ok chaps,

Play the game

Assuming you voted for Labour all those years ago, at what point did you decide you would no longer vote for Labour, what was the turning point?

The reason I ask is, I don't know anyone who will vote Labour next time, yet I know plenty who did vote for them to out the Conservatives.

My main reasons would be,


The WMD saga, Dr. David Kelly etc
An Unelected PM
Fuel and ecomomic crisis
The NHS Funding, including the possible shut down of Ambulance stations, running them from Central Hubbs

I could go on, but I was just wanting a general feel from you all. Please don't get to political, with long boring statements.

Regards

Lassen

Sorry mate, can't help you. Never voted Labour and can't see myself ever doing so.

But you're right, the list of ignominy and calumny against Labour is a long and all pervasive one - they suck on just about every level. And they still have the nerve to blame all their ills on the Tories...who've not been in power for nearly 12 years. That's either blind stupidity or a valid indictment of how they've managed to fuck things up royally during their [Labour's] time in office.

Obama has asserted, should he take power, that the 'Special Relationship' will see the UK be treated less of a 'poodle' and on more of an equal/partnership footing. Let's hope so. Bush has been the biggest disaster for the US people and Her relationships with the wider world in History. He makes Nixon look like a strait batsman.

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

When minds such a Hawking's think it's no longer a country (under the current gov't) in which they can do profitable and worthwhile work, you've got ask questions about the way the country's being run and by whom.

"Stephen Hawking 'mulling over' invitation to quit Cambridge University for Canada"


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/07/15/scihawking115.xml

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

The link does not work matey

Try now mate.

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

Like Tommy, I have never voted Labour. My parents had been Labour voters until Wilson became PM - they voted Conservative after that!

My father felt that although Labour had did some good with the NHS they put that into the shade by seemingly attempting to destroy much of what was important in Britain.

Lassen,

I'll pretty much agree with your list minus the fuel crisis. Whilst the Government didn't handle things well here, it is something of a global issue beyond the remit of any one nation. Truth be told, I didn't mind Blair so much as I do Brown which surprises me a bit.

The thing that really disappoints me about this government is that you would expect a LABOUR government to do certain things well, or at least make them a priority. Things like public services and mass transport. I know they've thrown millions at the NHS, but they might as well have flushed it down the loo for all the good it's done.

Like a lot of politicians of all stripes, Blair fell into the trap of becoming addicted to using military power. In his case Kosovo and Sierra Leone led him to believe that any wrong in the world could be righted by a battalion of British paratroopers and started to view things as having a military rather than diplomatic solution. Moreover the armed forces became just as overstretched as every other public service, but of course with some pretty immediate life and death consequences.

I always vote for my local candidate on his/her merit rather than party political affiliation (although I'm the sort of bleeding heart liberal by instinct, so feel free to take the piss!), I can't say I'll be sad if this lot go.

Jack

Jack,
Interesting points there. I think that the Labour party believed that Brown would be their saviour after Blair. Instead they got a disappointing numpty who irritates the electorate and does not have a clue.

I believe that adding the party to the name of the candidate on ballot slips was a mistake. It should be the person who is elected. Sadly the party whip system has, in my opinion hurt "democracy" in our united nation.

I despise what the SNP stands for (and have suggested they have no real place in local [council] politics but have voted for an SNP candidate whom I knew well and trusted implicitly (and enjoyed many friendly debates in the local, God rest him).

The Labour Party in my opinion lost it's way after Atlee. This site is mainy military base. From Wilson on it appeared that the Labour defence budget would be the price of a telegram saying, "We surrender".

And apart from anything else, you'd like to think, at least, that a gov't might try and stick to its election manifesto.

