Monday, January 05, 2009

Brown Is The One 'Busy Doing Nothing'

Brown is doing a John Major as he sets off on his pre-election meet the people tour, desperately trying to upstage political rivals, frantically trying to convince sceptical voters he's busy doing something. 

The deluded prime minister reminds the Orange Party of Bing Crosby at the mythical court of King Arthur - busy doing nothing, working the whole day through, trying to find lots of things not to do. 

The government jibe that the Tories were the 'do nothing party' has deputy prime minister Mandleson's paw prints all over it - and that stinging criticism went deep.

But the Tories face an uphill task to try to shake off the image of a "do nothing party" as they try to come up with a few simple and less confusing messages for economic survival. And don't New Labour know it. 

As the recession bites, job security is foremost on people's minds along with how to escape the mounting, piling debt. The answer is simple - create meaningful jobs and put some cash in people's pockets. So easy to say and so difficult to do.

The natural default in times of insecurity is for voters to stick with the status quo and the government spin machine is hoping that will see them through. 

But astute political commentators have pointed out that 12 years ago today, John Major went up to Leeds to speak to businessmen at the start of his  campaign to shore up support for his failing Tory government. And that did not stop Blair and Brown romping home with a landslide victory later in the year.

Today, chancellor Darling and business secretary Mandelson have been hosting a regional economic council summit. On Thursday, the Saviour of the World has ordered his lackeys to a special cabinet in Liverpool.

The Orange Party had a quiet smile as time and again Brown was challenged for an election date on the BBC Andrew Marr love-in. Brown opted instead for "it is the furthest thing from my mind," when a simple "there will be no general election in 2009" would have been quiet sufficient, if he meant it.

The Orange Party is convinced the election is set for June of this year and the battle at the moment is between politicians who want to cling onto power until the bitter end and political strategist who know the government will be slaughtered at the polls, as unemployment rises and the recession deepens. 

Today Conservative leader David Cameron announced welcome plans to help savers, the "innocent victims" of the economy, by unveiling plans to cut tax on savings for basic rate taxpayers and pensioners.

In what seemed like a breath of fresh air,  Cameron  yet again tried to put clear water between the Tories and the failed and disasterous government.  His plans, he said, were designed to create a "less materialistic" society based on a culture of "save, save save" rather than "spend, spend spend". The country he said, was facing a "catastrophic legacy of debt and disrepair".

Brown, on the other hand, has single-handedly destroyed our saving culture but instead of new policies to encourage personal savings, his solution is yet more reckless spending.

For the Tories, having a vision - a dream - is fine but they still need to relentlessly drive home a simple and less confusing message, if they are to convince voters they are doing something by offering a real and less hurtful alternative to the government. 

Meanwhile back in Brown's cloud cuckoo land of false hope and misguided glory, voters are now sick and tired of the same old, tired Brown hype. These lyrics from old crooner Bing Crosby, from the 1949 Disney movie,  A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court ring true. 

We're busy doing nothing 
Working the whole day through 
Trying to to find lots of things 
Not to do 
We're busy doing nothing
Isn't it just crime 
We'd like to be unhappy 
But we never do have the time 

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