Watch Fraser Nelson Nail Gordon Brown At Todays Press Conference

[crown]

Fraser Nelson of the Spectator nails Gordon Brown on his dodgy figures for budget cuts after the election.

Here it is

http://thecrownblogspot.blogspot.com/2009/...rdon-brown.html

[bobmo]

How the f*ck can public spending continue to rise? We CANNOT afford it.

[the end is a bit nigher]

Brown looks like he is either pissed or he is about to wet himself.

[Um_Bongo]

Chuff me! There's a Pirate sat next to him.

[Guest Skinty]

Brown looks like he is either pissed or he is about to wet himself.

I found is body language very interesting. I've seen chavs and neds use that kind of body language when they are facing off with their handbags on the street. It's not the body language of someone who is calm and confident in their ability to cope with the dangerous situation that they are in.

He's also stuttering like mad.

[Fairies Wear Boots]

So what is Fraser Nelson's point? That Gordon Brown will start to introduce spending cuts after the next election?

[catmandu]

Sorry, I didn't see any nailing going on. Just a reporter asking a question and a politician answering it (pretty well I thought).

The more relevant point as bobmo mentioned is how can this be afforded/justified when the economy is heading down the U-bend.

[enrieb]

I found is body language very interesting. I've seen chavs and neds use that kind of body language when they are facing off with their handbags on the street. It's not the body language of someone who is calm and confident in their ability to cope with the dangerous situation that they are in.

He's also stuttering like mad.

Yup, reminded me of Travis Bickle "are you talking to me?"

[Guest sillybear2]

Talk to the hand....

[crown]

So what is Fraser Nelson's point? That Gordon Brown will start to introduce spending cuts after the next election?

I'll let Fraser Nelson explain

http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/367....thtml#comments

Labour's planned cuts were so well hidden in the Budget that no Fleet St newspaper either spotted them on the day or spoke about them subsequently. Yet the Institute for Fiscal Studies did pick up on them, and I blogged their discovery at the time. To remind CoffeeHousers: Brown had Darling mislead the House in claiming spending would rise by an average 0.7pc a year in 2011-14. The truth is that it will be cut by an average 2.3pc a year over this period - actual cuts of £22bn a year. Brown has never admitted this, nor have the Tories raised it - fearful of being asked what they would cut. As a result, the public is being kept in the dark about the sharpest spending contraction in UK postwar history.

[Bloo Loo]

I'll let Fraser Nelson explain

http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/367....thtml#comments

Labour's planned cuts were so well hidden in the Budget that no Fleet St newspaper either spotted them on the day or spoke about them subsequently. Yet the Institute for Fiscal Studies did pick up on them, and I blogged their discovery at the time. To remind CoffeeHousers: Brown had Darling mislead the House in claiming spending would rise by an average 0.7pc a year in 2011-14. The truth is that it will be cut by an average 2.3pc a year over this period - actual cuts of £22bn a year. Brown has never admitted this, nor have the Tories raised it - fearful of being asked what they would cut. As a result, the public is being kept in the dark about the sharpest spending contraction in UK postwar history.

and yet borrowing is about to triple.

[tahoma]

As I've seen mentioned elsewhere, boasting about increased public spending in this environment is like a Junkie boasting about how much smack he is going to inject tomorrow. Where do people think this 'free' money comes from? Brown clearly thinks his clients need a bigger fix to get out the vote.

Cut spending for Christ's sake. Even the bloke down the pub realises we are spending like a 13 year old with a credit card. It cannot go on without consequence.

[AnotherSTR]

Sorry, I didn't see any nailing going on. Just a reporter asking a question and a politician answering it (pretty well I thought).

The more relevant point as bobmo mentioned is how can this be afforded/justified when the economy is heading down the U-bend.

He didn't answer the question well, because he answered his own question. He said public spending is and has been going up. But the question is what happens post election in 2010/2011 onwards. The UK can't afford to continue spending like it has been. Brown hopes to duck this question until after the election. Meanwhile he'll pretend that only the Conservatives would make cuts, but in reality whoever forms the next government will have to make cuts to balance the books.

[Caveat Mortgagor]

Sorry, I didn't see any nailing going on. Just a reporter asking a question and a politician answering it (pretty well I thought).

The more relevant point as bobmo mentioned is how can this be afforded/justified when the economy is heading down the U-bend.

At the budget, the govt set a few traps. The media very quickly cauht on to the 50% tax trap, but missed this 2nd trap.

The budget set out spending cuts. It accounted for them but did not announce them. Knowing they will lose the next election, Labour want to keep them quiet and use these as a means of hanging the Tories when the cuts come into effect.

Imagine the scene: "Mr Cameron/Osborne you have cut spending plans announced in 2009 by £22bn per year, yet these cuts do not reduce the PSBR by £22bn, do you know what you are doing?" In fact, the cuts were accounted for by Darling, but not announced. Yet another sleight of hand debt trick form Liebour

The journalist has exposed the con, Gordon was uncomfortable and knows he's been exposed........ yet again!

Edited June 6, 2009 by Nick Dastardly