"UK formally ratifies European Union's Lisbon Treaty"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/2305694/UK-formally-ratifies-European-Union%27s-Lisbon-Treaty.html


Here is a glaring point where Labour not only signally failed to do so, but then compounded the issue by lying to the electorate by refusing to let us have one. France vote No, the Netherlands voted No, Ireland voted No - for the EU Treaty/Constitution to be ratified and come into being, it requires all 27 member states to pass a Yes vote.

So what part of 'No' does the EU and Gordon Brown not understand? And this week Sarkozy (currently having the revolving chairmanship of the EU) has said that "Ireland will need to vote again..." Cheeky bastard.




______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

Oh, and for the first time since the UK had either a Secretary of War or (its precursor) a Secretary of Defence, we now have a gov't who thinks it's OK to have a part time Sec Defence - whilst we're fighting wars on two fronts on a peace-time budget, and where the gov't treats this country's armed forces with open contempt and can't even be arsed supplying the correct armament in terms of vehicles (i.e. the Snatch LR), decent housing for families on base, or the correct after-action medical care (it's now farmed out to the 'wait-in-line/join-the-queue' NHS), where we use to have a at least 5 dedicated forces hospitals dotted around the country and now we don't even have one (it's been reduced to a ward in a Brummie hospital).

And the only time this damned gov't makes any changes to any of the above litany of disgrace is when it's embarrassed into doing so by opposition MPs or senior generals (e.g. Dannatt) or resigning-in-disgust senior staff officers.

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

Brown: "seen as a comedy figure and not taken seriously".

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

But do we all really think Cameron and his muppets will do any better? I don't think so.

Mate, a team of orang-utans with arrested development could do better than the Broon cabal.

With or without the current oil/credit crisis, this gov't was beginning to unravel long ago.

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

Cameron an his cronies will do no better.

I see you've got that whole crystal ball thing going there Mick?

Got any tips for the 3.30 at Cheltenham tomorrow?

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

Mick
Check out the results of the Labour/Commie at times goverment since the war years and the History of their capabilities will shout out from the pages. They have run the country into the ground during all their years in office, and have now turned us into a land full of strangers.

regards mate. ferret

Remember when the gov't lost 25 million personal records or people in this country?

And then lost another two discs'-worth of personal data...

And then lost the details of over 100,000 people looking to to sign up in the forces?

Well, here's the latest labour fiasco.



MoD admits loss of 'secret' files

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7514281.stm

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

This government's contempt for the people has been obvious for some time but this step too far with Europe will be the last straw. By doing so, it may be argued that they have lost the right to govern.

They have been cut all kinds of slack over their sleaze (notice that word is seldom applied to them although they easily oudid the Conservatives on both quanity and quality of sleaziness). They took us into a war based on deliberate lies (mis-using the intelligence agencies on the way). They further promised that our troops would be brought home immediately after the "war-fighting" phase. They have quietly piled on the taxes, weakened our Armed Forces, failed to defend our borders from illegal incomers and sold us out on the road to a European state.

Like Tommy, I cannot see any other party being a greater disaster, including the Monster Raving Loony mob.

"Gordon Brown has 'lost his grip on the economy' as borrowing soars"

Government borrowing has soared to its highest level since records began more than 60 years ago, it was announced yesterday as Gordon Brown was accused of losing his grip on the economy.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/07/18/bcnbrown418.xml

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"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

"Millions of decent taxpayers will foot the bill for institutional idiocy"

So now we know: the Government gave the public a "wholly misleading picture" of the safety of their savings. That is the assessment of the Parliamentary Ombudsman after an exhaustive inquiry into Equitable Life's collapse.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/07/18/ccjeff118.xml&CMP=ILC-mostviewedbox

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"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

"Unions hand Gordon Brown a list of 130 demands for left-wing policy changes"

Trade Unions are to hand Gordon Brown a list of 130 demands as they increase the pressure on the Prime Minister to bow to more left wing policies.

