Labour's election chances were slim before Gordon Brown called a voter "bigoted." They're even slimmer now.
Just when you think it cannot get any worse for Gordon Brown, he drives what has got to be the final nail into his political coffin.…
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - STM
Speaking of elephants.
We actually got a story in from Italy the other day that started: "An Italian family were surprised to find an elephant relaxing in their front yard ..."
Well, you would be, wouldn't you, especially at breakfast, what with the dog going ballistic and all the neighbours poking their heads out of the window as well?
The elephant escaped from a travelling circus, wandered into the village and decided to find a nice front yard to crash in. And when I say crash, I really do mean crash. That was the end of this season's tulips.
Eventually the trainer twigged and went looking for the elephant, which probably wouldn't have been that hard to find, just quietly.
Back to longe room elephants. The real elephant in the lounge room in terms of Ruve's analogy, though, is how Britain is suffering in the wake of the GFC, and Cameron's determination to loosen the bonds with Europe a tad (thumbs up on that one, David!).
Clegg is the other elephant ... for both the major parties.
27 - Dr Dreadful
Farage for PM!
Well, he is running, but even if he wins the seat he'll have to pull off the coalition deal of the millennium for that to happen!
28 - Dr Dreadful
the 800 lb. elephant in the British sitting room
Ruvy, you and I may not see eye to eye on much but at least let's get our units of measurement right.
That's the 57-stone elephant, if you please.
:-)
29 - Mark Edward Manning
"
It appears, looking at all this, that the key issue is the 800 lb. elephant in the British sitting room - the enforced loss of national identity to appease the multi-culti assholes looking for cheap Muslim labor. That is where Gordon Brown appears to have run aground - expressing his contempt for the average grandma, of all people, concerned over this issue."
Thank you, Ruvy, for being someone who had the guts to finally point out that elephant in the British sitting room. I'd have done it myself, but I was too curious to see if it eventually would anyway.
And, as John Wilson pointed out in comment #11, this is the fixed idea of The Way Things Are that mere citizens should learn to accept. And Gordon Brown and Labour just cannot get their heads around why the average British citizen would be unhappy with it. They're not interested anyway. All they're interested in is power and the easiest way of attaining such power is letting in and then manipulating the types of people who already have nothing to lose.
It's amazing, isn't it? You'd think a political party would grow more accommodating the longer it was in power, to please the electorate. But, as most political parties have proven, in the U.S. as well as Britain, all they ever get is more and more arrogant and far less accommodating and responsive to the electorate's needs.
And that is what's so deeply wrong with Labour at the moment. I don't know how their fortunes would have changed if they'd ditched Brown while they had the chance, but the fact that they didn't speaks volumes about their mindset -- and, I dearly hope, their future.
30 - STM
Mate, they are goooooone. I notice Blair's back and has been sent on Mission; Impossible - Save Gordon.
Cameron's a shoo-in at this point. Can't say I blame the Poms either ... Brown's not the most inspiring of politicians.
At least Blair had a go.
31 - Dr Dreadful
Hardly a shoo-in, Stan. Have you seen the opinion polls? None of the parties are anywhere near an overall majority at this point.
There is one poll today which looked at marginal seats and suggests that the Tories might just squeak over the line, but the polling company - Ipsos-MORI - also conceded that a third of voters in those constituencies still hadn't conclusively decided who they were going to vote for.
There is the other factor which is that in past elections a hung parliament has often been talked about and seemed like a strong possibility, but when it came to election day the voters ended up coming down pretty strongly on one side or the other.
The difference this time is that for all practical purposes there's an even three-way split in party popularity: the Lib Dems have kept pace with the other two right up until the end of the campaign, which is unprecedented.
32 - Mark Edward Manning
Dr. D is right, Stan. Britain, according to the newest polls, is still on track for a hung parliament. We're likely to see a nearly even split between all three parties. It's amazing that some people would still vote for Labour after all they've done (or HAVEN'T done) after 13 years, but these people are still getting high off the fumes of 1997 and can't bear to see that link get severed ... So the "fun" here in Albion is likely to continue for the next five years (oh joy, oh joy).
