Black Saturday? Yellow Saturday? Ratner Saturday?

I've tagged yesterday's (and today's) threads as 'Labour's Black Saturday'.  I'm hoping that it will be as iconic a setback for Brown as Black Wednesday was for John Major.

The alternative 'Yellow Saturday' suggestion captures the weakness and cowardice of yesterday's decision by the Prime Minister.

Or, another idea that was left on a PoliticalBetting.com thread, 'Ratner Saturday' - the day that Brown trashed his own brand - undermining years of nurturing a reputation for strength and seriousness.

What's your favourite of the three?  Or do you have a better idea...?

Comments

[Henry Mayhew - Ukipper]

Brown Saturday

[Robin]

The day that Bad Smell Brown decided to linger

[CCHQ Spy]

Brown Trousers Day?

Brown Bottled Day?

[Alan Douglas]

Brown all mouth and NO trousers day !

(See cover of Big Red Book of Labour Sleaze)

Alan Douglas

[activist]

I like them all, but imo "Yellow" sums up the man. "Not Brown, just yellow" was making the rounds last night too!

[Christina]

Brownie Saturday (after Guido's description of Brownites as Brownies from now on)

[Ted]

Now DC has allowed some profanity perhaps Ballsed Up Saturday - referencing both Ed and Brown's lack of.

[Annabel Herriott]

Labour's Lilac Saturday. GB has been tripping delicately around the subject of elections, so he doesnt deserve a primary colour.

[Cleo]

Now there will be no election and the Conservatives have announced their tax plans the party must be prepared to come under sustained attack over the next 2 years from Labour about black holes, lack of non doms, cuts in services etc. Labour has succeeded in that debate in the past and the Conservatives have to prove that their plans are affordable, sustainable and do not threaten public services.

[David Brackenbury]

Stick to Black Saturday. It has resonance and implies that the "Black" tag is now firmly with Labour!

[Afleitch]

I quite the idea of a picture of Brown and Cameron next to each other with 'The Bottler v The Bottle Rocket' as the tagline :) But I agree I like Brown Trousers Day :)

[Sally Roberts]

Annabel @ 13:10 - I agree with you - how about a nice shade of beige or grey?

[Patsy Sergeant]

I must object Annabel as I like lilac!! But I have never liked brown and NEVER wear it!

[Steve N]

He trashed his own brand, i.e. himself, the Brown brand. He did a political Ratner. I think Brown Saturday is the best, because it reflects both the name, and the hypothetical colour of his trousers that one imagines as a consequence of his actions. A Brown day could then be used for future "political Ratners", and the originator would always be remembered by his name. A fitting tribute, one that deserves a place in the Oxford Dictionary.

[Tony Makara]

The rockban 'Coldplay' seem to have had Gordon Brown in mind. Some of their works include 'A rush of blood to the head' 'Yellow' and 'Trouble' also 'Don't panic' Prophetic maybe?

[Neil Reddin]

Yellow Saturday sums it up - not least because his "Black ...day" is still to come. That'll be the day when he loses credibility once and for all with the electorate and puts Labour into 15 years of poll doldrums (whereas, though damaging for his poll standing, the real essence of yesterday is that he has lost credibility with the media - still, a vital moment).

[Tapestry]

Brown Stains Day.

[Londoner]

It's difficult for any England rugby supporter to call yesterday a black day. It wasn't even the All Black's day either.

So maybe it should just be "Cameron Saturday"?

Incidentally, Brown knows that a key factor in the 1970 Labour defeat was supposed to have been the England soccer team being knocked out the World Cup which they were defending after having won the previous time. Did someone point out to him that a similar England defeat in either the semi final or final of the present rugby World Cup could have similar consequences? Go, England, you can retain the World Cup now and prove that even Brown's rugby predictions were wrong.

[Alex Swanson]

Can I make the minor point (in case nobody has made it already and I've missed it) that the Tory boost is being hailed as following a promise to cut tax?

I appreciate that said cut is to be financed through tax being raised in other ways but how many times have we been told that even to utter the phrase "tax cut" is to mark oneself down as a froth-mouthed extremist?

[Andrew Jackson]

Note to all Tory civil servants:

It is now a very good day to bury Her Majesty's Government.

The PM must be spinning. In his grave.

