go to them for truly vast sums in at least the hundreds of billions range, and soon.
This is unfair to Chamberlain. For all his faults and mistakes Neville Chamberlain was a man of peace, with a clear morality, and a sense of fair play and public decency.
The budget has depressed me beyond measure. We are so f**ked.......
I would like to think that this would finish the socialists for good, but I don't think people have the intellectual capacity to think anymore. Way to go comprehensive education!
Is it churlish, and indeed vindictive, of me to hope his future involves a moment of clarity followed by shame, a suicide note of apology, a revolver going off and a quiet grave for passing dogs and pigeons to contemptuously urinate and defaecate upon?
"...the settlement of the financial problems, which has now been achieved is, in my view, only the prelude to a larger settlement in which all Europe may find relief. This morning I had another talk with the German Chancellor, Frau Merkel, and here is the paper which bears her name upon it as well as mine (waves paper to the crowd - ). We regard the agreement signed last night and the Anglo-German joint Euro Currency Agreement, as symbolic of my desire to never admit the almighty cock-ups I have made"
Later that day he stood outside Number 10 Downing Street and again read from the document and concluded:
"My good friends, this is the second time in our history that I have been forced to come back from Germany to Downing Street,claiming Cash with honour. I believe it is funding for our time. We thank you from the hearts of our bottoms. And now I recommend you to go home and sleep quietly in your beds.
{The following morning, Britain joined the Euro and closed its stock exchange for ever.}
Willem Buiter sets out Brown's disaster best in his Financial Times blog:
'To forestall the occurrence of a triple crisis (banking, sterling and sovereign debt), it would behove the UK to apply for an IMF Flexible Credit Line (FCL). Unfortunately, the criteria for qualifying for an FCL arrangement include “ . . . (iv) a reserve position that is relatively comfortable . . . ; (v) sound public finances, including a sustainable public debt position; . . . (vii) the absence of bank solvency problems that pose an immediate threat of a systemic banking crisis; (viii) effective financial sector supervision.” It is questionable whether criteria (iv) and (v) are met. Criteria (vii) and (viii) are obviously not met. In addition, with a £175bn annual borrowing requirement for the next couple of years, the measly $240bn or so the IMF currently has at its disposal is unlikely to make much of a difference.'
The United Kingdom doesn't even qualify for a bail-out from the IMF.
The people of Britain (and this very importantly includes Labour voters) have an opportunity to remove Brown in June. They can vote overwhelmingly Tory (or Labour voters could vote LibDem I suppose but I doubt that real labour voters like the libdems) and see Labour obliterated. Alternatively they could deliberately abstain.
The point being it would force Brown out and from the Labour perspective force a new start for their party before the next election.
I would suggest that labour voters might to prefer to actually vote Tory since it maximises the protest which is the whole point and does not puff up their left wing rivals - the LibDems.
Will they take the option? I hope they don't but if the scales have dropped from their eyes they really need to act.
This is unfair to Chamberlain ! In the end, he did declare war on Germany because they invaded Poland... a country that had not the inclination or means to attack Germany... Wonder what he would have said about Iraq... Anyway, we haven't borrowed/got the money yet... It's quite possible that it will not be forthcoming. No state benefits, wages or salaries for atate employees... Think I'll find a quiet hill with independant water supply and dig a deep hole for me and my tins of corned beef !
Something which may or may not happened 15 years ago. I am concerned about what has happened now and why I am paying for Jaqui Smith's husband to watch porn movies. Grow up and see the filth called the Labour.
"I have never seen Draper's email and have no knowledge of its contents."
Incidentally, last night's HIGNFY was excellent. A few uncomfortable moments for the Tories and Alan Duncan but when they played the clip of Gordon saying:
"I take full responsibilty, that is why the the man responsible went immmdiately."
it received one of the biggest laughs of the night. Officially, then, Brown is a national laughing stock. Make sure as many people as possible see this clip.
It's not bankruptcy that is to be feared, Pizzatime. Of course the UK is to big to be allowed to fail.
It's the collapse in living standards that will be administrated by outsiders and their requirements, not imposed but democratically accepted by our own, elected UK government. Not least because we are not getting the chance to elect our government and choose how to cope with what New Labour, and Brown specifically and personally, have done over the last 12 years.
I think and hope that there will be a lot of tactical voting going on in the June elections, with most people trying to maximise the damage to Brown...
