[News] Brown scotches election rumours.

[davywavy]

Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday ended speculation of a snap Autumn election, stating that he would take the next two years to develop his 'vision' for the country. "I need to develop my vision for this country", he said, "And this will take me some years. Everyone knows I've had no vision up until now and I'll need quite a while to see what I can make up."
Brown went on to say; "When I took over as Prime Minister, I inherited a country which had been grotesquely mismanaged for the better part of a decade. The economy was left in a parlous state by the previous administration. It will take me some years to undo the damage, if ever. Thankfully, I have started taking advice from Margaret Thatcher which hopefully will speed the process."
At time of writing, neither Conservative leader David Cameron nor Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell have offered any comment on the annoucement as reports indicate they have not been able to stop laughing since yesterday.

Comments

[elbly.livejournal.com]

You lifted that directly from the BBC News website didn't you... I don't know! You really should just say what you think you know and not just quote, quote, quote.

Which is a point - Gordon's not started doing things in threes yet has he! It's not labour without the same word repeated three times: spin, spin, spin.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I expected him to bottle it last week, but I was still astonished when it actually happened - an election was his to win, and if he'd taken the snap election option then he would have won. As it is, it seems that Cameron judged his opponent well, played a bluff and Brown blinked.
This may be the first time I've ever seen someone fold when holding three aces, and his credibility is completely screwed now.

[(Anonymous)]

Well, quite. If he can't see off a paper tiger (Like an opposition party trailing by 11%) how will he deal with real challenges like, ooh, Iran?

Unfit for power, I have a fiver says he won't last a year. Any takers?

Without Bliar to hold them together, Nulab is reverting to form, and the form is, let's be frank, dismal.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I dunno - I reckon he's got enough momentum to see him until the next election. The big question is whether the credit bubble will burst before then, because then he'll really get bitten.

[(Anonymous)]

One big issue, which he has to handle instead of basking in the glory of a half competent civil service, will scupper him. As a man with no integrity, he can't make a decision without reverting to a spreadsheet, and some decisions need to be made on principle

[fonnparr.livejournal.com]

I agree with you but I'll take that bet.

The majority of voters in this country have got no idea about policy, and unfortunately neither do the politicians.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Have you collected this?

[fonnparr.livejournal.com]

No, but my chickens haven't hatched yet.
Having said that, the conservatives could probably win the next election with almost anybody in the front seat. The British public (like USA) want a celebrity as thier political figurehead and Brown just isn't that sort of material. How entertaining would it be to see Boris as the next PM?

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Your chickens have hatched - the bet was that Brown wouldn't last a year, and the bet was made in October 2007. The money is yours.

[fonnparr.livejournal.com]

I thought you were being extra generous, then realised it wasn't you who made the bet!

[elbly.livejournal.com]

I've never thought much of him tbh, but I'm currently sat here thinking "jeez! what a loser!" How can he sit there going "yes, okay, so I did start the speculation about a snap election, I admit it, but... but... no... but... well... I wasn't put off by anything, honest, no really I wasn't... it's just... oh... where's my mummy?"

[(Anonymous)]

Well, quite.
I guess he was worried it would turn into the Euro referendum he promised but won't let us have.

Heaven forfend the electorate should be allowed a say in the running of what used to be a country & is now a province of Euroland. we might have the temerity to make the wrong decision, like the French did. Far better these things be decided by people who understand the issues.