Gordon Brown an 'ex-politician'

[Osem]

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has described himself as an ex-politician, despite still being an MP.

Mr Brown was asked his view "as a politician" during a panel discussion as part of the World Innovation Summit on Education in Qatar.

He interjected "ex-politician", before the panel chair, BBC journalist Mishal Husain, said: "You're still an MP," which he acknowledged.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24755543

Nice to know he takes minor details like Parliament and constituency matters so seriously eh?

Originally Posted by Osem

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24755543

Nice to know he takes minor details like Parliament and constituency matters so seriously eh?

Maybe he's given up ideology and is dealing with his constituent's issues instead.It's what I'd want from my MP because it's seems to me that ideology is not actually doing us any good and is hindering us all.

And it's a problem with all political parties.

Sorry, what? How is that in any way relevant?

Brown is a constituency MP, he stood for election in 2010 and has not subsequently resigned. He is a member of the Labour party, a member of Parliament and is being paid to represent the interests of the people of Kirkcaldy, who elected him. He is a politician. Ideology has nothing to do with it.

Unfortunately, he is having rather too much fun running round the world campaigning for his pet causes and getting his foot in the door at the UN, to the point where he seems to have made a Freudian slip. This is why constituents should have a power of recall over their MP. If he doesn't want the job, he shouldn't have stood for it, or he should do the decent thing and step down. Let the voters have a by-election and choose someone who doesn't think they are now above the messy business of dealing with constituency surgeries and late-night Commons votes.

[Qtx]

Originally Posted by Osem

Nice to know he takes minor details like Parliament and constituency matters so seriously eh?

He has a psychopath type personality that cares about no one except himself and having power.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Chris

Sorry, what? How is that in any way relevant?

Brown is a constituency MP, he stood for election in 2010 and has not subsequently resigned. He is a member of the Labour party, a member of Parliament and is being paid to represent the interests of the people of Kirkcaldy, who elected him. He is a politician. Ideology has nothing to do with it.

Unfortunately, he is having rather too much fun running round the world campaigning for his pet causes and getting his foot in the door at the UN, to the point where he seems to have made a Freudian slip. This is why constituents should have a power of recall over their MP. If he doesn't want the job, he shouldn't have stood for it, or he should do the decent thing and step down. Let the voters have a by-election and choose someone who doesn't think they are now above the messy business of dealing with constituency surgeries and late-night Commons votes.

What he said ^^^



How on Earth can Brown be doing a half decent time job serving his constituents when he's swanning around the world doing other stuff?

I have no problem with him being some sort of grand global education facilitator if that's what makes him feel better and pays the bills - I just hope he's whole lot more successful at it than he was his previous 2 roles and we get him off (albeit partially) the UK taxpayer's payroll ASAP.

[Mr K]

He's alright, has flaws but so do most politicians. Doesn't give a toss about being media savvy or being presentationally aware, which mostly did for him in this x-factor/celebrity/self obsessed vacuous society. He does have a genuine belief in social justice. All went pear shaped, but that was mostly down to the war criminal that preceded him, the banks and the worldwide recession.

He probably just meant he wasn't in the frontline of politics any longer; never was great at quotes, and we don't really know the context in which it was said. People should just leave him alone and stop trying to kick him again and again. I'd far rather have someone who genuinely believes in what he says, than the New International sponsored clones that are Cameron/Clegg/Bliar.

He could have chosen to take a nice cosy seat in the Lords, as is traditional for ex-PM's, but chose to remain as an MP and represent his constituents. Up to them if they want to re-elect him, or if he wants to stand again. (I'd love Nick Clegg to fight a by election in Sheffield at the moment, don't think he'd get his deposit back).

Unlike his predecessors, he gives all the earnings he makes from things he does as a former PM to charity. You can't say fairer than that.

[Qtx]

Originally Posted by Mr K

Unlike his predecessors, he gives all the earnings he makes from things he does as a former PM to charity. You can't say fairer than that.

Maybe it helps him with the guilt of selling all the countries gold when it was worth the least amount, or other things he did as chancellor. As a PM he may be slightly lower down the hate chain than Blair or Cameron but that doesn't make him an angel or give reason to give him a break. That is like saying Hitler wasn't too bad...compared to Stalin. Hate Stalin instead!

