Gordon Brown is getting off to a head start in the New Year promises department. How about some resolutions instead? Like not being a job-sharing MP with an MSP in Edinburgh? Mr. Brown's constituents get two to tango with! The English have to make do, as usual!
He's promising "For Britain, 2008 will be a year of real and serious changes.
With important legislation making long-term changes in energy, climate change, health, pensions, planning, housing, education and transport, 2008 will be a year of measurable changes in public services." It'll make 2007 look like a bad history lesson, no doubt. His affable, but lamentable attempt to solve the Surrey foot-and-mouth outbreak (has he given those farmers their compensation yet?) was a poor example of his previous promises. The Northern Rock fiasco will be with him all through 2008, for what banker in his/her right mind could swear on a stack of bibles that they could repay the government coffers?
How on earth is he going to make "long-term changes in energy, climate change, health, pensions, planning, housing, education and transport", all of which require public money, when a downturn in the economy is likely in 2008. A lower tax take means more money to spend, does it? Have we got Mr. Bean or Mr. Micawber before us? It's a mystery, to be sure!
However, if he makes one change only in 2008, it will be for the poor benighted souls of Iraq. I was horrified to see tonight on BBC Parliament Gordon Brown's indifference to the point raised by Vincent Cable in the last PMQ's of the year (Dec 12th). This is the bit -
Dr. Vincent Cable (Twickenham) (LD): When the Prime Minister tucks into his Brussels sprouts on his one day off at Christmas, which of the various disasters of the last six months will haunt him most: his indecision over the election, his inaction over Northern Rock, or the gross incompetence of the loss of 25 million people’s personal data?
The Prime Minister: It is nice to have the hon. Gentleman here, and I thank him for his appearances over the last few weeks. Given the history of the Liberal party, it may not be long before he is back in that place again, representing his party. As for the issues of the last few months, we have made long-term decisions on energy, the environment, transport, infrastructure, planning, skills and the economy, and that is what governing is all about.
Dr. Cable: Given the Prime Minister’s own position, he might not be wise to speculate about leadership elections. Is not the real disaster, for which he has personal responsibility, the continuing tragedy in Iraq? When he was in Basra this week, was he told that at least 40 women have been executed for personal immorality? Is that why 173 British troops have died—transferring power from the fascist regime of Saddam Hussein to the terror of the fascist militia who run the streets of Basra?
The Prime Minister: Iraq is now a democracy. Millions of people have voted. When I went to Basra, only two days ago, I found that there had been a 90 per cent fall in violence over the last few months. We are now able to hand over Basra to provincial Iraqi control. So instead of the British forces having to engage in a combat role, we will, over time, be engaged in training role, supporting the Iraqi forces. Over these last few months, 50,000 people have been trained up as
police and security forces. This is Iraqis taking control of their own security. I would have thought that, even with the differences over the war, the hon. Gentleman would have welcomed the progress that is being made.
So no concerns there for Mr.Brown. Not a mention about the wretched women brought before these seedy "courts". Not even a desire to find out about it all. Just a glib answer. I hope his New Year's resolution will be for helping the minorities in Iraq, the beleagured Christians, the limbless, the unemployable, etc, etc. But let's have no more waffle and piffle about democracy.
Mr.Brown, we have democracy in Britain. It allows you to be where you are, as a job-sharing MP, leading a government on 20% of the electorate's support. Thankfully we haven't executed 40 women for "personal immorality". After all, if it were that sort of democracy, you'd have half your front bench with their heads off!!
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