Of the 3 people in the following article 2 no longer require my party loyalty, something which I have always adhered to, I wish others could have shown the same discipline over the years but; the Labour movement is massive and so is the party so you just have to get on with things and hope others will do the same. Now that Tony Blair has joined Mandelson and published his book I don’t feel restrained in any way about giving my opinions of them I am after all only doing what they have done; with a smaller readership of course but it feels cathartic.
Gordon Brown is doing something right now which consolidates his position as superior to Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson and their supporters, he is doing nothing. To be more precise he is not publishing a book which will damage the Labour Party and he is not doing interviews which are designed to traduce his former colleagues he is; as always; putting the party and the greater Labour movement first. His reasons for entering politics hold as true today as they ever did. Quite simply he is demonstrating that not only is he a far superior Labour politician and a much truer socialist than his betrayers but he is far more of a man than those two and ten more like them could ever be.
Blair; despite his profile and his electoral success has always lived in Brown’s shadow; not to the chattering classes and the media perhaps but to the members of the Labour Party. They were happy to enjoy success under Blair and appreciated him for that but no matter what success he brought while leader he could never emulate the lifelong love affair that Brown enjoyed and still does with the party members, to them he is ‘the man’ and he will dwarf Blair and Mandelson if they live to be a hundred. Their bestselling books and ingratiating TV appearances will forever be stained by the knowledge that they spent their time in the limelight playing second fiddle in the affections of their party to the brooding; honest gut socialist who was their intellectual as well as their moral better, we the members know that and so do they.
Brown is in good company if you consider what he has been subjected to by the media and some people whom he couldn’t turn his back to. He is still standing and I hope/think he has still got a major contribution to make to the Labour Party and Labour Movement. He is the latest in a long line of left wing standard bearers whom the right wing media has tried to destroy; Scargill and McGahey, Ken Livingstone, Tony Benn etc. etc. real socialists who could not be beaten or intimidated by corporate interests and the bought and paid for media who are shameless.
Consider this incident when you compare Blair to Brown; on election British PM’s quickly visit Washington a place much loved by Blair who was completely smitten by it and by the idiot Bush. It was “Tony this and George that and Tony kiss my ass” and Blair like a young impressionable kid meeting his/her favourite rock star. On Brown’s first visit Bush said at a press conference “welcome to America Gordon” and Brown replied casually without emotion or nerves “thank you Mr. President” Did Bush perhaps think “WTF is this; who is this guy; he doesn’t seem impressed by me or the states” or perhaps George being George didn’t feel the knife going in.
Honest true historians will be kind to Brown they will write about the political giant that he was and is.
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46 comments:
Brown brought Mandelson back into government... I think this makes his judgement just a leetle suspect, dont you?
No.
"For over 40 years our economy has an unenviable history, under governments of both parties, of boom and bust. So, against a background of monetary uncertainty and instability in the global economy, we set about establishing a new economic framework to secure long-term economic stability and put an end to the damaging cycle of boom and bust.”
Gordon Brown's pre-budget report 1977
"[Gordon Brown] the brooding; honest gut socialist who was their intellectual as well as their moral better, we the members know that and so do they."
Councillor Terry Kelly, 2010
Sometimes, Councillor, you almost make me believe all that multi-universe stuff the boffins put about to cover up the fact that they haven't a clue. Certainly it seems clear that you and I do not inhabit the same universe!
"honest gut socialist who was their intellectual as well as their moral better, we the members know that and so do they"
So where was his opposition to the Iraq War then? Maybe I missed his support for the anti War movement at the time.
Care to elaborate Terry?
After all, this is supposed to be a forum for debate not just somewhere to display tribal loyalties (which, of course, you abhor).
By David Duff on 03/09/10
“we set about establishing a new economic framework to secure long-term economic stability and put an end to the damaging cycle of boom and bust.” Gordon Brown's pre-budget report 1977 "[Gordon Brown]”
That’s what he gave us for 12/13 years until we came up against an international financial crisis which he more than any other world leader stabilised.
“Certainly it seems clear that you and I do not inhabit the same universe!”
Experts reckon that you can sit 20 monkeys down with type writers and they will eventually type out the complete works of Shakespeare; your above quote appears to support that theory.
Experts also know that you can sit 20 monkeys down in Renfrewshire with red rosettes and they will become councillors.
You are the proof that supports this theory.
By Ronnie on at 17:34
Red Rosettes on Monkey’s eh? Very original you are clearly a political thinker aren’t you? If you had one ounce of integrity and half an ounce of courage you would identify yourself to the people of Renfrewshire and tell them how stupid you consider them to be, any chance?
By Anonymous at 12:22
A clue to what you are on about would be a help.
By Anonymous on at 09:42
Letters from people like you expressing such sentiments make me jealous sometimes; I wish sometimes I could spend some time in your simple little world where no one takes responsibility for anything. Where you seem quite happy to reach the conclusion that Gordon Brown would not have done everything in his power to stop the Iraq war had he had the chance.
Gordon Brown likes nothing better than seeing people being blown to bits doesn’t he; and it’s more fun if it’s women and children, he loves that doesn’t he? Did you know that it was Gordon who shot Bambi’s mother?
