Monday, September 08, 2008

Gordon's 'Hand of History' Moment

Gordon Brown has sent out an email today to all Labour Party members. Here's what it says...
Today, at our Cabinet Meeting held in the West Midlands, I am setting out to my Cabinet colleagues the current challenges as I see them and my response to them. I also wanted to write to you personally as a Labour Party member to share the following with you.

For 10 years we've benefited from unprecedented growth, a rapidly expanding economy and rising living standards. But the global credit crunch is forcing people across the country to change how they live their lives. Our world has changed.

While David Cameron's Conservatives may be willing to let people fend for themselves - I will not let this happen. I will not turn my back on those who need help. The quest to ensure that power, wealth, and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few, is fundamental to our purpose. This is why the Labour Party exists.

People want a government that is always on their side - but at their side only when they need it. They want a government that is empowering, not overpowering.

This is not about rhetoric. It's about fairness and unfairness. It's about providing support to those who played by the rules but are struggling with rising prices. It's about making sure that a fair chance is provided to all.

I will not pretend that there is a quick fix. It requires leadership, squaring up to hard truths, being open with the British people about the choices we face, and making tough decisions on priorities for public spending.

I know that there are people who feel that modern Britain has been unfair to them. Some of them are right. But there is nothing that is bad about Britain that cannot be overcome by what is good about Britain.

In the coming weeks, I will set out how I - and our party, and our government, and our country - must rise to conquer those challenges an d ensure fairness for all.

Fairness is my purpose, my pride, my principle.

And my promise to you.

Gordon
Is there a single person reading this that believes Gordon Brown wrote a word of that. If he did, he has forgotten basic rules of style and grammar. There's no vision, nor a single policy proposal. And when he says it's not about rhetoric and then follows this statement with...
Fairness is my purpose, my pride, my principle.

And my promise to you.

...you really have to wonder. It's almost a "This is not a time for soundbytes, but I feel the hand of history on my shoulder" moment.

47 comments:

Madasafish said...

People want a Government at their side...

I assume he meant by that ID cards?

Words are cheap. Action matters.

Rich Johnston said...

"soundbytes"?

I know Tony was robotic, but still...

Anonymous said...

All he's saying is "I've got to keep my job and I'll fight tooth and claw to cling on"

He's useless as PM. Any failing employee could write a letter saying they want to keep their job but he's sadly not up to it. For his own good, not to mention the nation, recipients of the email need to reply asking him to stand down quickly.

He's like the Space Shuttle: frequent relaunches, costly, sometimes on another planet, prone to explosions and due to be removed from service by 2010.

Unknown said...

*ahem*

"soundBITES"

Anonymous said...

What a load of bollocks!

He's been claiming to have "something in the bag" for as long as he's wanted to be PM and done absolutely nothing.

Cretin!

Anonymous said...

Come on Iain, you can't criticise Gordon's grammar and style and then spell "soundbites" with a y!

Actually there's nothing particularly crap about it, yes it's meaningless drivel but it's standard management bollocks CEO's-message-to-the-troops stuff.

Anonymous said...

I don't know about 'Hand of History'

It sounds more like a 'Fickle Finger of Fate' moment from Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (remember that?)

It was always one of the last jokes of the show. This also seems like one of the last 'jokes' from that clown Brown.

His time is short......

Johnny Norfolk said...

What a load of tosh. If anyone thinks he will do any thing they want their bumps feeling. Can anyone tell me what money has Labour ever made for this country. all he can do is spend,spend,spend.

Anonymous said...

"But there is nothing that is bad about Britain that cannot be overcome by what is good about Britain." What on earth is that supposed to mean?

When politicians come out with guff like this you know they're incapable of providing any meaningful solutions. Gordon, just go. Please. Immediately. And take that freakshow of a Cabinet with you.

Anonymous said...

"Fairness is my purpose, my pride, my principle".
and if I happen to trip over any of these attributes in the corridor I'm sure someone will explain to me what they are.

Patrick said...

What an unimaginable muppet that man is. It shames me to have such an empty self-satisfied twat in No.10.