Lets just hope and pray they are successful...anybody know what Paddy Powers offering for an autumn election?
The IMF does not have enough money to bail out UK.
ReplyDelete25 billion- chicken feed, almost certainly less than the difference between the real deficit this year and the 175 bn in budget.
At the rate the debt is escalating, we might be looking at trillions, rather than billions.
ReplyDeleteOh, that's good!
ReplyDeleteAnd what is Gordon saying?
"I bring you p**s in our time."
You may care to visit my place for what our future is to be!
ReplyDeleteThe first two comments (the only ones here as I write this) are correct. This is, apparently, why Brown went to see certain middle-eastern purse string holders some months ago, as was reported in some of the media.
ReplyDeleteIt is strongly believed he was asking them to put more funds into the IMF, knowing full well that Britain will need to go to them for truly vast sums in at least the hundreds of billions range, and soon.
His mate Robinson [aka Maxwell's sidekick] seemed a bit tired and emotional on Newsnight.matina
ReplyDeleteIt's true what they say then, history repeats itself.
ReplyDeleteThis is unfair to Chamberlain. For all his faults and mistakes Neville Chamberlain was a man of peace, with a clear morality, and a sense of fair play and public decency.
ReplyDelete£ 25 billion ? That might keep us going for a good six weeks, certainly not six months or six yrs..
ReplyDeleteWait until the public realise the 'tsunami' of debt is coming their way..
Check out this story about Germany's 'second banking crisis'...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/financialcrisis/5209033/Germanys-slump-risks-explosive-mood-as-second-banking-crisis-looms.html
If this heads our way, it could make 'G20' and the Plane Stupid protests look a boy scouts tea party.
The budget has depressed me beyond measure. We are so f**ked.......
ReplyDeleteI would like to think that this would finish the socialists for good, but I don't think people have the intellectual capacity to think anymore. Way to go comprehensive education!
LoL - Good picture!
ReplyDeleteOn a serious subject Brown is an utter useless One eyed idiot who needs removing with his shambolic government ASAP!
Iain, You are suggesting that Brown will still be Prime Minister in 2010!
ReplyDeleteAfter June, and the elections, I doubt that he will survive much beyond then. An autumn General Election looks a possiility.
Is it churlish, and indeed vindictive, of me to hope his future involves a moment of clarity followed by shame, a suicide note of apology, a revolver going off and a quiet grave for passing dogs and pigeons to contemptuously urinate and defaecate upon?
ReplyDelete"...the settlement of the financial problems, which has now been achieved is, in my view, only the prelude to a larger settlement in which all Europe may find relief. This morning I had another talk with the German Chancellor, Frau Merkel, and here is the paper which bears her name upon it as well as mine (waves paper to the crowd - ). We regard the agreement signed last night and the Anglo-German joint Euro Currency Agreement, as symbolic of my desire to never admit the almighty cock-ups I have made"
ReplyDeleteLater that day he stood outside Number 10 Downing Street and again read from the document and concluded:
"My good friends, this is the second time in our history that I have been forced to come back from Germany to Downing Street,claiming Cash with honour. I believe it is funding for our time. We thank you from the hearts of our bottoms. And now I recommend you to go home and sleep quietly in your beds.
{The following morning, Britain joined the Euro and closed its stock exchange for ever.}
Willem Buiter sets out Brown's disaster best in his Financial Times blog:
ReplyDelete'To forestall the occurrence of a triple crisis (banking, sterling and sovereign debt), it would behove the UK to apply for an IMF Flexible Credit Line (FCL). Unfortunately, the criteria for qualifying for an FCL arrangement include “ . . . (iv) a reserve position that is relatively comfortable . . . ; (v) sound public finances, including a sustainable public debt position; . . . (vii) the absence of bank solvency problems that pose an immediate threat of a systemic banking crisis; (viii) effective financial sector supervision.” It is questionable whether criteria (iv) and (v) are met. Criteria (vii) and (viii) are obviously not met. In addition, with a £175bn annual borrowing requirement for the next couple of years, the measly $240bn or so the IMF currently has at its disposal is unlikely to make much of a difference.'
The United Kingdom doesn't even qualify for a bail-out from the IMF.
He won't last that long ;)
ReplyDeleteTo bankrupt a major Western industrial nation takes some doing.