Oh, Dr. D, I never answered your question: No, I cannot vote here, I'm an official indefinite-leave-to-remain U.K. resident, but still wholly an American citizen. So, yeah, when I say it's the Tories or UKIP for me, I speak in terms of how I would vote if I could.
33 - STM
The Lib Dems have said they won't enter a coalition with Labour. I assume they haven't said anything about the conservatives.
However, the truth is, you only need a one seat majority if the other parties WON'T form a coalition. Problem with that is, the lesser of the two opposition parties won't form a coalition, they hold the balance of power.
Should be an interesting time in the Old Dart over the next few years.
I saw a great heading on page 1 of one of the pommy tabloids floating around the office the other day, which we have flown in every day along with some of the US papers. It was a classic:
"Brown toast".
I reckon that's right, too. They're in for a fair dinkum shellacking I reckon.
By the way, Mark ... don't be a dopey bugger with the UK citizenship.
It's both perfectly acceptable AND legal now for a US citizen to hold dual citizenship, which really does have tremendous advantages. The US government now recognises it for certain countries, the UK and Australia among them.
Not sure they'd agree to North Korea though.
I assume you qualify, having lived there now for so long. When you do get back to Boston, you'll probably get homesick for the Old Dart ... even though you don't think you will.
For some reason, the place does that. It plays with the mind. I'm always REALLY glad to leave, but always have quite a powerful yearning to go back.
Even when I was in Portugal a few years back, I went through Frankfurt ... and kept thinking I should have gone via London so I could have a few days in the old country.
Then when I get there, a few weeks does me and I can't wait to get out of the bloody place. It's bizarre.
34 - roger nowosielski
A link to Tony Blair's involvement.
35 - Dr Dreadful
If it's a hung parliament and Labour or the Tories come holding out the olive branch, the Lib Dems will change their tune.
However, I have a sneaking suspicion that the Tories, while they may not quite win enough seats for an overall majority, will come close enough that they can cut a deal with the Northern Ireland Unionist parties which would allow them to function as a minority government.
Which, of course, would probably prompt Labour to redouble their efforts and get the Lib Dems, the SNP and Plaid Cymru on board.
Of course, Northern Ireland doesn't usually declare its election results until the next day, which may give Labour a head start.
It's going to be an interesting Friday...
36 - Dr Dreadful
Brown's not the most inspiring of politicians.
Apparently he did give a rather fiery speech to a citizens' group yesterday.
According to some analysts, there may even have been an inflection in his voice at one point.
Makes one wonder where that Gordon Brown has been hiding all this time.
Or perhaps he'd just had a really good cup of tea before walking out onto the podium.
37 - roger nowosielski
A view from the Greens.
38 - roger nowosielski
there may even have been an inflection in his voice at one point."
You mean it's nonexistent at times. See, that where you British ear proves an immense advantage.
39 - Mark Edward Manning
Stan, I'm not being a "dopey bugger" with regard to passing up UK citizenship. It's just that the price of attaining said citizenship these days is £800 -- money I surely do not have at my disposal (and if I did, I'd have other uses to put it toward).
I'm satisfied with my indefinite leave to remain. However, I do thank you for your concern.
40 - Dr Dreadful
I feel the same way as you, Mark (in the opposite direction, of course) - though not for pecuniary reasons.
(800 quid, though - aiiiee!).
I did consider the possibility of going for US citizenship at one time, but decided that it wasn't for me. I'm English and proud of it. I just don't feel American, and never will.
Like you, I'm happy with maintaining my permanent resident status for as long as I'm here, and renewing it every 10 years as the law requires.
Besides, there is one side benefit, which is that I can get out of doing jury service. I just love checking that little box on the summons and sending it back! :-)
41 - roger nowosielski
Can you still collect Social Security?
42 - STM
MarK "Dopey bugger ... However, I do thank you for your concern."
It wasn't meant in the pejorative Mark ... we call people bastards here and it's not meant to offend.
Just so you know.
43 - Ruvy
Since Nick Clegg is looking so good to a lot of you, I thought I'd raise the issues raised by this article.
Apparently there is more than one Bernie Madoff running around - and they're not all Jews either. This fellow, Nadhmi Auchi, sounds like a real winner. Just what Britain really needs - another rich bastard who kisses Wahhabi assholes.
