Gordon Brown's legacy

[Zero Liability]

I think that's rather DA's point. Labour tends to cloak it with their social justice rhetoric.

[DodgyAgent]

I think that's rather DA's point. Labour tends to cloak it with their social justice rhetoric.

Exactly

[d000hg]

It doesn't alter the fact that whatever the provenance of his beliefs he's more than happy to stick others with the costs

Until Gates and Buffet get into power, or we multiply MP salaries 10000X that's the only way any government CAN work.

[DodgyAgent]

Until Gates and Buffet get into power, or we multiply MP salaries 10000X that's the only way any government CAN work.

There is no way we should allow people like Gates and Buffet to have such power. The system works fine just as long as we voters understand what is really going on and not be fooled by the siren call of a politician claiming he is driven by a desire for "social justice".

[OwlHoot]

At least Gordon Brown kept the UK out of the Euro.

Whatever his reasons, to my mind that trumps all his other supposed follies.

[SueEllen]

At least Gordon Brown kept the UK out of the Euro.

Whatever his reasons, to my mind that trumps all his other supposed follies.

That's cos we didn't meet the fiscal (made up) tests.

At least his history degree was useful for something...

[Zero Liability]

There is no way we should allow people like Gates and Buffet to have such power. The system works fine just as long as we voters understand what is really going on and not be fooled by the siren call of a politician claiming he is driven by a desire for "social justice".

And just reinterpret any 'we need to...' proclamations with 'we will make you pay for...'

As for Gates and Buffett, at least they only involve their own money in their schemes, to the extent that they aren't advocating government to pour money into some policy of their liking.

[NickyBoy]

There is no way we should allow people like Gates and Buffet to have such power. The system works fine just as long as we voters understand what is really going on and not be fooled by the siren call of a politician claiming he is driven by a desire for "social justice".

It's another expression of the fundamental problem in our Democracy - it's too big. I don't mean too big as in 'government is too big' I mean too big as in 'too many people are governed by it'.

There is no way for us as voters to understand enough of what's going on to make rational voting decisions, because the systems of government are so large and complex that understanding them at even an abstract level requires specialist knowledge. The systems themselves cannot be simplified too much, because their complexity is an unavoidable result of governing 80 million people.

This leads to people either disengaging from politics, voting non-rationally based on the words of demagogues (Lib/Lab/Con politicians) or voting for those that try to distil complex problems down into fatally flawed simple solutions that sound-bite well (UKIP politicans).

We are not really a democracy any more. We are an Ochlocracy. The generalisation of political positions into something as simple as 'Right and Left' and policies into 'Capitalistic' or 'Socialist' is just another symptom of the lack of reason inherent in an Ochlocracy.

[DodgyAgent]

It's another expression of the fundamental problem in our Democracy - it's too big. I don't mean too big as in 'government is too big' I mean too big as in 'too many people are governed by it'.

There is no way for us as voters to understand enough of what's going on to make rational voting decisions, because the systems of government are so large and complex that understanding them at even an abstract level requires specialist knowledge. The systems themselves cannot be simplified too much, because their complexity is an unavoidable result of governing 80 million people.

This leads to people either disengaging from politics, voting non-rationally based on the words of demagogues (Lib/Lab/Con politicians) or voting for those that try to distil complex problems down into fatally flawed simple solutions that sound-bite well (UKIP politicans).

We are not really a democracy any more. We are an Ochlocracy. The generalisation of political positions into something as simple as 'Right and Left' and policies into 'Capitalistic' or 'Socialist' is just another symptom of the lack of reason inherent in an Ochlocracy.

Very well said. Having said that just imagine what it would be like if we were consumed into a federal state of Europe. I am not sure devolving power to local councils is a good thing either. Most people are detached from any sort of localism thanks to getting used to centrally controlled government.

Anarchy it is then

[Doggy Styles]

At least Gordon Brown kept the UK out of the Euro.

Whatever his reasons, to my mind that trumps all his other supposed follies.

Only because he knew it wouldn't get past the referendum.

That's why he had his made-up tests, to give HMG an excuse not to hold it until the public swung in favour. Which it never did.