| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Are the general public warming to Gordon Brown in his handling of the f | |
| Posted by: | Fraser Pearce | |
| Date/Time: | 13/10/08 10:27:00 |
| Thanks for putting me straight, Stewart. Not only have you taught me more about science on this forum than two physics faculties, but now your self-styled superior intelligence is putting me straight on this issue. You’re a pal. Cheers mate. ------- My “rant” was a direct response to Vanessa’s comments (hence it starting with “Vanessa –“) and, as such, should be interpreted in the context of Vanessa’s comments. But then again, someone as bright as you already knows that, surely? Gordon’s a taxpayer-funded millionaire, but lectures on greed while charging you for his light bulbs, TV and kitchen. He saddles you with massive national debt and off-the-books PFI debt, yet lectures bankers on similar dodgy practices. The question then isn’t whether this is a global problem but rather, how well placed is the UK to weather this economically on a regulatory basis? Presumably someone as knowledgeable as you already knows what the World Bank and IMF think - and are fully aware that this happened on Gordon’s watch. ------- “The heads of large organisations get paid a lot more than MPs with a lot less responsibility.” It’s also a false comparison to compare MPs to the private sector – parliament’s meant to be public service after all (and corporate CEOs don’t have over three months vacation each year). A more useful comparison then might be current MPs with past ones. Apart from bilateral trade agreements, until recently, peacetime MPs accounted for 100% of UK legislation. Now they account for around 20% - yet are paid more than ever. This is the reason an MP recently suggested Westminster take an 80% pay cut. ------- “So what I'm seeing is someone trying to blame the government for everything. I'm still trying to work out the logic of how parliment can be nationlaised. Oh I see you want independence from Europe. Bad timing on that one.” Nope, not blame the government for everything. This thread is about Gordon Brown – hence my pointing out his failings in this context. You’re seeing what you want to see – surprising for an intellectual such as you. When talking of government though, which one do you mean? The Brussels one making 80% of the law or the Westminster one making the remaining 20%? In the context of the current financial shitstorm, the regulation cascaded down from the EU to individual member states. At a parliamentary committee 13 months ago, even the current governor of the Bank of England said that this was the reason for the confusion and inaction around Northern Rock. So, a “nationalised” parliament then in the sense that voters have shares in 100% of the legislation, not the 20% leftovers framed in private, away from the nuisance of popular assent. You know, that quaint old notion of going back to actually being able to vote for and against the people framing the majority of the laws and regulations. As for “independence from Europe”, I’m actually in favour of more ‘Europe’ – as long as it’s done democratically, responsibly and out in the open. The politicos had 13 months to do something with regard to the current economic crisis yet did too little, too late. It’s about better policy and less politics. ------- “Are you a xenophobe and anti-Europe?” With Irish parents and German/American kids, probably not. Then again, using your illogic, my having a wife darker than Obama’s would probably make me a racist. By the same token, marching against the Iraq war probably made me anti-British, right? I’m surprised a self-confessed intellectual such as you can confuse the EU for Europe. Last time I visited my brother-in-law in Switzerland, it looked pretty ‘European’ to me. I feel more ‘European’ than British, hence the antipathy towards bad policy – whether it comes from the EU or national governments. That’s one reason I’d vote for the European Economic Area like a shot. ------- “We do live in a world where we choose our leaders”. So you live in Kircaldy and Cowdenbeath? You haven’t even elected Gordon to government, let alone Merkel, Sarkozy or Berlusconi (you know, the government’s inner cabinet that Brown met last weekend in Paris). Bet you can’t name half a dozen of the finance ministers who signed off on the ‘British’ economic ‘rescue’ plan last Tuesday either. How about the Financial Services and Competition commissioners too? Brown isn’t taking a lead “in this issue in regards to Europe”. Instead he’s playing catch up to remedy the failings of Major, Blair and himself in giving away the power to regulate a sector providing over 20% of our GDP. And the “lead” in ‘Europe’ came from Ireland, not the UK - thanks to Charlie McCreevy, the former Irish finance minister, now being EU Financial Services Commissioner. It’s not about ‘Europe’ as you mistakenly call it – it’s about good governance that’s resilient enough to whether a downturn that Brown never had a Plan B for. ------- “And for those who want us out of Europe - just think how many times bad it would have been if we where!” Again, you’re confusing the EU for ‘Europe’, policy for politics and pro-progress for ‘anti-European’. That aside, the issue is about good regulation that might’ve locally mitigated the effects of this global problem. The Commission’s known for over a year that mark-to-market regulation’s been a problem - yet did nothing until a few weeks ago. In September, the Commission acknowledged the – in its own words – “shortcomings” in Directive 2006/49/EC. This is why the legislation was quietly amended last month and announced on 1st October – which gave the green light to Ireland, Germany and the UK to actually do something on a national level. I’m surprised an intellectual like you, Stewart, didn’t know this already. Surely someone priding themselves on a quest for knowledge would’ve read the 45-page draft EU parliament and Council ‘amending directive’ aiming to correct and improve the rules on the crucial area of "crisis management market value" laying at the heart of this latest stage of the financial crisis. Surely you would’ve also read the 21-page twin Commission Directives, and the 148-page impact assessment document? As for my talking “a load of rubbish” - on this issue at least - are you really in a position to judge? With regard to who I am, amongst other things, I advise the EU Commission, various civil services, parliamentary and senate committees on risk, security and policy. So, I’m not a voter “for the morons of UKIP” fortunately, but am an advisor to the people who advise the moronic politicians who left it too late. P.S. As for us living in a ‘Brave New World’, dream on. |