ReplyDeleteWhat you also should be worrying about is a certain lady threatening to tell all about her relationship with some Tory ministers?
ReplyDeleteIt's in the Mail so it must be true.
Osbourne is a gonner. Better Hammond moves in dead quick.
The people of Britain (and this very importantly includes Labour voters) have an opportunity to remove Brown in June. They can vote overwhelmingly Tory (or Labour voters could vote LibDem I suppose but I doubt that real labour voters like the libdems) and see Labour obliterated. Alternatively they could deliberately abstain.
ReplyDeleteThe point being it would force Brown out and from the Labour perspective force a new start for their party before the next election.
I would suggest that labour voters might to prefer to actually vote Tory since it maximises the protest which is the whole point and does not puff up their left wing rivals - the LibDems.
Will they take the option? I hope they don't but if the scales have dropped from their eyes they really need to act.
This is unfair to Chamberlain ! In the end, he did declare war on Germany because they invaded Poland... a country that had not the inclination or means to attack Germany...
ReplyDeleteWonder what he would have said about Iraq...
Anyway, we haven't borrowed/got the money yet... It's quite possible that it will not be forthcoming. No state benefits, wages or salaries for atate employees... Think I'll find a quiet hill with independant water supply and dig a deep hole for me and my tins of corned beef !
"This, you filthy scum, is the Magna Carta. I have wiped my ares with it. We are running with the Lisbon Treaty instead. Now be told".
ReplyDelete£25BN!!!
ReplyDeleteAre you kidding me!! That's about 20 days overspend by Brown if March is anything to go by.
Put a couple of noughts on the end and it may do until the next election. If there is one, that is.
I think its more likely that our debt rating will be reduced, which knock on effect is higher interest rates.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...1.58PM
ReplyDeleteSomething which may or may not happened 15 years ago. I am concerned about what has happened now and why I am paying for Jaqui Smith's husband to watch porn movies.
Grow up and see the filth called the Labour.
"I have never seen Draper's email and have no knowledge of its contents."
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, last night's HIGNFY was excellent. A few uncomfortable moments for the Tories and Alan Duncan but when they played the clip of Gordon saying:
"I take full responsibilty, that is why the the man responsible went immmdiately."
it received one of the biggest laughs of the night. Officially, then, Brown is a national laughing stock. Make sure as many people as possible see this clip.
It's not bankruptcy that is to be feared, Pizzatime. Of course the UK is to big to be allowed to fail.
ReplyDeleteIt's the collapse in living standards that will be administrated by outsiders and their requirements, not imposed but democratically accepted by our own, elected UK government. Not least because we are not getting the chance to elect our government and choose how to cope with what New Labour, and Brown specifically and personally, have done over the last 12 years.
Now that both Mandy and Tony have slid the knife in, I don't hold out much hope for him hanging on.
ReplyDeleteThe only rider to this, and it's a big one, is that nobody wants the pellet with the poison or the chalice from the palace.
What do you think?
I think and hope that there will be a lot of tactical voting going on in the June elections, with most people trying to maximise the damage to Brown...
ReplyDeleteLets just hope and pray they are successful...anybody know what Paddy Powers offering for an autumn election?
OK - what should the caption be? Either
ReplyDelete"I have in my hand this piece of paper....which ensures wealth in our time"or
"Go back to your constitencies and prepare for opposition"I suppose we could hope that he is announcing his resignation!
Iain:
ReplyDeleteYou forgot the quote:
"Prosperity In Our Times"
Drapergate and Smeargate over? No chance! Round three! Ding! Ding!Oh, please let part of Gordon's future to be called as a witless, I mean witness in this case! (Should it come to court, that is)
ReplyDeleteThat is how I have seen Gordon since Aug 2007, even using the same image as a basis, but back then he was still smiling!
ReplyDeleteYou are right, Roger. And when he does smile it is scary clown style time...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.uncoached.com/2008/12/12/if-you-dont-think-clowns-are-scary-you-will-now/
Does Gordon's future involve a rocking horse, by any chance?
ReplyDeletemarch 2010 nothing - Alistair Darling left the budget debate and got on a plane to see the IMF.....
ReplyDeleteChamberlain was a decent and honourable man, unlike the present PM.
ReplyDeleteHat-tip for the picture, please ;)
ReplyDeleteGordon will go down in history better than Callaghan or Eden.
ReplyDeleteCheck back with me in 20 years.