That serial incompetent has single handedly wrecked this country's economy and has given final incontrovertible evidence that all Labour governments end in bankruptcy.

If Gordon Brown thinks the electorate wants anything from him other than the chance to destroy him then he is deluded.

Anonymous said...

'I shall do those things, what they are as yet I know not, yet they shall be the terror of the earth.'
(King Lear)

Anonymous said...

All the stories about Gordon's best speech writers abandoning him must be true; that's a terrible piece of writing. One cliché after another, no substance, just stumbling from one platitude to the next.


"Fairness is my purpose, my pride, my principle", is completely meaningless. Gordon could think it 'fair' for him to redistribute everyone's wealth into his own pocket for all this tells me.

Anonymous said...

A collective groan will go up from Labour party members as they open this e-mail. The more intelligent members of the party will be particularly dismayed.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps they could substitute the traditional Conference closing rendition of "The Red Flag" for the following whilst they're at it too.


"Are we downhearted? No!
Then let your voices ring
And altogether sing.
Are we downhearted ? No!
Not while Labour rules . Not likely!
While we have Gordon in No 10,
And gettin on with the job -we need not fret.
It's a long, long way to the Election
And we're not downhearted yet."

Anonymous said...

So McLabour are going on tour around the "Regions" eh!, will McLabour take their cabal, sorry cabinet, to the Welsh and Scotch EU regions?.

Oh yeah thats right both these regions have their own governments and EU Regional assemblies and Broon and McLabour have no say over them, only England, sorry the "Regions" as it is now called.

Illistration:

http://www.abload.de/img/broonland3pec.jpg

Sabretache said...

For those who may want to refresh their memory of just how toe-curlingly awful Bliar was in those days, here is a link to certain CCO election video

Catosays said...

God, what a pathetic little man he is. It'd be quite funny if the stupid oaf believed it.
One thing struck me there....'those who played by the rules'...Would that include Ed Balls and his odious wife with their double expenses claim?

Anonymous said...

brown says "our world has changed" ...yes it has ,over the last ten years its got worse,under his (browns) (blairs)government
GET OUT NOW,GO, BEGONE, BEFORE ITS TO LATE TO RECTIFY IT,MICHAEL.

Anonymous said...

I hear what you're saying Gordon and all I hear is "Blah, blah, blah..."

Anonymous said...

Iain,

A prequel has been made to that Downfall video you posted.

Thought you'd be interested.

Anonymous said...

A second rate Cabinet in Britain's second City.

If I was a Brummie, I'd feel insulted.

Anonymous said...

Iain

The man is just thrashing about trying to save his own political skin. This is a man who has shown countless times he doesnt give a fig for the poor.

He ONLY cares about his political career. He is without doubt the most shallow and vain PM since the last one.

Brown is a stain on the reputation of this country and will hopefully lead Labour into political oblivion.

As guido would say "Brown is Bonkers"

DiscoveredJoys said...

"...and making tough decisions on priorities for public spending."

NuLabour cuts? The Brothers won't be very pleased. Best prepare for another Winter of Discontent(TM).

Anonymous said...

Whoever composed this speech had little understanding of grammar

"People want a government that is always on their side - but at their side only when they need it. They want a government that is empowering, not overpowering"

Not exactly a well structured sentence!

Today has just been another futile waste of time designed to attract press attention!

Newmania said...

More evidence of the possibility of a coup at the conference. Brown blames the credit crunch ( forgetting that the NICE years made him) but then its more interesting . This is a leftish email advocating a large state than hinting at redistribution social engineering .It is definitely not for consumption by the tax payer. It is all wrapped up in the word “Fairness” which has obviously replaced equality and conveniently can mean almost anything to anyone .
The real point is the message this sends not to David Cameron but to any potential Blairite plotter .It attempts to place them in the position of traitors to the Party .(We need to de-frost a Kremlinologist to work out the fine details )

Anonymous said...

If life was fair, he'd be out on his ear by now.

Letters From A Tory said...