Don't you Brits have enough of those cockroaches running around already?
44 - STM
I have dual Australian/British citizenship BTW, and I'm entitled to three ... Irish too, although I don't see the point these days as all the Euro passports do the same thing.
I have a mate who has dual US/Australian citizenship (two dual US/Aussie mates actually but the other one doesn't have ANY passports as far as I can tell).
The one who does grew up in the US and moved here in his late 20s but he's found his Aussie citizenship good for travelling on as there are pitfalls in flashing a US passport in certain places.
It's always good to keep your options open.
45 - STM
But you're right, 800 quid is a lot of dough that you could be using for other stuff. Like beer.
46 - Ruvy
By the way, Mark, MY use of the words, "bastards" and "cockroaches" WAS meant to be pejorative.
47 - STM
Sh.t-stirring again Ruve ...
You needn't worry. David Cameron will be the next PM, not Nick Clegg (or Gordon Brown).
Britons might be appear to you to be stupid, but I'm not sure they're that stupid yet that they'd elect a traditional third party to government at the snap of their fingers.
If Clegg eventually wants government, he might need to enter into a loose coalition first. He's too "cold" ... he's done OK in the TV debates but I still believe for all the hoo-ha going on over there about hung parliaments and the like, Cameron is a shoo-in but not with the same majority he might have had. However, it's likely much of Labour's lost vote will also go to the Lib Dems. The chattering classes are more likely to go that way rather than the way of the Conservative Party. Should be interesting no matter what.
And probably with Labour, as that's where the lines migthey should be in a coalition with Labour as that is where the policy lines blur a bit more than they would with the Conservatives.
Whatever happens, though, if they hold a balance of power in the House, they will be able to exercise some of it and they will exercise it too. No doubt there.
48 - Dr Dreadful
Roger @ #41: Yes.
49 - Dr Dreadful
Sh.t-stirring again Ruve ...
He does enjoy it so...
I took a look at the 'article' he linked to. Nothing more than a string of unsupported assertions, rumours and innuendos for the most part.
50 - STM
I had a look too ... and came to similar conclusions regarding the "standard" of journalism.
The internet is a great tool for deomocracy. It's also great democracy for tools :)
51 - Mark Edward Manning
Stan, I knew you were kidding around. No offense (or offence as you might prefer it) was taken. Perhaps you didn't get my very straight-talking Boston sense of humor (or humour, as you probably prefer it).
In short, no worries, chum.
52 - Mark Edward Manning
Dr. D: At least we understand each other in that regard. In that, we are downright equals.
I don't want anything to dilute my sense of American-ness, and even if I could afford British citizenship, I probably would not take it. Despite what Stan says (and I know he's right), I would still feel a sense of betrayal at taking dual citizenship. I just plain don't want it. Not for me. I've nothing against the country that let me in, but I'm just too proud of the one I originated in.
We see eye-to-eye on this matter.
53 - Mark Edward Manning
Ruvy: "Don't you Brits have enough of those cockroaches running around already?"
According to our political Lords and Masters, Ruvy, there's always room for more.
54 - Mark Edward Manning
Stan: "Then when I get there, a few weeks does me and I can't wait to get out of the bloody place. It's bizarre."
It's not bizarre at all. It's perfectly understandable. A few weeks in this place and most sensible Australians and Americans alike want to leave. Abysmally crap weather, which lasts several weeks at a time here, will do that to you.
There's nothing more soul-degrading than weeks of rainy, raw conditions, then suddenly a day or perhaps two of brilliant sunshine and, if you're lucky, a temp of about 68 F, and then week after consecutive week rainy, raw conditions. It's no wonder to me most Brits are so eccentric. Poor things can't help it.
I am seriously beginning to believe that I'll never experience a genuine summer again. So, yeah, I'm desperate to get back to Boston. We may have 5 feet of snow on the ground for most of the winter, but goddamnit, we at least have sultry, soupy, real summers!
55 - Dr Dreadful
Most Brits whine and complain endlessly about the weather. Nothing ever seems to please them except that - maybe - one day every three years when it's sunny with just the right number of white puffy clouds in the sky, the temperature's just the right side of 70 and the breeze doesn't pick up above the prescribed number of mph.