So, a return to another Labour-sponsored/architecture'd 'winter of discontent', a la 1987/9? Let's see if old Gorgeous Gordie can do any better than those bywords for fuckwittage: Wilson & Callaghan.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/2306599/Unions-hand-Gordon-Brown-a-list-of-130-demands-for-left-wing-policy-changes.html


______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

Yes Tommy, there was another bloody disaster.

The dead lay unburied, the rubbish, attended by fat rats (probably socialist) piled up in the streets, power cuts and a three-day working week along with rampant inflation. Callaghan steps of a plane and says, "Crisis? What crisis?"

The question is "Where did it all start to go wrong". The answer is 01 May 1997 the day Blair was elected Prime Minister

Faugh-a-ballagh

"Government risks 'losing the plot' over eco-towns, warns top architect"

One of Britain's most high profile architects has warned the Government it risks "losing the plot" over its plans for up to 10 new eco-towns.

Sunand Prasad, President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), warned ministers must not view the controversial developments purely as a way of meeting housing demand.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/07/18/eaecotown118.xml

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

So, along with Private Finance Initiatives (PFIs) for building and running hospitals (privatisation of the NHS by another name), Labour saw fit to outsource the marking of the nation's SAT exams to a fly-by-night US firm (who employ A Level students instead of properly qualified markers/adjudicators). Way to go Gordie! Another example of you and Labour knowing the price of everything and the cost of nothing. Everything's done on the cheap. Twat.

"One in five primary schools still waiting for SATs results"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/education/2306353/One-in-five-primary-schools-still-waiting-for-Sats-results.html



______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

Bid here.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Military-CF-28-Olive-Drab-1ghz-Laptop-w-GPS-PVS-CF-

Faugh-a-ballagh

Why do so many foriegn nationals choose to come here, or are they the cause of our problems ie. to much money being spent on bedding them in.? ferret.
-------------------------------------------------------


Britain 'bottom' of quality of life index
ITN - Wednesday, July 16 08:39 am

The UK offers among the lowest quality of life in Europe despite residents earning the highest incomes.


According to the uSwitch.com European quality of life index, the price of fuel and other essential goods, below average spending on health and education, short holidays and late retirement place the UK just above Ireland.

Although British families earn more than £10,000 more than the European average, they pay the highest prices for diesel, 18 per cent above the average, and the second highest price for unleaded petrol, 6 per cent more than average.

They also pay 49 per cent more for gas and 5 per cent more for electricity - the third highest prices in Europe.

UK spending on healthcare and education is below the European average while life expectancy is the third lowest at 78.9 years, compared to 80.9 in France or 80.7 in Sweden.

Workers have the third highest retirement age and suffer the shortest holiday entitlement - a week below average.

The weather adds to to the grim tally, with Britain receiving 80 per cent less sunshine than Spain and 17 per cent less than the European average.

A total of 41,026 residents left the UK in 2006, the highest number in Europe, with total emigration increasing by 30 per cent from the UK since 2001.

The study assessed 19 factors to rank the UK in relation to nine other major countries across Europe.

Spain offers the best quality of life in Europe, despite families earning an annual net income of just £16,789 - £8,500 below the average and less than half that of the UK.

The country enjoys low taxation, cheaper essential goods, higher than average life expectancy and a generous holiday allowance, uSwitch said.

France came second, boasting the second highest spend on healthcare and the highest holiday allowance at 40 days.

"Labour's car tax rises hit 5.6m more motorists"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/fair_deal_for_drivers/2308889/Labour%27s-car-tax-rises-hit-5.6m-more-motorists.html

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

So, whilst the Jockanese get free Med's and prescriptions, the English have to either pay through the nose for dugs (that's it their local NHS make the drugs in question available) or are denied them outright under Labour.

So tell me again: for what do we pay our (ever increasing under Labour) taxes again?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/health/2309920/Outcry-at-Government-drug-watchdog%27s-plan-to-cut-arthritis-treatments-rheumatoid.html

The same can be said for free University/student grants - the Jocks get 'em free and the English have to pay for them - leaving 99.999999'% of English and Welsh students in crippling debt for the rest of their lives.

