Not very, it is becoming increasingly clear. Apart from possibly being a personal tragedy for him and his family it is quite possibly a factor (a major one?) in how the markets seem to be assessing the relative strengths of the UK and our fellow advanced countries' economies, who all have their own major problems to contend with. See here and here.
If what is written in the Telegraph opinion piece is based on real conversations with high-level Labour insiders (and I suspect it may be) then it is really a very worrying sign. One can imagine political opponents wanting to 'put the boot in', but when your own side starts briefing the press in this way then it is clearly alarming, and that's a mild way of putting it.
Can't really see how this analysis is unique to Gordon Brown. He's a politician, ipso facto....
ReplyDeletePoliticans are, despite it sometimes being difficult to tell, human beings too - and human beings are emotional beings. My view, only reinforced by his performance at the most recent PMQs, not to mention it would seem every morning recently when I have seen him speaking live at some seminar or conference, that he is to put it politely 'distraught' and 'clutching at straws' announcing and re-announcing plans as if his world-view is one that is shared by anyone except his reflection in his mirror.
ReplyDeleteThis is not about 'politics', this is about one human being in the process of cracking up.
Obviously we differ on this analysis, that's life. I'm afraid I don't think this is yet another example of 'politics as usual', I think it's something very much more than that. I didn't care for the sainted Tory (Blair), but I don't think he would be following quite the same 'strategy' were he still PM; I thought it was personal vanity that kept him as PM for so long, but I now believe he was terrified of Gordon taking over.
Anyway, thanks for visiting and commenting :)
You may be right, and I would certainly agree that the current GB is an extreme example of the kind of self-regard/self-delusion which afflicts much of the political class, indeed is arguably a prerequisite for membership!
ReplyDeleteHowever, I'm not too keen on some of the more personal stuff in the newspapers - and more so on the internet, obviously - particularly where it's perhaps alluded that the man may be mentally ill in some way.
But it will be fascinating to see how he develops personally as the economy takes its projected course, or not!
particularly where it's perhaps alluded that the man may be mentally ill in some way
ReplyDeleteWell I make no pretence to being qualified to make a clinical assessment, but I'd like to think that if my behaviour resembled his, my good friends and family might try to suggest that I reassess my life and where it is going, at the very least. The tragedy is that he is undoubtedly a 'good man' and just because I abhor his politics (always have, I freely admit) doesn't mean I don't have human sympathy for him; ideas he fervently believes in have contributed in a major way to completely trashing our economy, even if he is undoubtedly not solely responsible, and this would be very hard for anyone to admit, even to themselves, and specially so for someone like him (as with most politicians) whose ego is not small.
Bill said:
ReplyDelete"..I'd like to think that if my behaviour resembled his, my good friends and family might try to suggest that I reassess my life and where it is going.."
Yes, they might suggest a career in politics...;0)