At 21:44 29/06/2007, you wrote:
>Michael Leuty wrote:
> > If we are going to have a presidential PM we need stronger checks &
> > balances. Interesting that GB is meeting to discuss constitutional
> > issues today. So far he is showing no signs of having a narcissistic
> > personality disorder, and that can only be a good thing.
> >
>GB is looking much more presidential than Tony with his invitations to
>all sorts of unelected people to be minister for this that and the
>other. He obviously regards most of his MPs as just cannon fodder.
>Fay
Could not agree more Fay.
Most of the wealth of the last 10 years is neither of Tony Blair nor
Gordon Brown's making. Manufacturing has continued to decline, and
worse we have exported our manufacturing to, amongst others, China,
where 3 - 10 times more pollution is caused and virtual slave labour
is used in making the same things we could make here.
Our oil is running out but we have not built the nuclear power
stations that we should have done.
The legacy of GBs 10 years as Chancellor includes one reasonably good
thing: the independence of the BofE, and countless bad, not least a
huge burden of bureaucracy, FAILED public service reform, hightened
expectation, and rather bleak economic prospects for the medium term
(beyond about 2-3 years). If TB has been responsible for foreign
affairs for much of the last 10 years, GB has been responsible for
much domestic policy and policy management for much the same span.
Gordon Brown was given the explicit opportunity to stop UK
participation in the war in Iraq, so those who believe he a) has the
capabilities of a leader, and b) should and would have done something
different, the question is why didn't he?
As to our incomes they are but a blip in the abolition of general
practice, a reform which will benefit neither the country nor even
the government in the long run.
As to the "incidents" in London today, they will be used to help push
through more draconian legislation limiting our freedoms and costing
our privacy.
Still, we'll see. I guess GB has a 1000 days.
Julian
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