And what proportion of the cabinet is Jock? And Jock MPs can vote on matters English whilst English MPs are prevented/barred from voting on matters Jock (the so-called 'West Lothian Question')?

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

"Shifting the fiscal goalposts shows the game is up..."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=A1YourView&xml=/opinion/2008/07/20/do2002.xml

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

Just found this piece on another site. Thought I would post it on this long and ongoing session.

-----------------------

I was born in 1950, I joined the Forces in 1968, left with an honourable discharge in 1977 and then worked my a**e off in both the public and private sector, which enabled me to retire (from the private sector) in 2002.

All arguments aside, all I really know is that I have always been far better off under a Tory government, and have been fortunate to have been working abroad, and now retired, under Labour.

I really feel sorry for the British at the moment, they do not appear to understand that at least a sleazy Tory government always led to a sniff of the trough for the majority, while the equally sleazy Labour government just means more for them and less for the core voters they purport to represent.

While you can add 600,000 non-jobsworths to the, already bloated, public sector, it is the majority of the private sector, i.e. people with real jobs, creating wealth, that are subsidising them.

Save Northern (C)Rock as it is in Labours heartland, and needs to be rescued, damn the cost, but ignore the people who failed from serial neglect from financial regulators at (In)Equitable Life (of course, they are all professional toffs), sounds about par for the course to me.

When the Magna Carta was signed, after King John got a bit of pressure from his Barons, what were the Scots doing .. running about the Highlands, and Lowlands probably, thinking about how they could take over England. Well the wee bassas never succeeded, until now, we had the disguised Blair to sneak NuLab in the back door as a responsible party and then, of course, as a latter day MacBeth, wee Gordie coming in to put the finishing touches to the demise of (once) Great Britain (EU incorporated TM).

My opinion matters not a jot, carries no weight, and, in all probability will have the same impact as the lonliest sound in the world (one hand clapping), but s**t, it does make me feel better to get it off my chest, reduce stress and tension and look forward to a nice cold beer - cheers
Posted by fabfreddy50 on July 20, 2008 5:02 PM

Well, actually Alexander II, King of Scots supported the Barons against King John and receoved and English Earldom (the northern counties.) The next year after being released from his Magna Carta promise by the pope, John invaded Scotland...

"Shop fined for using 'wrong colour' bin bags"


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2459878/Shop-fined-for-using-wrong-colour-bin-bags.html

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

If anyone saw Brown's speech today at the Policy Forum meeting in Warwick, he began with the 'story' that he'd just met [at 10 Downing St] a bunch of teenagers from Runcorn.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2459324/Glasgow-East-by-election-Gordon-Brown-%27getting-on-with-the-job%27-after-crushing-Glasgow-defeat.html

He then went to say that "these kids would have been abandoned under the Tories..."

Bullshit - I think the country [and electorate] is wise enough to see through he and Labour getting royally spanked in the Glasgow East by-election to take that on face value.

I think Brown's autobiography should be called "Back-peddling to Obscurity".

It brings to mind Churchill's quote about Clement Atlee:

"He is a modest man with much to be modest about."

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

And a Browns Party got another kicking in Glasgow local election.

It's all looking grim. How long can he keep kidding himself he is the right man to be the PM?

A painter was fined for smoking in his own van. This country is insane.

No, Acorn mate, this country is not insane - it's the wankers (Labour) making the laws that allow this van-driver to be prosecuted for having a fag in his van which are insane and need to be removed.

Do I hear 'general election'?

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

My car is fitted with two tone siren, and I have a Kojack green light.

This is MY car, which I use to get me too and from work. I have two seperate insurances for it. One as a private car and one for emergency use.

However, this is MY car, I paid for it, with my cash, Well HP actually, but, should I wish to be a smoker, I can not smoke it it.

