Brown follows Blair on unpopular policies

Brown has started his victory campaign this week by indicating he’s going to follow Blair’s unpopular policies on Iraq, Europe and nuclear power (makes you wonder what he is going to do differently).

If this slightly hysterical piece of fakery video by Greenpeace is anything to go by, nuclear power is the hottest political potato of them all.

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Bank independence

Writing in yesterday’s Telegraph, John Redwood attacks Brown’s policy decision to make the Bank of England independent, arguing that it is not in fact completely independent and has not resulted in low inflation nor unprecedented economic growth.

There are some truths to what Redwood says, but I think it’s also worth remembering that Brown would have had to make the Bank independent if Tony had got his way over joining the euro. The UK orginally secured an opt out from EMU in the Maastricht Treaty and if the euro was adopted then the Bank of England would have to be made independent to meet these rules.

Rather than the crowning achievement of the New Labour era, the independence of the Bank of England was part of the preparation for joining the Euroland. 

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Mili-Me EU deal?

Le Croche-Pied is spreading an interesting rumour about why Miliband isn’t standing against Brown.  It suggests there was an agreement between Blair and Brown over the EU Constitution, with Miliband agreeing to support Brown on the condition that Brown agrees to have a proactive European policy.  I thought it was because Mili-Me realised he won’t get the votes he needs, couldn’t beat Brown and would sacrifice his political career.  

There have been some suggestions that Brown is willing to take a more proactive approach towards the EU.  David Rennie wrote this sometime ago, pointing out Brown’s attempt to build bridges with our European partners.

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They don’t call it the “Brown Bottom” for nothing

I knew it would not be long before someone did a story on Brown’s gold rush (they don’t call it the “Brown Bottom” for nothing). According to the Sunday Times, the decision to sell off the gold was made without discussions with the Bank of England and cost the taxpayer £2bn.

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Independent conundrum

The Scottish election polls show there is little appetite for independence in Scotland, only an appetite for Labour blood.  This could be particularly damaging to Gordon Brown, who has put himself at the front of the election campaign.  Yet if the SNP win, which it seems is likely, they will hold a referendum on independence.  Can anyone tell me why the majority of a minority are allowed to decide the future of the minority of the majority of the UK, which will certainly have knock on effects for everyone?

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Coming soon: Gordon’s Vision of the World

There are few clues as to what Gordon’s going to do as PM, mostly because he keeps ideas close to his chest, not even telling his closest advisers until he is ready.  Of course, there has been plenty of speculation: we’ve even had a go ourselves at guessing what policies Gordon’s going to introduce.  But when it comes to foreign policy, no one really has any idea, except that its not going to be like Blair’s.  Well it would seem that Gordon doesn’t even know what his foreign policy is going to be like.

According to Le Monde, the Foreign Office has set up a high level unit to define what Gordon’s vision of the world is going to be.  The only thing Le Monde believes is certain is that Gordon will be more transatlantic than European.

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Miliband to stay?

Today there is more coverage of the one thing we can be pretty sure Gordon Brown will introduce when he is eventually crowned king: the abolition of the DTI.  The latest plans include moving energy over to Defra to create a Super Green Ministry.

In itself this move is not interesting nor surprising.  What is interesting is the suggestion that Mili-Me will be running it.  No promotion for Miliband under Gordon then!

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A weekend of sustained attack on Brown

With bad polls, disastrous local election predictions and rumours of Reid planning to stand for the leadership contest (someone certainly won’t get a seat at Brown’s table now), Brown is certainly having a bad weekend.

But to make matters worse someone has dug up some of Brown’s old published work from the 1970s.  The guide apparently informs the reader how to “scrouge off the state, con private firms and use and abuse the system”.  Certainly little has change..now most of us legally rely scrouge off the welfare state.

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The poverty of the poor

The Business has picked up on another of Brown’s failings. Using data from the Department of Work and Pensions, they show that the poorest 10% of the population are worse off now than in 2002. Not a good legacy for a Chancellor or a Labour Government committed to helping the poorest off in our society.

This change conincides with the introduction of the Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit in April 2003, which replaced the Working Family Tax Credit. This enlarged the number of people eliglibe for Tax Credits, but also made it more complicated. As the Business points out it “defeats one in four eligible workers”. The major problem with the type of Tax Credit Brown uses is they are only applicible to the over 25 year olds working more than 16 hours a week. Tax Credits are good at getting people into work, but they offer little or not incentive to work extra hours (more than 16 hours) because the marginal loss of benefits and leisure outweighs the gains. This creates a low wage, or poverty, trap.

Brown has always been keener on means tested benefits compared to Blair who favours a more universalist approach (one of the few clear differences between the two rivals). But the means tested benefit approach is not helping the poorest in our society. Brown must take up this challenge, or soon the polls will be suggesting that the public trust the Tories to deal with poverty more than they do a Labour Government.

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Crisis after crisis for Brown

What a week for Brown over pensions.  But like any story it’s all about the timing.   Let us not forget that the Tories and the MSM have been telling us all these things about Brown since he was made Chancellor in 1997.   What’s different now is these stories can cause more damage.  So prepare for more as we are reminded  of the other mistakes Brown has made.  This pension issue could give someone like Clarke the excuse they need to stand against Gordon, especially after it overshadowed the launch of Labour’s official campaign in Scotland.

Now i’m sure we’ll soon be reminded of how Brown sold off all the gold at rock bottom prices (they even call it the ‘Brown bottom’ in honour of the effect it had) or how last years EU budget will mean we have to give “our money back” to the EU.

 

 

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