Peter Rhodes writes: This was not Old Gordon, dourly peddling prudence like a workhouse master doling out cold porridge.See also: Your views: Budget 2007
This was Gordon McFluffy, a Chancellor-lite, bidding for the nation’s heart, soul and sense of humour.
This week Gordon Brown was accused of Stalinist tendencies by a former top civil servant.
How to respond? A born comedian (Blair, perhaps) would have opened his Budget speech with the simple word “Comrades.” It would have brought the House down.
As it was, Brown used the Comrade line but only later in his speech. He doesn’t do humour properly. Not yet.
But he comes across warmer and cuddlier than before. He looks tanned and healthier.
And if you want to appear healthy there is no better gambit than to be seen next to the collapsed pile of greasy inner tubes that we know as John Prescott.
The Chancellor sounds different, too, which is bound to stir the old speculation: has he been at the elocution classes to Anglicise his Scottish burr?
What else could account for his “proorities” which turned out to be “priorities” with the vowels seemingly plumped up for the English ear?
This is neither English nor Scottish but Sconglish. And the message was simple. All is well. Employment is soaring, tax receipts have never been higher and Britain is leading the world.
Only a cynic would ask our Sconglish purse-holder how come, if the nation is booming, he wants more tax instead of less.
Coiffed, confident and desperate to get into Number 10, the man from Number 11 delivered his 11th budget and produced some 11th hour rabbits which, if experience is any guide, will probably turn out to be rats by the morning.
Remember his promise of zero road tax a couple of years ago? Turned out it applied to one car which was no longer manufactured and another which you can’t buy in the UK.
Tomorrow, exactly how many carbon-neutral homes will qualify for the Chancellor’s much-vaunted zero stamp duty? One? None?
But then by tomorrow we will all have moved on.
The Chancellor will be focusing on the Scottish elections in May.
Watch out for a tightening of the vowels, a fading of the tan and a return of the burr as Gordon McFluffy turns into the Great Broon and heads north.
8 Comments
Tak it oot Jock! ….. It’s twasted …… Tis known that Scotsmen Pray a lot … But usually on their Neighbours!……………
Spin, cons, lies and wasted tax payers money equals New Labour.
Sooner we get a election the better kick there butts back over the border.
the budget’s priority is brown’s promotion
Mr Brown do think that for one moment you can spin your way into the heart and minds of English people. After 10 years of Blair and the ruination of my country to which you were a key player it will not work this time.
And I’m not asking for referendum on the new eu constitution I am now demanding one.
He famously said in parliament he “had only been in the job five days” well has he been in a coma for the rest of his time in Government? He will lose Labour their power as he is not “showbiz” enough for todays political arena.He is a number cruncher and will never be a good frontman.
The biggest problem facing Britain is the lack of any opposition to “New” Labour.
Sooner he and his gang of fellow Scoots head back to Scotland the better. Everyone of them in the Government have helped damage Britain, but caused major damage to England. Get lost Brown who on earth wants you as the PM…………
E Atkinson. Do you remember Thatcher? Talk about ruin. Wolverhampton had a 25% unemployment rate around my coming of age. I grew up in Thatcher’s Britain, so did UB 40. Know why they called themselves UB 40 by any chance? Thatcher does. Oh, by the way, I remember Edwina Curry advising cold pensioners to stuff newspaper in their clothes and warm soup in a microwave (new technology then). Norman Tebbitt telling people to get on their bike and look for work.