I heard a woman on Jeremy Vine today, saying her old man is a driving instructor, yet when they use the car to go on family trips, it still has to remain a non smoking vehicle.

As an ex heavy smoker, 40 plus a day, 17 years non smoking now. I understand why people smoke, I understand why HMG is doing the non smoking bollox, but what about freedom of choice.

Didi you know, a worker comming to your home, EG TV Rpair man, can refuse to enter your house if he smells smoke.

The Roy Castle Brigade are going to far.

We have went too far in many things.

"War veterans banned from flying flag over fears they may hurt themselves"

War veterans could be banned from flying the union flag over a town hall because of health and safety fears they may hurt themselves when hoisting the standard.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/2459768/War-veterans-banned-from-flying-flag-over-fears-they-may-hurt-themselves.html

So the fact that these lads put their lives in harm's way to defend this country counts for what?

For 'local councillors', read "petty-minded, job's-worth gobshites".

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

I bet if it was some mincing poof with anally induced AIDS, asking to raise a rainbow queens' flag for Let's All Bugger Each Other For Nelson Mandela Day, they would find a way.

For "Queen" and County eh

I was listening to George Galloway on Talk Sport last Saturday.

He made a good point.

Lets assume your paying 125p per litre for your unleaded, HMV takes 100p

His point was, lets reduce the revenue to 50p per litre. Yipee we all cried, but then hew said where does the govenment get all the lost revenue from to make up for this drop in income?

Good point, I thought. The UK is in debt and people like me want to reduce its income.

However, I think the Gov are cheeky fuckers at the best of times. I remember working 2 or more jobs to make ends meet, and cos I worked more, my my 2nd job was taxed at 25%. So they got extra free money from me because I needed to work more. Scamming fuckers.

Politics, what a fucking mess.

"HMV takes 100p". Bas***ds! And they still overcharge for their music CDs!

I think some of us have already said this. The government should reduce the revenue on fuels and ease the burden. Just think of the money they no longer pay to the Yanks for ripping us off in WW2.

The above post was mine.
I was distracted by the TV.
I was attacked by a wasp.
My house burned down.
Sarah Alexander telephoned me and asked me to make love to her.

Oh sod it! I bloody forgot! AGAIN!

Another "senior Moment" Mr Acorn?

Who the flying f**k is Acorn?
Well, I am feeling a bit nutty...

NSFW. needs sound, and is adult humour.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZQkYnPo2sA&feature=related

hahahaha

now that made me laugh mate

Absolutely disgusting. You should all be shot for Treason.




Now how do I get my tongue out of my cheek

Faugh-a-ballagh

Believe me OC, if they could tax it, Labour would find away of allowing you to removing said tongue!

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

How right you are Tommy.

My forces pension is taxed at source in the UK and there is an agreement in place between UK and Irish taxman that it will only be taxed in 1 country.

Some years ago I was asked by the UK taxman to furnish details of my income derived in Ireland so that they could assess my UK tax liability based on my total income. Suffice it to say they weren't successful.

Faugh-a-ballagh

"Fifteen million patients cannot see a GP when they need to"

Fifteen million patients cannot book appointments with their GPs when they need them, according to the healthcare watchdog.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2475751/Fifteen-million-patients-cannot-see-a-GP-when-they-need-to.html


______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

And a failure to get a grip of and repeal ridiculous 'Human Rights' legislation is another of Labour's signal failures. They maybe in power, but they are not in control.

Cop for this joke:

"Rules to ban sham marriages are unlawful, Law Lords rule"

Illegal immigrants will be able to use sham marriages to stay in the UK after a judge ruled Government rules banning the practice was a breach of human rights.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2475465/Rules-to-ban-sham-marriages-are-unlawful-Law-Lords-rule.html



______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

These fucking nonsensical 'targets' were introduced under that political cluster-fuck David Blunkett, when he was Home Sec.

