Brown and morals

Gordon Brown talking in st Pauls about morals and the bankers. Maybe he could be reminded of his involvement in the war and subsequent occupation of Iraq. Of course as the paymaster for the war he has no moral resoponsibilty for the deaths, none whatsover!

Kant and Brown

just listened to the PM from St Pauls. As a former bank official I will never take lessons in morals and morality from a PM and former Chancellor who paid for the war against Iraq, where hundreds of thousands have died. Gordon Brown quotes Adam Smith about the invisible hand and free markets, well I say there is the the not so invisible hand, there is the hand which has blood on it. And if Brown is going to start being a philosopher then he ought to give credit where it is due, namely Kant.

MPs tax returns

is this not a classic case of a distraction story. Today the BBC is carrying reports of our soldiers now officially coming under the command of the Americans.

What I would expect is for Tony Blair, remember him, should make a comment about the sacrifice of all those who have died. I would also expect Gordon Brown to formally acknowledge what I regard as the fact that this has actually been a disaster, for which he was the paymaster, and that never again will it happen.

Maybe Miss Smith would like to explain to the parents and relatives of the various military personnel who have lost their lives fighting for democracy what they have actually suffered for. So that MPs can have access to the sort of expenses denied to the mass of the population.

Finally, I wonder if the MPs actually have to declare the expenses for which they have claimed to the Inland Revenue on their tax returns. I cannot understand how a sink and a plug is a justifiable expense, because I consider that it is a benefit in kind, and therefore subject to tax. Either that or do MPs not pay taxes the same as us. Cannot wait until they have to declare their Capital Gains Tax liabilities on their main/second homes. I don't only want to see their expenses, I also want to see their tax returns.

Bus passes

I notice that I now get a new message about being pre moderated because I am a new member. Exactly how long does one have had to be a member before one is no longer new. i think I am not new, in fact I am vintage. By the way I am sixty next week and notice the changes which have been slipped through with regard to my bus pass. Why do I feel some sort of conspiracy. I think Gordon is the best PM this country has ever had. The government is the best there ever was, and there is not to be a repeat of the Great Depression, and this is a free country where everybody is happy.

Smith is toast

it is not this which is going to do for Miss Smith. If there is any serious civil unrest during the G20 then she is finished. If it is any way shown that she has been too busy with this fiasco to concentrate on any civil unrest on the streets of London demonstrating against G20 then she is toast.

There are too many people who know too much for Gordon to sack anybody. The PM is a disgrace.

Miss Smith and the G20

I just don't get it. No update since 9:55 and it is now 11:50. The lawyers must be poring over loads of stuff.

What I will say in respect of Miss Smith is that it is not these expenses which are going to do for her. If anything goes pear shaped during the G20 meeting in England this week-end, then she should resign. Not this, this we can just laugh at but if there is civil unrest during the next two or three days, then she must go. She must not spend time on these problems, she must concentrate on the maintenance of civil order.

I hope Gordon Brown finds the time to do PMQs on Wednesday!

Is this how it ends

whilst everybody seems to be referring to the unfortunate Miss Smith may I point out that the British army has today handed over Basra to the American Forces. So ends a wonderful period in our history.These are indeed sad days, is this how it all ends.

Dunfermline

I seriously hope that you are enjoying your world tour. It must be great to be away from the white heat of parliament.

I hope that the Prime Minister is not going to be too busy meeting all the world leaders for him not to attend the final PMQs before the Easter recess which starts on the 2nd April. He won't be able to report the results of the G20 meeting until after the recess on the 20th April which is around the time that we are going to have the budget.

The breaking news today concerns the Dunfermline Building Society. What is interesting is looking at the parliamentary timetable for next week because guess what is down to be discussed, in parliament, is 'Future of Dunfermline Building Society, put down by Willie Rennie. Now isn't that amazing, that something has to be done in the last week-end before it is discussed in the House.

Now the Northern Rock was saved. Why not the Dunfermline? I wonder if the chancellor would like to confirm yet again that he actually had a mortgage with, yes the Northern Rock! Funny that.

Argentinians and torture

I find this fascinating. No doubt Gordon can now return to the UK saying how brilliant he is because he has not given way on the Falklands. He has defeated a cunning plot by the Argentians, they were probably never going to mention it anyway. What he may ask them is to let the Argentinians explain how to get over the problem of people disappearing and then being tortured. I gather that the Junta was very good at that. Can't wait for the result of the inquiry which will be heard, somewhen, somewhere, there's a time and a place.