[Tony Makara]

Neil Reddin, you are dead right. When Labour are finally dragged kicking and screaming into a general election the scale of their defeat will be far greater and they will be out for at least a generation. Not only will the people be sick to death of them by then but Labour have no more big wheels to lead the party. Who will they turn to? David "Parliament is a cockpit" Milliband, Hazel 'Cookies' Blears or maybe Ruth "Be careful what you wish for" Kelly?

[Once a Tory]

Like a goodly number of my friends, I decamped from the Tories for the Lib Dems in the late 90s (early '97 in my case). I've never really felt comfortable there and I know I am not alone, Brown's dithering could very easily seal his fate - you see - support for the Lib Dems is beginning to melt-away. David Cameron's speech was a comfort to those of us who are currently estranged. I'm sure the electorate are the same. I think the Conservative Party should be confident. Perhaps now is the time to extend the hand of friendship and I'm sure you'll more than make up for Quentin Davies.

[Teesbridge]

Possibly "Flip-Flop Saturday"?

Perhaps DC could send GB the pair he no longer needs...

[John Leonard]

How about Lame Duck Day or am I being presumptious?

[John Leonard]

Thinking back to the conference, one of the guests and Nick Herberts speech how about "Gordon's Judgement Day"

And the verdict on Brown is of course 'Guilty on all counts". Guilty of hubris, arrogance, spin, and a definite lack of backbone!'

[Lee Green]

Day of the chicken.

[Editor]

TheWrongMan has a few good posters on the no guts, Brown's-a-chicken theme...

[James Burdett]

Brown is clearly chicken-licken. Well Sky is clearly falling on his head!!

[m wood]

I’m more reminded of the Wizard of Oz! In that story, all his followers trek off along the Yellow Brick Road and finally get to meet the Wizard. They ask this domineering figure for guidance and are impressed with his answers. At the end, they look behind a curtain and find an unimpressive little man frantically pulling strings and trying to sound important.

By the way, did anyone notice one of the clips of Brown arriving at a hospital? that Sky showed on Saturday afternoon? In it an ordinary policeman was courteously keeping the crowd back to make an entrance for Brown’s party. When they arrived one of Brown's ‘Gunmen?/Protectors’, a very burly figure, just rudely pushed the Policeman to one side so he could barge straight in. It was a very un-edifying spectacle. Bully Boss – Bully servant?

[John Moss]

There is huge mileage in keeping the story going, so what we need is not just a "named day", which Labour will bury quickly by starving any media outlet which persists in referring to it of access to ministers, but a sustained campaign to ridicule the man.

The Grand Old Duke of Fife, The Clucking Fist and Kircaldy Fried Chicken are the three best barbs I've heard, (I claim the latter for my own). Think hard, find more, blog them and use them in everyday conversation with ordinary people, impress into the psyche of the electorate that the man is hopeless and defeat will follow.

[Andrew Lilico]

This is a fun (if infantile) game. How about Brownstutterday - the day on which a new category of damaged politician was created: the Lame Chicken.

[Simon Chapman]

Flushed Gordon?

[Edison Smith]

Interesting point Londoner.

Major might have called an Autumn election in 1996 if England had won Euro 96, too.

[Comstock]

I'm not going to pretend this has been anything other than a PR disaster.

But if the last few weeks have been a long time in politics, the next 18 months (until May 2009) must be an absolute eternity- IMHO once the dust has settled people will not place their 'X' based on this.

There also has to be questions asked about the accuracy of all these polls in terms of the way people would actually vote in a polling booth- the swing of the last couple of weeks has been way too big to be realistic.

[GK]

A new interesting site on the block, aimed at the younger generation.

www.rockthevote.co.uk

[activist]

Where are the suggestions from Traditonal/Radical Tory, Jorgen, TomTom et al? The anti DC brigade have been awfully quiet over the last few days.

[CCHQ Spy]

I'm looking forward to the front page of tomorrow's Sun.

Is it too much to hope that it'll go for the jugular?

Can we have a classic splash? An Up Yours Delors, A It Was The Sun Wot Won It, A Will The Last Person To Leave Britain Turn Off The Lights...

I'm hopeful because Trevor Kavanagh was soooo down on Brown yesterday...

[Old Hack]

Tipping Point Saturday?

[Matt Wright]

"Yellow Saturday" says it all,

Matt

[Malcolm Dunn]

Yes I noticed that Activist @ 20.11.It does put a different complexion on the site without comments from those people.

[David Brackenbury]

Derailed? That's Gordon

(Pic - The big engine off the track!)