"Offenders avoid court to help police meet targets, say magistrates"

Serious offenders are not appearing in court because police are too concerned about meeting performance targets, magistrates and solicitors have warned.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2478850/Offenders-avoid-court-to-help-police-meet-targets-say-magistrates.html

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

We now have minor surgerys open untill 10pm to help us meet targets. This is mainly for follow up's or lumbs and bumps. Like mole removals, skin tags etc. Some of our local GP's now offer the same service.

They do the job well, but it then means they spend a day not being a GP, however, lots of patiensts prefer this as they have an established rapour with thier own GP, however, a few, and I mean a few, want to go to Hospital, because they want to see a surgeon. They do not trust the GP. Anoyingly lots of minor stuff can be done buy the pracice nurse but the patients do not want it

Patients huh?

In my local practice the now have a rule that you must phone before 10am if you want to see a doctor even if it is several days hence! Trying to get a home visit is like panning for gold in the wc.

The system was more efficient before this Labour crowd started farting about with it. It seems that only the fit can see a GP!

"Britain's nuclear future"

This weekend, it is more apparent than ever that the Government's energy policy is a disaster.

Over the past 11 years, it has failed to deal with repeated warnings about energy security and depleting North Sea reserves, just as it has failed to get a grip on transport, education or health.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/08/02/dl0202.xml

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

How long before we use the word "Labour" in a different form.

Instead of ..

I think it's fucked mate..

To

I think its labour mate.

Blair criticizes Brown's leadership

Reuters - 37 minutes agoLONDON (Reuters)

- Embattled Prime Minister Gordon Brown suffered another blow on Sunday with the publication of a memo in which Tony Blair heaps scorn on his successor's performance in office.


The memo, which the Mail on Sunday newspaper said was written by Blair to colleagues last year, sees the former prime minister accuse Brown's government of "a lamentable confusion of tactics and strategy" and of failing to learn lessons.

Written in the aftermath of Brown's decision not call an early election that might have consolidated his leadership, the dispatch says poor decision-making has made Conservative leader David Cameron look substantial and a viable choice for office.

"The real problem was not the brilliance of the Tory conference, but the hubris and vacuity of our own. This meant the Tories, by having something to say on policy, appeared substantial and to represent the future," Blair wrote.

"There has been a lamentable confusion of tactics and strategy.

"At present, there is every indication that the lessons will not be learnt."

Blair's office would not confirm or deny that he had written the memo.

"Tony Blair continues to be 100 percent supportive of Gordon Brown and the government," a spokesman said.

Blair sent a watered-down version of the memo to Brown, the paper said. It is not known how that was received.

Since the memo was written, things have only got worse for Brown, whose poll ratings now make him the second most unpopular prime minister in modern British history.

There is widespread talk among Labour members of parliament of a potential challenge to Brown's leadership if he cannot regain the confidence of the party after the summer break.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband wrote an opinion piece in a newspaper last week laying out some of Labour's failings, a move interpreted in the media as preparing the ground for a possible challenge.

Brown succeeded Blair in June last year after spending 10 years as finance minister, waiting to assume the prime ministership. A series of blunders and perceived policy mistakes has seen his popularity fall to just 15 percent.

After Brown took office, he sought to distance himself in several key respects from Blair. Blair saw that as a mistake.

"The choice is and was always between GB (Gordon Brown) running as the change candidate or as continuity NL (New Labour)," he wrote.

"By trying to be change, he played exactly the same game the media wanted but never the game that gives us the only chance of a 4th term (in office)."