Iraq torture

at last. I am so pleased but we need answers and soon. It is wonderful what 7 signatures on a petition can achieve. Mind you shameful that the PM is out of the country when this is announced. There must be a formal statement to the House of Commons.

Tony McNulty

I am very pleased to hear that Tony McNulty is to be investigated over allegations about his expenses claim. I consider that if Gordon Brown is serious then he must demand that McNulty stands down whilst this investigation is to go on. As Minister for Employment then surely his position is untenable because of the adverts still appearing about investigations into dole cheats.

Not directly responsible but surely it is unacceptable that women are beig followed to ensure that they are not cohabitating whilst receiving benefits.

Iraq torture

What has happened to my Copy and Paste

Iraq inquiry

with regard to the statement by Milliband relating to the inquiry into Iraq when exactly was the last time that our so called combat troops in Basra actually got involved in any actual combat. From what I understand we have thousands of troops there but because of local agreements and our ignominious defeat from the Palace they have actually withdrawn completely from the 'action'.

Accordingly, we have been doing nothing but preparing to retreat completely leaving a few hundred advisers. Funny that there will be another Stop the War protest which the government will say is a waste of time because there will be an inquiry. Only trouble is that it will not be in public and not during this pathetic parliament.

Brazil

are you with Gordon Brown or are you with Lord Mandelson on some beach in Brazil. According to William Hague in parliament today somebody is on a beach in Brazil wearing Speedo's, whatever they are. I hope that Lord Mandelson is not seeing the family of Mr de Menezes to explain how their son managed to get shot on a tube line in london. Either that or I hope that he is not taking the opportunity to visit the parents of his partner to ask for his hand in Civil Partnership. We need to know.

Quality of Life

what I find so disgraceful that I am going to be held responsible for saddling my children and grandchildren with a massive pile of debt because Gordon Brown and his ilk want to maintain an unsustainable standard of living. It is no longer about standards of living, it is all about quality of life, and for many it over, all so very over.

Why moderated

why has number 64 been referred to the moderators. Could it be national security, or the fact that I anticipated yet again that Gordon Brown would decline to attend PMQs, again

Timed at 15:00 show us the receipts

I think that there is a simple solution for Mr McNulty. Show us the receipts for the money you have paid to your parents for putting you up and using their rooms as your office. Furthermore, let us see the tax returns for your parents where they have declared their income from you. Funny somehow I don't think that you will, probably because there are none.

#33 Brown away again

no doubt David Cameron will also decline to attend PMQs now that the great leader is not attending. We will have to put up with his stand-in as well. Maybe, just maybe Cameron can see through this fiasco and say enough of this shambles. I think that he should go ahead with his own questioning of whoever it is that takes the part of the lost leader. How many times has he (Gordon, I will not walk on the other side) Brown actually done PMQs since he took over as a result of what I regard of his coup.

I think that this charade of PMQs should be exposed, come on Cameron come to ask your questions, don't you sink below the parapit like Brown, the same for Nick Clegg, show up Brown for what he is, gutless. Ah well, at least he won't have to read out the names of the dead this week

#64 Threat to freedom of speech

may I draw readers attention to the fact that David Milliband has refused to give evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into what the UK knew about the case of Binyah Mohamed, wo alleges British complicity in his torture.

May I also refer readers that in evidence given to two high Court judges, namely Lord Justice Thomas and Mr justice lloyd Jones allegations have been made that Mr Mohamed should sign an agreement with his American captors to the effect that 'he had never been tortured; promised never to speak to the media; promised never to sue the United States, or any US ally, including Britain; and pleaded guilty to terror charges'. Now we know that Mr Mohamed refused to sign such an agreement.

This is disgraceful behaviour by both the British and American authorities. Yet so little publicity on the day that Miss Smith makes her disgusting, to me, about how she sees the anti terrorist laws being amended. Apparently, she wants people to stop people like me having my say because I may rouse somebody to anger and action. I need to be moderated apparently. Well that's how I read her anyway. In the meantime the government wants some inquests to be held without a jury. This is getting serious, and I can only hope that the House of Lords does its proper job.

I have personal knowledge where the sort of agreement which the Americans wanted Mr Mohamed to sign are having to be signed by special forces before they are allowed to become special forces officers. These confidentiality agreements are then used to silence 'whistle blowers'. Furthermore, an investigation needs to be held into confidentiality agreements which recipients of compensation for the loss of a loved one, or injury, in Iraq or Afghanistan. Speak out and you will lose you compensation!

