Another day, another unscheduled Gordon Brown press conference just after 9am on the financial crisis, on the day that the banks took up £37bn of taxpayers' money from the bail-out announced last week. The Prime Minister's wordsmiths are getting better as he grows in confidence. Today he had a neat phrase with a double meaning: "For savers, for small businesses, and for homeowners, we must in an uncertain and unstable world be the rock of stability on which the British people can depend." He wasn't, of course, only talking about the Government, but himself, the unmovable Rock of Gibraltar figure who would not be buffeted by the economic storms.
Given that Europe and the United States look set to adopt key elements of the British bail-out, Brown can genuinely claim that his Government is blazing a trail for the world.
However, at today's press conference there were still questions that were too hot for Brown and his Chancellor Alistair Darling, who fielded more of them today than he did last Wednesday. For example, we'll have to wait until next month's Pre-Budget Report to know the impact of the rescue plan on the public finances - and the potentially huge implications for taxes and public spending in the medium term.
Brown was also in no mood to order an inquiry into how the banks got into such a mess, arguing that it is more important for the world to implement reforms to the banking system that he has been banging on about for 10 years. There was one other question that Brown and Darling dodged: what is Plan B if today's blockbuster doesn't work? That's because the most likely Plan B is the nationalisation of all the banks.
I wish Brown and Alistair Darling would stop talking about taxpayers money.
They took it, we (the tax payers) no longer have it.
If that's true then it's government money.
It that's not true, and it's still taxpayers money, can I have mine back please ?
Posted by: Andrew | Monday, 13 October 2008 at 02:59 PM
Don't expect anytime soon an inquiry into how the banks got into such a shambolic state. Mostly such a move isn't needed because it's obvious - Brown, for ten years as Chancellor, presided over the UK finances not only during the 'age of irresponsibility'; he also created the regulatory system responsible for overseeing financial institutions, banking sector included.
Posted by: m collins | Monday, 13 October 2008 at 04:25 PM
From a life long Tory it is good to see David Cameron reduced to political impotency where he belongs, as there is no substance, only (fading) style.
Well done Gordon Brown
Posted by: Jim Hagan | Monday, 13 October 2008 at 06:52 PM
Jim Hagan has missed the mark.
The shrewd David Cameron and his team have enough nous to stand back and let Gordon and his Darling hang themselves.
All they have done is chosen the obvious option and spun their way through with the slimey baron not far away.
The people will know who to blame when the downturn bites. "No boom and bust"? Go on, Gordy, tell the world just how clever you have really been!
Posted by: Ivor | Monday, 13 October 2008 at 08:03 PM
Defeated by a majority of 191 votes in the Lords, over "42 Days".
Mr Brown appears to have "bounced" headfirst into a large brick wall, which has "Told You So! - The Voters" written on it.
Unwanted, unelected, untalented, unlikeable, unpleasant.
Posted by: Neil McGowan | Monday, 13 October 2008 at 10:40 PM
Oh dear. Good old Gordon has come back from the dead. Described by the current winner of the Nobel Prize for economics as 'having saved the world's financial markets' and the French as a saviour.
Surely not. The hard nosed Tories will be as objective as ever and give him no credit whatsoever. Remember what the Falklands did for Maggie. Go on Gordon, long may you reign.
Posted by: Chris Revill | Monday, 13 October 2008 at 10:50 PM
Why do Labour posters insist on pretending they are Tories?
Tories don't like Gordon. Never have, never will.
These posters show complete ignorance of the Tory mindset.
Pension robbery, debt, lies, bullying, spin, arrogance, using an old lady as a prop etc.
And before anyone starts going on about Cameron using his kids as props, Gordon took a photo op with his last week.
Add hypocrite to the list.
Posted by: Sally C | Monday, 13 October 2008 at 11:02 PM
ANTHONY WELLS INDEPENDENT POLLING ANALYIST
Falklands effect. Just for reference, prior to the Falklands War Gallup showed the Conservative party two points behind Labour and the Alliance, CON 31%, LAB 33%, All 33%. Three months later they were seventeen points ahead of the Alliance, CON 45%, LAB 25%, All 28% - a 19 point transformation in the party lead. We’ve got rather a long way to go before it bears comparison to the Falklands effect.
Posted by: Sally C | Monday, 13 October 2008 at 11:04 PM
Many commentators ,polititians,et all have stated that they have warned for many years about the present mess we now find ourselves in.This being the case I fail to understand why comprehensive contingency plans were not drawn up many moons ago to deal with such a scenario ?
20/20 hindsight is a wonderfull thing!
Posted by: paul | Monday, 13 October 2008 at 11:40 PM