(Reporting by Luke Baker; Editing by Giles Elgood)

"Tony Blair attacks Gordon Brown's leadership as 'lamentable' and 'vacuous'"

Tony Blair has described Gordon Brown's leadership as "vacuous" in a scathing attack that has sparked fears of a Blairite plot against the Prime Minister.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/2493664/Tony-Blair-attacks-Gordon-Browns-leadership-as-lamentable-and-vacuous.html

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

"Tony Blair's memo on Gordon Brown: The extracts"

The memo is said to have been drawn up last autumn by Tony Blair's office, and refers to the former prime minister ("TB") in the third person. Other references include "GB" for Gordon Brown, "DC" for David Cameron and "NL" for New Labour.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/2493725/Tony-Blairs-memo-on-Gordon-Brown-The-extracts.html

______________________________________________

"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

Is Brown getting ready to return to duty? Looks like it, the sneeky fucker.

Check these line from him

"You make our country proud every day of the week and every week of the year. You are truly the heroes of our country. I wish to say how proud I am of you today."

and

"You know that by what you are doing here you prevent terrorism coming to the streets of Britain."

Who writes this shit for him.




Cut and pasted from the BBC,

Brown visits UK troops in Helmand

Mr Brown addressed troops during a 90-minute stop at Camp Bastion
Gordon Brown is in Afghanistan on a surprise visit to British troops, en route to the Olympics in Beijing.

The PM told troops at Camp Bastion, the main British base in Helmand, that they were "the heroes of our country".

He told members of 16 Air Assault Brigade they were in the "front line in the fight against the Taleban".

He also paid tribute to Cpl Barry Dempsey, the latest British soldier to die, before holding talks in Kabul with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Mr Brown spent 90 minutes at Camp Bastion and visited a field hospital where he spoke to six injured soldiers.

Courage praised

His visit comes as three Nato troops have died in Ghazni province. This week 10 French soldiers died in a Taleban attack.

In a joint press conference with President Karzai later, Mr Brown said the deaths had been a tragedy but the events had only made them "even more resolute ... to defeat the forces of terrorism".



Gordon Brown addresses troops while in Afghanistan
"We understand that in Afghanistan, the front line against the Taleban, what happens in Afghanistan affects the rest of the world," he said.

Mr Brown said there was still "a long way to go" but progress had been made and said Britain would put more resources into training the Afghan national army, which he said may need to be doubled to 120,000.

'Hearts and minds'

He said work would continue to ensure Afghan police were "corruption free" and to improve local and national government administration - by developing a civil service in Afghanistan and more money would be put into improving education.

And £17m would go towards funding a radio station to counter the Taleban's message and win "hearts and minds", Mr Brown said.

Earlier, speaking to troops from 16 Air Assault Brigade, Mr Brown said: "You know that by what you are doing here you prevent terrorism coming to the streets of Britain."

You are truly the heroes of our country

Gordon Brown to British troops


Three die in fresh Afghan attack

He said their work was part of creating a democratic and "terrorist-free" Afghanistan.

Mr Brown also likened the achievements of the British forces to the UK's Olympic medallists in Beijing.

"This week we are celebrating the Olympics where we have had great success," he said.

"But this week also I believe that our Olympic athletes and everybody else in our country will remember that you have showed exactly the same courage, professionalism and dedication.

"You make our country proud every day of the week and every week of the year. You are truly the heroes of our country. I wish to say how proud I am of you today."

Mr Brown said the Taleban had switched to guerrilla-style tactics, like suicide bombs and roadside explosions, rather than "head on confrontation" with troops and he said British commanders had told him they were making "substantial progress" against them.

He said a summer offensive by the Taleban had been expected after a relatively quiet spring.

Since 2001, 116 UK troops have died in Afghanistan, the latest, Cpl Dempsey was killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand on Monday.

Chief constable attacks Labour for making the job of policing 'more difficult'

A chief constable has accused the government of introducing policies which have made the job of policing "more difficult".


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2677922/Chief-constable-attacks-Labour-for-making-the-job-of-policing-more-difficult.html

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"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

On Jeremy Vine the other day, they were saying guide lines had been issued to the courts to refrain form sending burglars to prison and to consider fines etc. So how would they pay the fines...Hmmm I wonder