These are shameful days. I can only hope that Gordon Brown does not yet again flee PMQs on the basis that he is Europe or America attempting to solve the global economic crisis. Free speech is seriously under threat, the threat must be resisted.

Brown is gutless

I think that the worst aspect of this is that the wonderful Gordon, I will not walk on the other side, Brown has now asked for an inquiry. Accordingly, we can now expect any response to be I feel it inappropriate to comment until the inquiry which I have requested has reported.

Smith and McNulty would resign if they weren't so engorged with power. This is disgusting. Every time that Brown even dares to say he feels the pain of those who have lost sons in wasteful wars in Iraq and Afghanistan literally makes me feel nauseous. There must not be an inquiry as requested by Brown, the ministers, both of them, must be sacked, only the man who sends soldiers to their deaths lacks any real guts. That is the problem with Brown, he is actually, despite his rhetoric, gutless and spineless, but worst of all so terribly weak.

No allowances

what people have to understand is that it is the current taxpaying public who should be paying the taxes not my children and grandchildren.

What has to understood is that it is the whole world wide economy which is total disarray. I find it totally unaccepetable that this current government is trying to save the economy by indebting the future generations. If anything I would like taxes to be split as follows;

0-20,000 no taxes whatsoever
20,000-100,000 40%
100,000> 60%

However, I would like Natonal Insurance to be merged with Income Tax,and for Capital Gains tax to be abolished, and the restoration of the Poll Tax, so that everybody pays for services, not just the householders. All profits to be taxed as income and no tax allowances at all, totally none.

As for McNulty and the rest, shame on them.

G20 and Nick Robinson

with reference to #418 what exactly are you meant to be doing. Have you been silenced, or are you on a pre-Easter restorative break. I mean it won't be long until parliament breaks for? The long Easter break! also can you start a blog to prepare us for the G20 meeting. I mean there are people who comment here who may actually give the governmnets something to actually say, rather than we must avoid protectionism!

Brown in Normandy

it must be only the Royals who go to Normandy for the D-Day celebrations. If Gordon Brown goes it will just be so politicised. He dare not attend any open public celebrations for our returning soldiers, whether dead, alive or injured he dare only do it far away from the real people. He and his political masters will insist that it shows support for soldiers, the fight for democracy, tosh, so as to avoid linking it no doubt to our defeat in Iraq, because the war was won, but the subsequent occupation has been a disaster. The stalemate in Afghanistan which Milliband explained yesterday is another admission that the optons have been closed down. What must be understood is that the cataclysm which was World War I did not start in August 1914, it had it's seeds sown many years before, the Moroccan crisis, Agadir, the build up to war with the expansion of the navies of Germany and England, we are heading in the same direction. Weak politicians banging the drums of war, Trident is not the issue, nobody can use nuclear weapons again.

Phoney Brown

it is your final comment which to me is most interesting about Cameron going for the liberal votes over torture. Now you will know that I actually have a petition on the No 10 site requesting an inquiry into allegations of torture. What I find interesting is the fact that the PM did not make his declarations about torture in the form of a formal statement to the House, like when Hutton apologised. The PM proves to me that he is not democrat, that he does not believe in parliament, and that, to be very unparliamentary he is a phoney. I do not think that I am in any way a soft liberal. Cameron should not have withdrawn his comment, if he said it he believed it, if he didn't mean it then he shouldn't have said it.Thankyou.

Trident

which parliament was it that only recently allocated money to the Trident programme, now please remind me.

My reason, because if the money had not been allocated then under the rules no money could have been spent and therefore the programme would have ended. I wonder if it was a certain Blair/Brown team that dealt with this issue. In other words we have a government which spends money on a programme which it now wants to cancel. Also, I wonder which company is responsible for maintaining our nuclear warheads. It would not be an American one by chance would it. I think that Brown is being told what to do by our special friends across the Atlantic.

The truth is out there

there has been some reporting on the appearance of Mosely before a parliamentary select committee with regard to the privacy laws.

Now the judge who found on behalf of mosley was a certain justice Eady. I think that this judge has got 'form'.

I think that it was judge Eady who found in favour of the Ministry of Defence in respect of the granting of an injunction against a British soldier who was involved in the allegations of torture by certain state employees.

If it was not for the courageous action by a soldier then none of the truth about our involvement in torture would have come out.