[Rob]

Brown-Hog Day

From Wikipedia:
In traditional weather lore, if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and fails to see its shadow because the weather is cloudy, winter will soon end. If the groundhog sees its shadow because the weather is bright and clear, it will be frightened and run back into its hole, and the winter will continue for six more weeks.

Brown came out, saw the polls and was frightened back into his hole.

[Patsy Sergeant]

Everybody on this site must know by now that I am no fan of Brown, and I enjoy the posts above immensely, but, it occurs to me - considering how fickle the British public can be, that on the media (I mean TV) at least, we should perhaps refrain from persuing these amusing jibes for too much longer. I think Brown is absolutely capable - with the help of his coterie - of assuming a persona that will persuade the British public to feel sorry for him!!

Labour is going to continue to try and attack George Osborne about not being able to fund these proposed tax cuts, I think we should come out into the open more and attack, quite specifically the exagerated expenditure on the NHS 'idea' that I posted about on the main thread earlier today (I think it was the main thread), I mentioned an article by Vicke Woods on the subject in the Telegraph yesterday.

I think every time they attack us on taxes we should instantly retaliate by attacking them specifically - with figures - on wasting taxpayers money!

[Harlequin]

The Dunfermline Dither Day

[Steve MacFarlane]

Brown bottled it and descended to a political caper reminiscent of some banana republic's reckless, personality-driven system. But Black Wednesday? This is Westminster village idiocy. Brown retains his reputation for economic prowess after a decade in a role which overwhelmed almost all of those who assumed it for much shorter periods. Though he misjudged in the flurry of the caper, Brown's political stature as a manager of the economy is undimished (when it comes to the driving factor of self-interest, the public will not dismiss a decade's evidence because of Brown's prudence-to-a-fault when confronted by miscalculation).
Major lost the Conservatives' reputation as economic managers - a maker or breaker of Governments. Brown diminished his reputation, no more - and not decisively, his achievements striking and decade-spanning. He did treat the people like fools, but the people are no fools. They know Brown did NOT fear defeat (in private, almost every Tory dreaded an election) - rather, he perceived an outside chance of losing and thus the risk was too great with half a Parliament remaining.
Brown Wednesday lol? Brown the Bottler will be water under a thousand bridges in 2 years, after 24 months of Brown the politician of high purpose and gravitas (the Tories will harp without any resonance). Brown will match the inheritance tax giveaway in effect (£500,000+) - and Cameron has yet to match the young Blair, who exuded a sense of mission and thus achieved a stature which his age might have denied him. As Irwin Seltzer told a Tory fringe meeting: Admit it, you're richer after New Labour. A passionate and urgent mission can prove elusive in such auspicious circumstances.
Thus, the ball is in Brown's court: if his Government fails, the Tories win. After a decade in which we ARE richer, I, for one, am a confident centre-leftist.

[Londoner]

We should also thank Gordon for the international reconciliation involved in this old 1980s Tory finding himself cheering on Argentina in a certain Rugby match tonight. As the Grand Old Duke of Fife is I understand a keen former rugby player, tonight must have rounded his week-end off nicely...(with apologies to those fine Scottish Tories who may read this)!!

[Tapestry]

Brown Splatterday

[Tapestry]

For a delightful graphic of Brown Splatterday, go to http://tapestrytalks.typepad.com/tapestry_talks/2007/10/labour-balls-up.html

[Serf]

As Irwin Seltzer told a Tory fringe meeting: Admit it, you're richer after New Labour.

Economic growth is the default. At almost no point in the last couple of hundred years have we not been richer than a decade before. Had we been fortunate enough to have a free market loving Conservative government (as opposed to the corporatist one we have) over the past decade, we would have been richer still, as well as be paying less tax.

[Old Hack]

This comes at the end of a long thread but perhaps we should tip our hats to Andy Coulson for the way the Brown's announcement was handled by him and his colleagues at CCHQ.

On Saturday, he earned his month's pay in one day.

[David Belchamber]

So many suggestions; have we had "Brown is the new yellow"?

[Malcolm Dunn]

Oh Londoner! Your comment @23.23 has not pleased this England rugby fan.Even though being at Murrayfield in 1990 was a truly horrible experience (I'm English) there is too much history between our nations to support Argentina at anything (except against France) .Can you imagine an England v Scotland final? (I know it's stretching it a bit but not in the realms of complete fantasy).It weould have been amazing and caused Brown severe problems!

[Al Gunn]

vote red, go brown