All this did not stop you running about for years asking us to support Bliar. A man who should at least be in a jail cell for the murder of over 100,000 innocent civilians in Iraq.
I would have hanged him right alongside Saddam.
You helped elect him and should share in the shame and the blame.
How well do you sleep at night ???
A rant rather than a reply - but hey at least you consistent.
Your reply suggests that GB had no option but to go along with the war, but that he morally opposed it.
Read the account of his appearance at the Chilcot Inquiry where he confirms me supported the decision at the time and still considers the decision to have been correct.
Many Labour members, MPs and Ministers put their morals, dignity and right first at the time and opposed the war. Many others though, GB included, kept quiet and approved it.
So with the evidence we have from at the time and from his recent appearance at the Inquiry, where is the proof that he would "have done everything in his power to stop the Iraq war had he had the chance"
By Anonymous at 09:01
I have stated and do so again that had Gordon Brown had the opportunity to prevent or bring to an end the war in Iraq he would have done so, as I said before in my previous ‘rant’(not the kind of thing you do) life is not as simple as you portray it.
Particularly when you descend into that fetid place in your mind where attacking Brown/Blair/Labour is far more important to you than any amount of casualties in Iraq. You are far worse than Brown or Blair.
By Anonymous on 04/09/10
I have run around all my life asking people to vote Labour. This has nothing to do with Iraq; the war is just an excuse for you to attack Blair/Labour, whom you clearly have a rather unhinged hatred for. The plight of the people in Iraq means nothing to you; it’s real low life stuff; if it wasn’t Iraq you would find something else.
Your lurid gutter language and enthusiasm for the hangman’s rope says a lot about you.
Just like you I sleep well at night because in my case my conscience is clear and in yours you don’t have a conscience to keep you awake.
Kelly 12.31
'The war is just an excuse to attack Labour!' (paraphrase)
Do you regard war as a minor matter, not worth taking Labour to task over
Terry
Everything you said about Gordon Brown is true. What a loss to the
British public. History should
record Gordon as one of the best
politicians ever.
More power to your elbow.
By Anonymous at 14:49
“Do you regard war as a minor matter”
This garbage could only be asked by someone who is anonymous.
I regard war as being very serious; that’s why I would never exploit those who were killed or injured to make cheap political attacks which are driven by malice and not genuine anti war sympathies.
People like you who do that are beneath contempt.
Thank you for commenting.
@ 5.58
Kelly, you're the one who said the war was 'just an excuse to attack Blair/Labour.'
I regard going to war as very serious indeed. Blair took us into it on a lie. Your 'moral giant,' Brown, hadn't the guts to take the one step that would have stopped it.
Any trivialisation is yours.
Kelly, you're the one who said the war was 'just an excuse to attack Blair/Labour.'
No I didn't, your stupidity is surpassed only by yourb laziness"
217 MPs - 139 of them Labour backbenchers - backed a rebel amendment opposing the government's stance on Iraq, with 396 opposing the motion. A motion backing the government's position was passed by 412 votes to 149.
That sounds a wee bit more complicated than “Blair lied, Blair took us into an illegal war” it rather shows an obsession with attacking Blair rather than genuine concern about Iraq; still don’t let it get in the way of your phoney crusade.
Kelly, do you deny saying 'the war is just an excuse for you to attack Blair/Labour?'
And at the time that it happened, can you direct me to to your blog entries where you opposed the Iraq war. I'm thin on the ground on this.
You did have a blog at that time did you not.
“we set about establishing a new economic framework to secure long-term economic stability and put an end to the damaging cycle of boom and bust.” Gordon Brown's pre-budget report 1977 "[Gordon Brown]”
"That’s what he gave us for 12/13 years until we came up against an international financial crisis which he more than any other world leader stabilised."
Um... no. What Brown gave us was a continuation of the Thatcherite economics which have held this country back. Do the words "light touch regulation" mean anything to you - they should, Brown uttered that phrase at the Mansionhouse speech in 1997, and those are the words which have ment that the recession has been exacerbated in the UK.
By Anonymous on 05/09/10
There are blog entries and comments which demonstrate my opposition to the war and many other things which I disagreed with; you will have to do the search I’m not doing it for you.
I am one of thousands of Labour Party members/voters who opposed the war. I know that doesn’t fit in with your disingenuous anti Labour/Blair campaign but you are stuck with it and looking more like an opportunistic liar by the day.
I can’t remember exactly but; I will accept that and maybe I can help you a little as you are clearly incapable of understanding this. The salient word in your quote is “YOU” go figure.
So Brown was a Thatcherite and; in 19 97 you identified the phrase "light touch regulation" as a Thatcherite policy while the rest of us poor sods only starting referring to the phrase a year or 2 ago. At long last we have a political heavyweight sending comments! I can only try to imagine what standard of political discussion you are used to but; this does not wash. Are you the same Allan? FFS are you never going to learn; desperate attempts to make yourself look clever are spotted a mile away; try making an argument.
