Road rules6 mins ago
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Why wasn't Brown at the Olympic opening ceremony?
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They fudged it.
He decided not to go, but it was not a boycott.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/apr/10 /gordonbrown.olympicgames2008
Just about sums up Browns lackluster premiership.
He decided not to go, but it was not a boycott.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/apr/10 /gordonbrown.olympicgames2008
Just about sums up Browns lackluster premiership.
What's going off? There seems to be a 'news black-out' over this.
In January 2008 he said he promised the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao he would be going. There was even talk of hiim playing a game of Ping-Pong with Wen Jiabao.
Then In Gromit's link dated April 10 2008 he says he will not be going.
It was announced that Tessa Jowell would be representing the Goverment, no sign of her also. The only person I saw was Princess Anne.
Why hasn't the media picked up on this? It's good for a few columns in the newspapers at least.
In January 2008 he said he promised the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao he would be going. There was even talk of hiim playing a game of Ping-Pong with Wen Jiabao.
Then In Gromit's link dated April 10 2008 he says he will not be going.
It was announced that Tessa Jowell would be representing the Goverment, no sign of her also. The only person I saw was Princess Anne.
Why hasn't the media picked up on this? It's good for a few columns in the newspapers at least.
I expect Mr Brown decided to not to bother as it may have clashed with a family arrangement or he was washing his hair, Lets face it does he really have to go?? and be seen there ?? why aren't you there?? if its so important to you ??
The opening of it was good no doubt , coverage on both channels, entertained by people probably threatened with there life if they didn't get it right , you have to remember the Chinese threaten your life style more that you realise, mark my words they have provided us with loads of cheap toys and gimmicks for years , we have been happy to have them at next to nothing , when the millions upun millions upon millions of chinese climb out of the poverty trap and get there first car and start using up all the resources we use like oil and gas , then you will find your standard of living slipping if you haven't the means to buy them ..mark my words....
The opening of it was good no doubt , coverage on both channels, entertained by people probably threatened with there life if they didn't get it right , you have to remember the Chinese threaten your life style more that you realise, mark my words they have provided us with loads of cheap toys and gimmicks for years , we have been happy to have them at next to nothing , when the millions upun millions upon millions of chinese climb out of the poverty trap and get there first car and start using up all the resources we use like oil and gas , then you will find your standard of living slipping if you haven't the means to buy them ..mark my words....
From The Independent - 10th April 2008
Brown's Olympic error offends everyone
By Simon Carr
It�s a re-run of the election-that-never-was. Brown keeps his options open. He waits for the right moment to go public. And uses careful distinctions of language to keep his meaning from the public. And looks like an ass.
At his Downing St press conference last week he was asked whether he would follow Sarkozy�s lead and stay away from the opening ceremony. In his answer he said: "I think President Sarkozy said himself he expected Britain, because we are going to host the next Olympics, to be present at the Olympic ceremonies and I will certainly be there." The missing words at the end being �. . . at one of them.�
He just couldn�t bring himself to say, �representing Britain at the opening ceremony in front of a global audience of three billion viewers will be . . . Tessa Jowell.� It doesn�t sound quite right, does it? And was it for this that Gordon took such trouble to become prime minister? To give Tessa a global profile?
Brown�s explanation, by the way, manages to offend everyone. It would be �a waste of public money� for the PM to attend. So it�s not the moral compass. It�s not really prudence, either, considering the stakes involved.
But the lack of principle will lose him the support of the Human Rights lobby.
And the Chinese will be furious, won�t they, that Gordon thinks they aren�t worth the plane fare to attend the greatest Chinese event in a generation.
Luckily for Brown, the Chinese government is not known for a sense of mischief. But they could offer to pay for the trip. Or part-pay, perhaps, and come back with a slightly higher offer if they were turned down the first time. But I fear they take these things more seriously than that.
Brown's Olympic error offends everyone
By Simon Carr
It�s a re-run of the election-that-never-was. Brown keeps his options open. He waits for the right moment to go public. And uses careful distinctions of language to keep his meaning from the public. And looks like an ass.
At his Downing St press conference last week he was asked whether he would follow Sarkozy�s lead and stay away from the opening ceremony. In his answer he said: "I think President Sarkozy said himself he expected Britain, because we are going to host the next Olympics, to be present at the Olympic ceremonies and I will certainly be there." The missing words at the end being �. . . at one of them.�
He just couldn�t bring himself to say, �representing Britain at the opening ceremony in front of a global audience of three billion viewers will be . . . Tessa Jowell.� It doesn�t sound quite right, does it? And was it for this that Gordon took such trouble to become prime minister? To give Tessa a global profile?
Brown�s explanation, by the way, manages to offend everyone. It would be �a waste of public money� for the PM to attend. So it�s not the moral compass. It�s not really prudence, either, considering the stakes involved.
But the lack of principle will lose him the support of the Human Rights lobby.
And the Chinese will be furious, won�t they, that Gordon thinks they aren�t worth the plane fare to attend the greatest Chinese event in a generation.
Luckily for Brown, the Chinese government is not known for a sense of mischief. But they could offer to pay for the trip. Or part-pay, perhaps, and come back with a slightly higher offer if they were turned down the first time. But I fear they take these things more seriously than that.
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> Not so London, who have had to fork out for Boris and
> his (30 strong) "investigative" LOL team who are
> having a jolly time at the Olympics.
A few days ago people on AB were saying how the London olympics would not be as good as the Chinese.
Surely it is important for people from London involved in Security, Transport, Facilities etc for the London Olympics to go and see how it is done in China.
If the DIDNT go, and the London Olympics was poor, people would say "You should have gone to Chine to see how they did it there".
As has been stated, seems your dammed if you do and dammed if you dont.
> his (30 strong) "investigative" LOL team who are
> having a jolly time at the Olympics.
A few days ago people on AB were saying how the London olympics would not be as good as the Chinese.
Surely it is important for people from London involved in Security, Transport, Facilities etc for the London Olympics to go and see how it is done in China.
If the DIDNT go, and the London Olympics was poor, people would say "You should have gone to Chine to see how they did it there".
As has been stated, seems your dammed if you do and dammed if you dont.
You know how an opening ceremony should reflect the country /place where its being held , well In my head I have a cunning plan , a Stadium full of fans, but empty in the middle except for a granny walking through the middle, then as the music erupts a youth runs towards the granny and snatches her bag from her ?? do you think that captures Londons atmosphere of hosting the olympic games??? or you could go for the other version which involves a knife but hey there will be children watching ........
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