It is alright for the Prime Minister and members of parliament to refer to the deaths of our soldiers and policeman but please remember that there is an inquiry currently going on into the death by severe beating of a Iraqi hotel employee after he was taken into custody by the British army.

Furthermore, please note that I think you will find that the British soldiers now call up American fighter bombers rather than british ones. The British pilots do not like killing innocent wedding guets, women and children. The truth is out there.

What they are not telling you

I thought that the 'performance' of the cabinet minister that was on the Daily Politics programme was an absolute disgrace. Laughing at the problems which are now face a rising majority of the population of the UK.

There are millions now approaching retirement, the old age democratic time bomb resulting from the immediate post war birth rate rise. Those born in the period 1944-49 are retiring. They are going to find a huge reduction in their spending power, not immediately, but over the next five years they are really going to hurt. And they, sorry, I won't like it at all.

I think that Gordon Brown and his advisers are conducting nothing other than a scorched earth policy, there will be nothing left. I do love it when the benefits, if any will hit on or around May of next year, just as the election has to be held. In the meantime the bills will come in just after. In March or April there will be a give away budget, then an emergency budget as soon as the election is over.

There must be an election now. It will soon be too late.

Inquiry into Iraq

there is just so much that is available in the public arena but which little or no publicity.

For example, the questions raised by David Cameron with respect to our involvement in torture.

There must be an urgent public inquiry into what has been done in our name, with a full judicial inquiry into not only how we got into the Iraq war, but also our conduct in the aftermath, before it was realised by senior officers and politicians that our initial policy was a total and abject failure. This is what has led to the demonstrations against our soldiers during the ill advised provocative military parades.

The problem is more with the Ministry of Defence and the officers who gave the orders rather than the soldiers who followed those orders. However, there are some orders which should not have been followed. I regard them as illegal, and I defend my right to be able to say so, even in a public space. That is not that I would agree with the placards carried by certain individuals in Luton, which were inflammatory and very emotive.

Parliament today

I just hope that parliament behaves well today, what with the return of David Cameron.

Gordon Brown must show respect to parliament by actually answering questions as put to him, and I do not mean the planted ones from supine back-benchers.

If he dares to talk about his father, or walking on the other side, then I think that I will be sick. as for reading out the names of the dead, what is the point.

Yesterday we had the Anglian regiment marching through Luton, a provocative action in my opinion. Today they are marching through Watford, this is appalling. Why? So that the PM can refer to it in PMQs.

I think that this was done so that Gordon can tell us again about how brave these soldiers are etc...Well they were not front line troops, these have been sat in a airfield after their colleagues retreated ignominiously from the front line, as politicians like to call it. They came back some time ago, it is not as though they actually returned yesterday.

This is a government completely out of control, and highly manipulative, I don't trust it.

Security Services

surely I am not the only person to now lack any confidence in what has been going on over the last week.

Mandleson has custard thrown over him. I think he then went on to say that security is a matter for the security services and he will take their advice with regard to his own protection.

Two soldiers waiting to go to Afghanistan are killed, others injured. No returning fire from armed guards, non military, who are meant to be protecting the unarmed soldiers. No security.

Police man killed assailants as yet unknown.

I don't think that anybody will either be convicted, or even charged, with these murders. Why? I think that there are evil deeds being done in our name.

I think that the government and the security services are out of control. Peace marches organised within hours. Demonstrations in Luton, with its high ethnic minority population for the returning Anglian soldiers, what has the Anglian regiment got to do with marches through Luton, I regard the march as provocative.

A Plymouth based regiment is going to march through Exeter, rather than Plymouth, I think because there is a strong anti-war faction in Exeter and I think that there are some who would just love it for 'some action' to kick off. There is a nasty smell about this government, I think that it is illegitimate, immoral, and and degenerate.

I think that there are those who would benefit from a situation where they could not have an election at all. That we are in a national emergency and that the soldiers will soon have to be brought back to control the voters, all for reasons of national security, of course.

Brown at PMQs

what price am I bid that Gordon Brown will not be doing PMQs yet again tomorrow. The man has hardly had to do any since the New Year and I suppose we will be told that he won't be doing them for as long as David cameron is absent.

It really does not matter who asks the questions, it is the obligation of the PM to answer them, from whoever is allowed to by the Speaker. So, will Gordon dare to turn up or will he again cry off.

Brown has something to fear

I am just listening to the Today programme and could not fail to notice the comments made by 'a friend' of Sir Fred Goodwin.