[Pierre]

He is/ was an egotistical blot.

He's the prime minister nobody wanted or vote for, he elected himself and was summarily deposed at the first opportunity with no legacy, except for the ruined economy, an economy that he used to wear as a badge of honour.

He was a complete dick.

[Osem]

Unlike his predecessors, he gives all the earnings he makes from things he does as a former PM to charity. You can't say fairer than that.

I can't imagine £37.50 goes very far...

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Mr K

He's alright, has flaws but so do most politicians. Doesn't give a toss about being media savvy or being presentationally aware, which mostly did for him in this x-factor/celebrity/self obsessed vacuous society. He does have a genuine belief in social justice. All went pear shaped, but that was mostly down to the war criminal that preceded him, the banks and the worldwide recession.

He probably just meant he wasn't in the frontline of politics any longer; never was great at quotes, and we don't really know the context in which it was said. People should just leave him alone and stop trying to kick him again and again. I'd far rather have someone who genuinely believes in what he says, than the New International sponsored clones that are Cameron/Clegg/Bliar.

He could have chosen to take a nice cosy seat in the Lords, as is traditional for ex-PM's, but chose to remain as an MP and represent his constituents. Up to them if they want to re-elect him, or if he wants to stand again. (I'd love Nick Clegg to fight a by election in Sheffield at the moment, don't think he'd get his deposit back).

Unlike his predecessors, he gives all the earnings he makes from things he does as a former PM to charity. You can't say fairer than that.

I believe Gordon Brown (in his position as Chancellor of the Exchequer) was involved in the committee that approved the various changes in the international banking system that allowed the banks to act as they did and lead to this recession. Even if he wasn't, he was Chancellor back in the early 2000s, while they were doing it, so could have acted to put the brakes on the banks then.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Stuart

I believe Gordon Brown (in his position as Chancellor of the Exchequer) was involved in the committee that approved the various changes in the international banking system that allowed the banks to act as they did and lead to this recession. Even if he wasn't, he was Chancellor back in the early 2000s, while they were doing it, so could have acted to put the brakes on the banks then.

Nope, you're confusing him with the other Gordon Brown who 'saved the world'...

Originally Posted by Mr K

Unlike his predecessors, he gives all the earnings he makes from things he does as a former PM to charity. You can't say fairer than that.

He's the highest earning MP from sources outside of parliament from speeches around the world and writing .The fact that he gives it to charity is meaningless because to earn £1.37million from speeches means that he can't be representing his constituents very much.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Mr K

Unlike his predecessors, he gives all the earnings he makes from things he does as a former PM to charity. You can't say fairer than that.

Well all the earnings get paid into a charitable account. I'll wager good money that anything he can't claim on expenses like flights, hotel rooms and a significant salary for Sarah Brown comes straight back out the very same account.

Originally Posted by Derek

Well all the earnings get paid into a charitable account. I'll wager good money that anything he can't claim on expenses like flights, hotel rooms and a significant salary for Sarah Brown comes straight back out the very same account.

Well yes ,i think a half decent journalist would look at that claim and be very suspicious ,i know i am

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Qtx

Maybe it helps him with the guilt of selling all the countries gold when it was worth the least amount, or other things he did as chancellor. As a PM he may be slightly lower down the hate chain than Blair or Cameron but that doesn't make him an angel or give reason to give him a break. That is like saying Hitler wasn't too bad...compared to Stalin. Hate Stalin instead!

I have heard before that him selling the gold kept us out of recession 2 years earlier than expected, here might be part of the reason why

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance...coe/100018367/

---------- Post added at 13:46 ---------- Previous post was at 13:43 ----------

Originally Posted by martyh

He's the highest earning MP from sources outside of parliament from speeches around the world and writing .The fact that he gives it to charity is meaningless because to earn £1.37million from speeches means that he can't be representing his constituents very much.

Bet it doesn't get in the way, there's a lot of cash swishing around at the top, him giving a speech is the same as some one getting Beyonce to song at their kids party, all for show, he could recite nursery rhymes at the podium for all they case I'd imagine and having heard some of his speeches they may in fact prefer it.