"It's about providing support to those who played by the rules but are struggling with rising prices."

Maybe he should have a chat with Nick Clegg, after he recently declared that the credit crunch has forced him to give up Ocado and lower himself to shopping at Sainsburys?

Old BE said...

But there is nothing that is bad about Britain that cannot be overcome by what is good about Britain

(C) Bill Clinton

Bill Quango MP said...

Surely it should read

"This is not a time for soundbites, but I feel the Boot of history kicking my arse"

Anonymous said...

It's quite unfair to say Brown has no vision. He wants to instil his values in the party and in the country with a purpose that is steadfast, vigilent and longterm. His message is clear - keep me in office you buggers or else.

Anonymous said...

"People want a government that is always on their side - but at their side only when they need it. They want a government that is empowering, not overpowering."

Hmmm, this sounds suspiciously similar to something that Sarah Palin said recently in her speech to the GOP convention.

Anonymous said...

I'd rather have a ship's captain for whom fairness is an aspiration, rather than one for whom it is an irrelevance.

Anonymous said...

Here's a one-word soundbite: bastard.

And here are two more: fcuk ffo.

Word verification: fckwtgb

Anonymous said...

...but of course all our main party leaders would aspire to fairness, so perhaps there is little to choose between them on this.

Anonymous said...

Did anyone hear Millipede on the Today Programme this morning trying desperately to explain that the Cabinet meeting in Birmingham was designed to meet and get the views of ordinary people outside of London.
So how would this be done? How would local people be canvassed for their views, either before or after the meeting?
The reality is, that a fleet of cars would deposit ministers at the conference centre/hotel and pick them up after the meeting.
When does the "meet the people" happen?

Lola said...

What. A. Prat.

Anonymous said...

In the words of Louis XV1..or Marie Antionette...whoever!

LET THEM EAT WORDS!

Oscar Miller said...

The 'one your side' soundbite comes I think from McCain, not Palin - "government on your side but not in your way". Much better than Brown's ineffectual version.

King Athelstan said...

"Flubflubflubflub, Stability"
"Flubflubflubflub, Making the right long term decisions."
Flubflubflubflub, Best person for the flubflubflubflub, People want me to lead flubflubflubflub."
Dead man walking.

Patrick said...

General Brown:
'If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through'.

Anonymous said...

I really don't care what this one-eyed King in the Kingdom of the blind Labour Party spouts in soundbites: we've heard it all before. How many ways can a Prime Minister tell a country that it's not fcuk'd? The Labour Party 'enjoyed' this country for many years after WWII but, thanks to Blair and Brown, they are finished. Socialism/Communism is dead in this country - unless we sign up to the EU of course. What couldn't be done militarily would then be done politically, with the connivance of our own elected government.

Word Ver: ukmppts

Anonymous said...

This from a man who can identify with McCavity and use a PR assassin such as Whelan is unlikely to beget any thing other than crocodile tears.

Not worth a paper hankie

JH

Anonymous said...

Laughable.

It may be hat Brown now realises that the general public are not as thick as he used to think (but I doubt it) -- but certainly he sincerely believes that Labour Party members are as thick as two short planks.

Evidence? He says he will stand by and help people who play by the rules. Hah - this from the man who introduced a 10p tax band (for political reasons and then dumped on its beneficiaries by repealing it (again for political reasons).

And he talks of playing by the rules - just how thick does he really think we are?

Unsworth said...

Motherhood and Apple Pie bollocks from Brown.

Does he seriously believe that anyone is listening any more?

He needs to understand that nobody cares what he thinks now. Even the remotest interest has been obliterated by his repeated one-way traffic burbling.

I'm really looking forward to the Conference. It'll be extremely revealing as to Brown, his colleagues and their relationships with each other, the Party and the Electorate.

Anonymous said...

Mein Kampf

My struggle

Does Gordon think he is Adolf?

Anonymous said...

The only "hand on the shoulder" Gordon needs belonged to the late Mr Pierrepoint.
(Sorry, too bone idle to get round to obtaining an I/d)
TTFN