Now Sir Fred has said nothing but the friend refers to the freindship which previously existed between Sir Fred and Gordon Brown, and the inference is that maybe Gordon had better ease off because otherwise 'stuff' may come out which Gordon may well not want to come out.

I have refrred before to the auditors and accountants who seem to have failed in their tasks. Now we are hearing about the largess by RBS with regard to 'ambassadors' who received substantial sums of money, Stewart and Murray being but two of many. Now I don't want this to stop, because if Gordon suddenly goes quiet, then can we assume that Gordon does have something to fear?

Green custard throwers

in all the furore over the banks please would you run a blog on Afghanistan, where even the former head of the SAS is now making comments relating to government policy and the allegations that the government has 'blood on its hands'.

We are retreating from Iraq. I say that because after our withdrawal the Americans are moving in, so coalition soldiers in large numbers are still needed. We must withdraw from Afghanistan, the soldiers will soon be needed at home to protect MPs and ministers from green custard throwers.

Walk on the other side of the road

I think that we should all walk on one side of the road, the right side.

In this way we can all avoid passing by on the other side of the road. The pavements may well become very congested but it would solve the Brown problem. We must not pass by on the other side of the road. Or am I possibly taking him ltoo literally.

Brown must apologise

it might be better if we could get Brown to apologise for his involvement in the Iraq war, and the problems now under his watch in Afghanistan. There must an inquiry into Iraq, and there must be a formal statement from the PM to parliament about what the Afghan project is all about. It is not good enough to say it may take generations to sort out.

The lives have been wasted, before we know we will be part of a coalition in the war against pakistan, and then the trouble will really begin for obvious reasons.

'Sir' Edward Kennedy

I thought it interesting when Obama when putting forward some health care package refrred to 'Sir' Edward Kennedy, but I think he thought it was a joke, something very hilarious. I think that he still resents our sacking of Washington and the treatment the British are allegedly to have meeted out to his Kenyan father during Mau Mau.

I won't forget the inaugeration speech.

Lord Mandelson

Mandelson quote 'I am accountable to parliament' says the unelected Lord Mandelson.

A question for the police as to security. It is for other people to decide. I am not afraid of my security, what an amazingly brave man the good Lord is.

I wonder if the Lord Mandelson would like to explain exactly how he is accountable to parliament I would like to hear from him, through yourself of course. I just don't understand this government any more. This is no longer a representative democracy, especially when so many ministers and advisers are sitting in the unelected House of Lords.

Brown is frightened

so as you say in your preamble Brown indicates 'we should seize the moment' and listening to the Today programme this morning the big idea would appear to be, control the pay and bonuses of bankers! What a vindictive man. I will now give the reason why I believe this to be the case.

Let us go back to the seventies of wage controls and let me give you my own experience. I was working in a Merchant Bank in the City, a good one. I was doing very well and I too was very good at my job. Some stupid government said that I could not have a wage increase above a certian figure. So if I wanted an increase I would have to leave and move to another bank. So, what did my employer do, they gave me a new title, section leader, only trouble was I was the only person in the section.

Next, they then promoted me again to senior section leader, again I was the only person in the section. It was bizarre, pathetic actually but it enabled me to receive a well deserved increase in my earnings.

Now, I think that just as I consider the government has been vindictive against the haulage industry for its involvement in breaking the coal miners strike, I think it is the same with the bankers. It never was our 'fault' that the economic system has collapsed, as an industry we have nothing to apologise for, individuals may have to say sorry, but does anybody really think they mean it, of course not.

So, I think that Brown is attempting to divert attention from himself and his government, it is the case that it was him and his like all the time. The bankers are running rings around him, and he is a small minded vindictive individual who just cannot admit the truth, he is out of control. That is what frightens him, he cannot control events, and he is like a frightened child, and a bully at that, he cannot trust anybody, because he knows in his soul that he has let his father down, he is not the son he wanted to be, a master of the universe. I think that really he envies the bankers because they are everything he is not.

Time to walk away

#144 quotes #128 'yes we know that in an unregulated market greed will always rise to the top'.

May I humbly suggest that the man who is now at the top proves the point. Brown was greedy, he still is, he wanted the top job, and being PM, you cannot rise any higher.

