Did Gordon abandon Noo Labour?

[R1Geezer]

One of the many revalations from His Tonyness's book is that Labour lost the election because GB abandoned Noo Labour. Do you think that's the case? I mean gordon reappointed the prince of darkness, a solid noo Labour chap. I reckon he may have been planning to get the reds out from under the bed but the public was truly sick of "the project" anyway. For what it's worth I hate old Labour slightly more than Noo but I concede that moving away from old Labour enabled them to con middle England. BGB chances abound here!

[jake-the-peg]

Are you kidding?

Tony Blair saying I told you so?

The media saw a new leader and had the knives out from the very start - unfortunately for them the financial screw up was caused by the Banks but that didn't stop them (and you) pretending Gordon's bail out was some sort of socialist master plan.

When you consider what a hostile press environment he fought the election in it's remarkable the result was so very close

As Bill Clinton so rightly put it "it's the economy stupid" - elections are always ostensibly about this and that and something else but in the voting booth people vote with their wallets.

The irony is the economy was just 5-6 months too slow for him in picking up.

In the longer term this may be a blessing in disguise for Labour - 5 years should be just about enough rope for George Osbourne to totally mess up the economy

Whether or not you like new Labour or old Labour is totally irrelevant - as irrelevant as to whether I prefer Thatcher or Cameron - people like me are no more going to vote Tory than people like you will vote Labour.

It's people on the edge that count.

Well unless the referendum gets a thumbs up - then all bets are off

[R1Geezer]

I think you'll find Jake I supported GB during the financial crisis.

[youngmafbog]

Except of course Grondo caused it in the first place R1, lets not forget that.

It is truwe though Jake the lieks of you, I and R1 will never affect an election. Cant see the reforendum getting through somehow, probably the only thing that unites labour and the Tories.

A coalition may well be good in dark times, as now, but otherwise they are usually a recepe for disaster, neither one way nor another.

[jno]

Brown didn't start any expensive wars but he was still stuck with Blair's. A shame Blair's amazing ability to see the future didn't show him that Iraq would be a millstone around his neck forever.

[rov1200]

Gordon Brown saved the banks but he forget to tell them to pay it back. Now the country is in a mess and the banks are paying out huge bonuses. I would have thought old Labour would ensure its the bank employees would now suffer not the rest of us. I think Brown was too concerned about Africa......

[R1Geezer]

Yes YMB but I think Brown really had little choice, any leader would be hard pressed to avoid doing what he did so credit where it's due.

[rojash]

"Except of course Grondo caused it in the first place"
How do you work that one out?

[jake-the-peg]

To be honest Gordon Just isn't a "media friendly" character.

These days - perhaps regretably - that's top of the job requirement list for a PM

(Am I the only one who thinks Cameron is a Tony Blair's Blue shadow?) had he been about in the 60's or even the 80's he might have had more of a chance.

Not just a Labour phenomina though - Might I suggest Michael-something of the night -Howard suferred a similar uphill fight

As to whether the referendum will pass or not - I really don't know. The Tory press will fight it tooth and nail but they'll have difficulty arguing that it produces ineffective governments when there is a coalition in power

[rov1200]

I agree with one thing about Cameron Jake. He has the same gift of the gab as Blair. I suppose he has the ideal exchequer with Osborne who has shown great resolve so far and if anyone can reduce the deficit it will be him.

Personally I think David Miliband is the clone of Blair which has been helped by advising him for 3 years prior to Blair's resignation. He also advises the middle way and not to upset the middle class horses.

As David Miliband is the favourite to take the Labour leadership do we really want another dose of Blair?

[rojash]

" do we really want another dose of Blair? "

I'd rather stick pins in my eyes

[modeller]

jake # As to whether the referendum will pass or not - I really don't know. The Tory press will fight it tooth and nail # Why the Tory Press , Labour is as much against a change in the voting system as the Tories.