I never had any problems with the British weather, especially the rain, which I love in all its forms and miss terribly for most of the year here.
We've had an unusually wet winter and spring here in Fresno. There was a day and a half of rain here last week, but now the temperature's up in the high 80s and summer's under way. It won't rain again until late October.
Depressing. Still, I have my Rain and Thunder CD which I play every night to lull me to sleep. That'll have to do.
56 - STM
Raim? Loooxury.
You don't know what rain is until you've lived here. It pisses down.
57 - Jeff Forsythe
It rains beer Stan? Quick what's the fastest route there?
Jeff
58 - Dr Dreadful
Allow me to assist, Jeff.
St Helena, as discussed, being devoid of an airport, you'd have to hop on the ship to Ascension next time it puts in. I've therefore taken the liberty of plotting the great circle route from there to Sydney for you.
Alternatively, you could go by sub, which would cut out the sea journey to Ascension but on the flip side there would be a bloody great icy continent in the way.
Hope this helps.
59 - STM
Nah, Doc, you can go from St Helena to Cape Town and fly direct from there.
Can you believe your mob hired the Italians to build an airport? And everyone's wondering why nothing's happened yet??
Love 'em, but they shouldn't be allowed to make anything but coffee, pasta, scooters and temperamental supercars.
60 - STM
Actually, they do a decent motorbike too. But also temperamental. The shoes are all right as well.
But airports?? Nah, don't think so.
61 - STM
Jeff: "It rains beer Stan?"
We had a beer advertisement it actually did. They seeded the clouds with beer-m,aking stuff and when it p.ssed down, it p.ssed down.
62 - Jeff Forsythe
Suddenly everyone is an ruddy expert on one of the most remote islands on the face of this Earth? My silly chums have completely forgotten that small private sea planes are easily hired between Ascension and there?
Indeed the airport is on hold for now until they can get the Italian construction firms sorted out.
You have all gone daft! :)
What are you lot going to do when you journey to the bleeding island and discover I really have not lived there for years?
Jeff
63 - Jeff Forsythe
Point of order, I nearly put forth that you "splash out" and hire a sea plane, but many would have suggested that I meant for you to swim.
Jeff
64 - Dr Dreadful
What are you lot going to do when you journey to the bleeding island and discover I really have not lived there for years?
Hide from the Jehovah's Witnesses.
65 - Jeff Forsythe
Actually Stan, the Chinese invented pasta-the Italians simply added oregano to it.
Jeff
66 - Jeff Forsythe
64-And with truly good reason Doc
Jeff
67 - Jeff Forsythe
Canadians have a good two-word explanation for St. Helena's airport or lack thereof it is "Lowest bidder"
Jeff
68 - STM
Jeff: "What are you lot going to do when you journey to the bleeding island and discover I really have not lived there for years?"
We'd already worked that out.
69 - STM
Jeff: "Actually Stan, the Chinese invented pasta-the Italians simply added oregano to it."
They perfected it, too. It's among their greatest achievements.
Isabella Rossellini was another.
St Helena is quite well known here Jeff as a 10-things-I'd-like-to-do-before-I-die-type destination because you can get there quite easily from Cape Town, which isn't that far away. Aussies gtravel a fair bit to south africa because of its proximity, although it's a bit of a worry lately.
How do you think I guessed it first up??
70 - STM
Mark, I guess it's not the same opting for dual Aussie/UK citizenship as the two countries are so connected even if they are really, really different.
Then again, I've heard the same argument being used by Americans in support of their decision to go for dual Aussie citizenship: "The two countries are so similar ... Australia is the 51st state", etc.
I could, however, understand an American not choosing UK citizenship.
Although pragmatism is a good rule, I reckon.
71 - Dr Dreadful
Isabella Rossellini was another.
Although they have to share the credit for her with the Swedes.
72 - STM
Italy's a basket case at the moment, though, along with some other members of the EU. I can't believe Berlusconi. It's too bizarre for words.
73 - Dr Dreadful
Anything in particular, or just the general berlusconiness of Berlusconi? :-)
74 - STM
Yeah, just that. He's popular too in Italy. I wonder whether he's done his dash recently, though.
75 - steve
an 800 lb elephant is a rather small elephant Ruvy.