Anonymous asked:
"Brown brought Mandelson back into government... I think this makes his judgement just a leetle suspect, dont you?"
You replied "No."
Would you care to elaborate Terry?
Mandelson doesn't strike me as a shoo-in for 'project socialism'.
By Anonymous at 14:42
dont you?
No.
“Mandelson doesn't strike me as a shoo-in for 'project socialism”
If you think I’m in any interested in what does or does not strike you you are delusional. Neither you nor the other ‘anonymous’ seems able to put a question properly.
TK
Your loyalty and admiration for Mr. Brown is to be commended. He has been a work horse and a war horse for Labour for decades. You and I do not agree on much politically, but Gordon Brown is man worthy of esteem, and the petty sniping of the envious ought not be allowed to go unchallenged.
BeegJeem
By BeegJeem
Thank you for your comment; possibly like you I don’t admire only those I agree with and I didn’t always agree with Gordon Brown but: I have been in this politics lark long enough to know integrity: honesty and commitment when I see it and Brown has all 3 in spades. Despite serving only 3 years as PM: this country has had very few if any better leaders in its history.
Terry, would an 'honest, gut socialist' bring Peter Mandelson back into Government?
"like you I don’t admire only those I agree with"
I'd be interested in hearing which current Tory, Lib Dem and SNP MPs/MSPs you admire Tel.
By Anonymous on GORDON BROWN'S DIGNIFIED SILENCE CONTINUES TO OVER... on 11/09/10
I don’t recall saying that I admired Tory; Libdem or SNP MP’s or MSP’s I simply said that there are people that I admire that I don’t always agree with.
Obviously I don’t know them all (Tory,Libdem and SNP MP’s/MSP’s) but those I do know I have nothing but contempt for that is political of course.
Anonymous - Saturday, September 11, 2010 11:00:00 PM
An honest gut socialist just has appointed him.
Sometimes this is like taking candy from kids.
Kelly @ 6.48
'Sometimes, this is like taking candy from kids.'
That is a direct quote, stolen from Mandelson, made when Brown brought him back
By Anonymous on GORDON BROWN'S DIGNIFIED SILENCE CONTINUES TO OVER... on 12/09/10
If you were to undergo a big operation would you refuse to have the best doctor because you personally disliked him/her? Think hard now I know this is tough stuff for you.
@ 6.57
You called Brown a man of principle.
Seems he binned the principles and, in bringing Mandelson back, settled for expediency in an attempt to save his skin.
Kelly is right...in heaven's name do not mention the war. If you do you are using the deaths of innocents---this makes you more morally repugnant than the very people who put the war into operation and fooled parliament with fake dossiers. So, get it right, no more talk of the war, listen to Kelly and for God's sake don't mention it, you will only be lowering yourslf to the level of err...well...warmongers or something. Don't you people who keep bringing up the war realise that using the violent deaths of children to shelter your own distorted view of reality is very very wrong? And while we are at it, people should not use starvation and deprivation as a political debating tool either, let the poor and destitute have their dignity...do not use the poor as a debating tool. Listen to Mr Kelly he is no hypocrite,and will keep you, err, right!
By Anonymous on GORDON BROWN'S DIGNIFIED SILENCE CONTINUES TO OVER... at 11:28
When people write to me and continuously refer to Iraq I have learned not to take them at face value because many of them IMO are manipulating the issue for their own political ends; you are clearly one of them.
You really ought to be ashamed, I have disagreed with the Iraq war from the beginning and I campaigned against it but; some people thank God for sending it to them; do you recognise that description?
“Listen to Mr Kelly he is no hypocrite,and will keep you, err, right!”
I do my best but; when I come in to contact with people like you I realise that it’s just not possible to keep everyone right.
.
By Anonymous on GORDON BROWN'S DIGNIFIED SILENCE CONTINUES TO OVER... on 13/09/10
What a shocking thing to say I’m beginning to get the impression that you don’t like Brown.
@ 4.34
No, Councillor, just pointing out the bl****n' obvious.
I don't know Brown, so I've no strong feelings either way about him as a person! But as a PM, he was an unmitigated disaster.
Interesting that you believe he did the right thing in bringing Lord M back
By Anonymous on GORDON BROWN'S DIGNIFIED SILENCE CONTINUES TO OVER... on 14/09/10
“But as a PM, he was an unmitigated disaster”
This is a subjective opinion of yours which I don’t share.
“Interesting that you believe he did the right thing in bringing Lord M back”
This by contrast is either a mistake or more probably a lie because you are getting nowhere with your comments.
I never said that he did the right thing by bringing him back. If you want to continue this; either show me where I said this or don’t bother writing.
Kelly @ 10.30..'show me'
See Kelly, 13th Sept, 6.57
'If you wanted the best doctor...'
That doesn't read like you disagreed with the Mad Fifer's judgement to me
Mandeln 'The best doctor available.'
You said it, Kelly...do you stand by it?
By Sprite on 19/09/10
No I didn’t say that; you are either too stupid to read what I said properly or you are a liar.
By Anonymous on 15/09/10
I would not hazard a guess about what you do and don’t understand when you read something.
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