Start of a new era

[snaw]

How much of the donkey work (calculations, projections, numerical analysis, etc) does a Chancellor or PM do? Is he more of an source of half-baked ideas and the front man for the resulting analysis of backroom people who have been given a rough objective and who are less numerically challenged?

Clearly it's not that important that the man charged with taking the reins of the UK's economy during one of the worst periods in modern history has some sort of economic / business background, or maybe the years of experience in politics to handle this big a role.

No wait a minute, he's 38, he studied history (Didn't do that great) and he's never worked in the private sector, he couldn't get into journalism so instead went into politics and in his infinite wisdo, despite having staks of cash he flipped his home during the expenses saga ...

OK, let me ask you this - apart from being his best mate what is it that qualifies Osbourne to be Chancellor? I don't think he'd make anyone's shortlist other than Cameron.

I'm not tory bashing btw, I'm just George bashing - I don't get it, at all.

[TimberWolf]

Clearly it's not that important that the man charged with taking the reins of the UK's economy during one of the worst periods in modern history has some sort of economic / business background, or maybe the years of experience in politics to handle this big a role.

No wait a minute, he's 38, he studied history (Didn't do that great) and he's never worked in the private sector, he couldn't get into journalism so instead went into politics and in his infinite wisdo, despite having staks of cash he flipped his home during the expenses saga ...

OK, let me ask you this - apart from being his best mate what is it that qualifies Osbourne to be Chancellor? I don't think he'd make anyone's shortlist other than Cameron.

I'm not tory bashing btw, I'm just George bashing - I don't get it, at all.

I had Gordon in mind, but yeah Osborne looks to be the biggest weakness in Camerons' team, but he hasn't had time to prove it yet.

[lilelvis2000]

Clearly it's not that important that the man charged with taking the reins of the UK's economy during one of the worst periods in modern history has some sort of economic / business background, or maybe the years of experience in politics to handle this big a role.

[snip]

my thoughts exactly. We now have the weakest most inexperienced chancellor of all time. Alongside two of the least experienced leaders of all time. God help us all.

[Doggy Styles]

Anyway, going to the best schools etc just means you've had a better education, it doesn't make you smarter. I'd go with the guy who rose above all that and still made it to the one who had it handed to him on a platter every day of the week.

How bizarre, a better education doesn't make you smarter. I wish I hadn't bothered now.

[Doggy Styles]

my thoughts exactly. We now have the weakest most inexperienced chancellor of all time. Alongside two of the least experienced leaders of all time. God help us all.

Bring back the experienced Gordon Brown, eh!

I would hazard a guess that every new prime minister and chancellor starts off as inexperienced in the job. I might be wrong of course...

[snaw]

How bizarre, a better education doesn't make you smarter. I wish I hadn't bothered now.

Ahh. So it's all about eduction, and nothing else?? Nothing innate in a persons intelligence whatsoever, rather just the schools you go to etc.

I think you're confusing the ideas of maximising your potential - due to a good education, with actual intelligence. You can't shine tulip as they say. Prince Harry's is a good starting reference point.

[cailin maith]

How bizarre, a better education doesn't make you smarter. I wish I hadn't bothered now.

I think snaw means that just 'cos you go to a good school doesn't mean you take advantage of the better education.

[Churchill]

Ahh. So it's all about eduction, and nothing else?? Nothing innate in a persons intelligence whatsoever, rather just the schools you go to etc.

I think you're confusing the ideas of maximising your potential - due to a good education, with actual intelligence. You can't shine tulip as they say. Prince Harry's is a good starting reference point.

I wouldn't trust that f**ker with a helicopter gunship either!

[snaw]

Bring back the experienced Gordon Brown, eh!

I would hazard a guess that every new prime minister and chancellor starts off as inexperienced in the job. I might be wrong of course...

Christ, are you really this dumb?

Of course every chancellor (Which is all I'm talking about btw) is inexperienced at being a chancellor. But you'd like to think maybe they'd make up for it by having been in politics for a long time, maybe even have, like you know, been a government minister in the past (Plenty of tories to choose from so far), or alternatively had actually managed a business/knew the private sector etc or worked their way up through the ranks (Based on ability, not your best mate liking you).

Then they get a crack. FFS the guy has less experience in politics than most of us have in IT, never mind the job he's now got.

[Gonzo]

The job of the chancellor is not to generate money, it is to divide up other people's money. People are going to be upset about having money taken away from them. There will be competing claims from different people to receive that money back, some will be happy some won't.

In that respect I think it is more diplomacy than anything else and I am not convinced that a great degree of economic knowledge is required for the job.