Englander 1

With the economic climate on the downturn can Mr Brown afford to wait or has his dithering cost him dearly...either way I believe his position and status to be undermined.


Darling 'to lower 2008 forecasts'

Chancellor Alistair Darling is expected next week to downgrade the government's forecast for the growth of the UK economy in 2008.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Darling said that there would "undoubtedly be an effect" on Britain from the credit crunch.

The chancellor is expected to reduce the growth forecast from 3.0% to 2.5%.

The forecast will come in the pre-Budget report, which Mr Darling will deliver to Parliament on Tuesday.

The report, as well as the Comprehensive Spending Review, had been expected later in the month, and the fact that it has been brought forward has fuelled speculation that there may be a November election.

A 2.5% growth forecast would still be optimistic compared with City analysts, the average of whose predictions is 2.2%.

Mr Darling is expected to blame the slowdown on overseas factors.
BBC NEWS | Business | Darling 'to lower 2008 forecasts'

Britannist

Do you think, Englander 1, that Brown - if he wanted a "mandate" rather than a "verdict" election - should have called a General Election within the first month or so of entering 10 Downing Street?

He became Prime Minister on 27th June and soon had to deal with floods and other domestic matters. It appears the public thought that he handled those matters well. He could have then called a General Election in late August (just as people returned from their holidays) to be held towards the end of September (in relatively good weather and light evenings).

Now it looks as if he might be a bit 'boxed in' over his decision on a possible early General Election - he has only two options (this year) of 1st or 8th November (as General Election dates). But the evenings will be getting dark (not the best situation to encourage voters to visit the polling stations after work) and the next EU Summit (on the EU Constitution 'Treaty' version 2) would come right in the middle of the General Election campaign. Not very helpful from his point of view.

arden forester

He didn't handle the foot and mouth crisis well. that professor hasn't owned up to the leaky pipe incident. The farmers seem to have been leant on so as not to sue for whopping damages. It is all very messy!

And he didn't exactly do well over Northern Rock. darling said that £100,000 of savers funds would be protected 100%. It was guaranteed! It's all spun lies. They are only going to £35,000.

Brown is an even worse spinner and manipulator than the dodgy Blair!!

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Britannist

Is that possible?

arden forester

Where I'm sitting right now, YES! But I have to admit to a bout of late night tetchiness.

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