Gordon Brown, like many who held high office before him, has to put up with a lot of flack, criticism and downright rudeness. That, I suppose, is inevitable in an intelligent and relatively free democracy. Many of the slings are parodic or analytically fair and most people, one hopes, are able to distinguish between the politician and the man or the woman when it comes to having a go at politicians.
Today, I watched Prime Minister’s Questions. I do most Wednesdays, although it has become less valuable with the electioneering going on. Iain Dale covered the story, but what I saw at the end of PMQs when Brown dismissively answered Michael Fabricant’s question about the safety of a local dam, I found deeply unpleasant.
I excerpt from Iain Dale’s full blog post…
“Michael Fabricant raised the urgent matter of the leaking dam which holds back the waters of the Chasewater Reservoir today with the Prime Minister in the House of Commons……..Lichfield District Council officials have told Michael Fabricant that unless the dam is repaired soon, it could have “catastrophic consequences” with loss of life and property and the Midlands canal system running dry….”
Michael Fabricant: “….The small district of Lichfield does not have the funds to make the urgent repairs. Will the Prime Minister please use his best endeavours to ensure that the financial burden is spread over the region as a whole?”
The Prime Minister: Of course I will be happy to consider his point although I see that he is making the case for public expenditure.
It was like watching the boy in a class at primary school, the one who could never tell jokes, think he is making a ‘funny’. It wasn’t funny. I found it rather unpleasant. This wasn’t, or shouldn’t have been, a party political issue. Brown should have given a more responsible and considered answer – that, after all, is part of the responsibility and dignity of a leader. He chose to make a cheap jibe. Disappointing. Let us just hope that the dam does not break and that people do not suffer harm or worse.
It just gets worse… no wonder Labour politicians are frustrated.. no wonder Labour voters are fed up. Cameron is not popular. He did not perform well at PMQs. The Spectator is even speculating about whether Cameron can cut it. Do we really deserve a government of the least unpopular? The country is not doing brilliantly. We are fighting a war, terror, economic collapse and Brown is pleasuring himself with cheap jokes? Get a grip… or perhaps, in the circumstances…that… is an inappropriate metaphor for Brown.
Charon,
He should just bugger off.
indeed the team of cameron and osbourne (whom i saw disturbingly close to my own home not more that 4 days ago polluting the very air my children breathe, the bastard) does not strike me as one to put the fear of cod into anyone.
dawg help us, maybe the tories should get iain dale in charge of things. he seems to be running the entire media as it is, so the country would be but a small step in the wrong direction. can he look constipated (or moved?) on cue about the deaths of british servicemen? if so the deal is as good as sealed.
As it wasn’t a political question Mr Fabricant had submitted details of his question yesterday to Number 10. Plenty of time for a considered response. According to Paul Waugh details about this dam were in Mr Brown’s folder and there was no need then for this puerile response from Brown. Of course Brown will bring politics into anything if he can – it’s in his DNA.
Brown is no statesman and just isn’t fit for purpose!
Clegg?
does anyone give a shit about some dam in lichfield anyway? he does have the economy to sort.
nice surreal heckle above: ‘clegg?’ perhaps a politician so pointless the question mark has been surgically attached to his surname.
SW – I do think that some issues are beyond politics… but politics is becoming very tedious now……
To be honest… I’d rather the election was soon… so we can get these ‘mighty goliaths and leviathans’ of the political arena back to work… running the country…instead of preening…
But… we do have such an unusual democratic process… whatever ‘democracy’ means these days in airbrushed Britain…
Hey ho… I’m only surprised that no-one has suggested that carousel ain Bladerunner (or other sci-fi) film to dispose of those who can’t earn any more to pay more tax to waste….
In the meantime, since I am using movie metaphors… I shall run around like the old guys in Cocoon!
Iain Dale may well end up running West Ham… this would probably be a good thing…. ?
SW.. I agree on the economy front… mervyn King had a few things to say today. As you know… I vote Labour… but I am not a fan of Brown..never have been.. but at least I am open about it… can afford to be, mind… as don’t want anything from him or anyone else…
Let us concentrate… we few… we band of brothers etc etc… on making sure the Tories don’t sashay in to Downing Street and let the buffoon Osbore loose… he REALLY worries me…
They say he has never had a real job! That augurs well….
They say he has never had a real job! That augurs well….
but isn’t that the case for most of the career mps of all parties? it has to be a real job and i think any self-respecting mp would be a bit insulted if we said it wasn’t. they do seem to work quite hard. on that basis i don’t have any more of a problem with osborne in no 11 than darling. it’s just the government of which he’d be a part. i can’t imagine i’d want to let either of them look after my kids for the afternoon.
if i am to be semi-serious for a moment (don’t tell) the challenge for the left is effectively what it has always been; to work from the fringes, the backbenches and the extra-parliamentary action groups (and it must be easier for them to make an impression today than ever before) to make a society where any of us will be happy to exist. it was just that blair’s victory conned those of us desperate or optimistic enough after surviving thatcherism to think we now had a chance to make a difference. not the case – although i still maintain things of value came from the blair regime. anyway, i was one of those conned – probably by my own desire for something a bit kinder.
So, Capability Brown stricks again, does he? I’m with you, Charon, re: the election thing. I just want it over, so that Brown can go and ruin something less important.
Where are we headed? I’m seeing a hung parliament in our future, personally… they are all as bad as each other, and I really wish there was a “None of the above” box to tick!!
i did once write that on my ballot paper. i think it’s important to note the number of spoiled ballots because it’s a form of protest (or people too crap to manage to put their x in only one box) and i couldn’t see myself not turning up even when there was nobody i wanted to vote for.