Gordon Brown's big hope is that he will be seen as a refreshing change from Tony Blair when he moves into Ten Downing Street. ConservativeHome Members' Panel members were very concerned that that should not be how voters see things. Members wanted to see the Tory party make Brown share responsibility for all of Tony Blair's failures...
"He is part of the old duet and it is time for someone new."
"Paint him as the old guard and as Blair's right-hand man."
"To make it obvious that he is now as corrupt as Tony Blair."
"Brown is as slippery as Blair."
"Challenge him on his new found enthusiasm for of ID cards and all the other anti - civil liberties neo fascist-measures put in by Nu Labour."
In an article for The Guardian - before last year's General Election - Iain Duncan Smith made similar points:
"Brown and Blair are not honest alternatives. Their personal relations may have been difficult, but for eight years they have cohabited in every major decision. The anti-war left is encouraged to vote for Brown as if he had nothing to do with the overthrow of Saddam. He may have absented himself from the pre-war PR campaign, but as chancellor he found the money to pay for Britain's contribution.
Brown's record is characterised by the same contradictions as Blair's. His budgets have been exercises in deception. Good news is always announced at the dispatch box, bad news hidden in the small print. The IR35 tax hike that impoverished so many IT professionals was dressed up as the closure of a tax loophole. The abolition of the married couples' allowance took place a full year before "compensatory" family benefits were introduced.
The chancellor shares the prime minister's fudged attempts to make Britain both Anglosphere and European nation. He may talk about the weaknesses of continental Europe's economies, but his policies have shifted Britain from the strongly performing US model towards European sclerosis. That is why Britain's long-term growth rate is downwards."
PREVIOUS ENTRY IN THIS SERIES: GORDON BROWN'S RECORD ON WASTE.
Where's Annabel when you need her? I wonder what their charts are like when comparing these friends or foes? I suspect they are a lot closer than their public personas lead you to think.
It would be a clever ruse indeed for Gordon and Tony to allow distance between them on major decisions that could damage the Labour party were they to be seen to be in cahoots.
If Tony didn't get on with Gordon as the press would sometimes have us believe then why is he not heaping the blame for all of the problems that have occurred this year onto Gordon's shoulders after all what has Tony got to lose? He leaves office picks up a nice fat pension, waves goodbye with a tear in his eye and lives a jolly good life. The fact that Gordon is clear of blame on Iraq, party loans for honours, gambling legislation, disappointing public sector reforms, all point toward a degree of collusion between the two men. To me they're more like Cagney and Lacey you know good cop/bad cop routine.
More time needs to be spent researching Gordon's involvement in the bad news and make sure that the public are made aware of the connections.
Just like Labour are trying to spin the loans for honours back against the Conservatives on the tv news this evening.
Posted by: a-tracy | March 24, 2006 at 20:45
Yes totally agree. Our approach should be to point to the double act linking Borwn with Blair and show how their approach is the past and Cameron's is the future.
Matt
Posted by: matt wright | March 24, 2006 at 22:35
a-Tracey! Have just got in from our patrons club dinner, see my other post. I am commanded to come to BED NOW but will just say for now, they are both 12th house people. Their personal planets sitting there. (also David Blunkett!!) 12th house is where you shoot yourself in the foot. The house of self undoing. Rules anywhere enclosed. Hospitals, prisons, librarys. Positively, spiritual awareness. stuff like that. Get vicars and phychs and cops with busy 12 houses. Negatively, 12 house people are sneaks, spinners..... Its ruled by Neptune after all, and he is the God of smoke and mirrors. Yes, they could be described as two sides of the same coin. I havnt done their combined chats, will do so Saturday. Ive done Brown and DC and Blair and DC. Have to say, he is handling the pair of them very well. Yes dear I AM coming to bed right now, and yes you go in the bathroom first then! Dont you get that?
Posted by: Annabel Herriott | March 25, 2006 at 00:37
Annabel: No, mine doesn't ask; he can still throw me over his shoulder! 'What a Carry On - ooh Matron' ;-)
On a serious note many people don't like change, Brown will get the 'better the devil you know' vote. As for commenting on him being the old guard that does nothing for me, it's a double edged sword and devalues the Tory's older, wiser, longer serving MP's contributions in the house.
Posted by: a-tracy | March 25, 2006 at 10:25
A-Tracey! Have run brown and blair combo through my synastry software. Great fun!! The poor old computer doesnt recognise that they are a couple of blokes!! If you are going to Manchester, I'ii give you a copy. Or ask Sam to give you my email address, then we can sort out a snail mail drop, as its 12 pages. While recognising the essential facts between them , it is really funny, because the sotware is written for a courting couple. I know we can have same sex marraiges now, but there are bits that are unintentionally hysterical. I then ran DC and blair, and DC and Brown through. just as funny, but potentially very very useful for DC. Will take them all to M/C and hand them over.
Posted by: Annabel Herriott | March 25, 2006 at 18:16