Brown was greedy for power, he would not let Blair serve his full term, he lacks any legitimacy. It is time to go Gordon. We know it, and worst of all you know it too, only trouble is that I not only regard as greedy, you also lack back bone, in other words I reagrd you as I would a slimey slug, no longer a nose picker, that was so yesterday. No, Gordon is not too far removed from a slug, a slimey good for nothing...Your epitaph the man who gave a friend a knighthhod, Kennedy, what for being fined for failing to report an accident. Mind you the accident for Brown is the economy, maybe he is saying to us all, I don't walk away, Kenedy did, I won't!

Brown and Harman

the trouble with the comment made by Harman about Hague getting GBP30,000 is that she did not actually say it to him personally. She threw it in as an afterthought. If she had said it to him directly, during the time that Hague was actually able to respond, then I would have thought differently, but no, she was sly, and she knows it.

As for Royal Bank of Scotland, one can hardly fail to notice the adverts for National Westminster bank on the TV. Now, Nat West is owned by Royal Bank of Scotland, why do they not say when talking about Nat West that they are a wholly owned subsidiary of RBS. Was not the Nat West advert in the old days, 'the bank that likes to say yes'.

Going back to Harman, I wonder why she did not mention the list of other people who benefited from RBS largess. I will not mention them here, but they and you know who they are.

I cannot understand why Harman, when standing in for Brown at PMQs, did not correct her mistake for saying that 'Fred the Shred' got his knighthood for work for the Princes Strust, rather than 'services to banking'. She must have been given the same notes which would have gone to Brown, if he dared to be at PMQs rather than half an hour with the new president. Who prepared her for her stand in job, surely they must havejust had to look up the citation when 'Sir Fred' was honoured.

This parliament is finished, Brown is finished, and do you know what upsets me the most, my late father was presented with the MBE by the Queen. The thought that if he had been around today he might be there on the same day that Kennedy gets his knighthood. I think that we ought to be ashamed that the Head of State, the Queen, has granted this knighthood on such a man is disgraceful.

Brown speech

renewed under a new president, that was kind of him, why didn't he have the guts to tell Bush to his face what damage he has done to America, and the world.

President Obama for his leadership, pathetic Obama has only been in power for a few weeks.

Life and courage of senator Edward kennedy, oh yeah after he left a woman at a bridge called Chapaquidick, shame on him.

I grew up in the 1960s, ok what about Vietnam, the war which Kennedy got America into, and the Cuban Missile crisis, Brown is pathetic. America an irrepresable nation, what is the man on about.

World Wars, the wars which America came into very late, bravery and valour of the Americans, what the ones who torture insurgents. Cemetry after cemetry, in Europe what about the war dead of the other side.

Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, linking these soldiers to the World Wars is a disgrace. Whenever a young America is killed this is just so bad, they have died in vain, shame on him. Our continued support, what about consulting the British people, what American spirit, the one that uses drones and tortures people.

Friendship, who wrote this tosh. partnership of purpose, indestrucatble, unshakeable, breaking treaties, no power on earth, well as for the dollar, 'In God we trust'.

What about Blair in the middle east, what a war mongerer, threatening Iran.

Past Prime Ministers, why not mention Blair by name, that would have drawn an applause.

Global recession, instead I see one individual, stars to reach for. Representatives of the people, glad he didn't say elected representatives.

Free markets, not value free, risks, where has he been. The charlaton. We cannpt an must not stand aside, please, integrity, what integrity to take over this country as a result of a coup.

My father was a minister of the church, please, if he mentions the church once more, what about him.

Nervous Breakdown

I think that Gordon Brown is going to cry. He just looks so close to a complete and utter nervous breakdown. Sorry if this offends but he does look terribly ill, I think this is the end. Nobody loves him, it must be terrible to know that something which you demanded for so long has turned into fols gold. It is just so horribly sad.

Family Life

how can Gordon Brown go on about family when he takes his wife with him to America for a thirty minute chat to the president. Who is looking after the children, the children they are meant to love so much. The qiestion has to be asked is family life incompatible with high political office.

It has not gone unoticed that Brown will not be able to take PMQs again this week. I wonder what sort of a job Harriet Harman will make of it. Is she getting ready for the real thing.

Gordon and a sleight

you just cannot make it up. No news conference with the president and Gordon Brown. This is a sleight, we are being treated with utter and total contempt by the Americans. Why have we sacrificed so much over Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is disgraceful the way that Gordon Brown is going to kow tow to the mighty United States. I won't forget the inauguration speech by Obama, British destroyed Washington, and allusions towards the treatment which his father suffered at the hands of the British in Kenya during the Mau Mau emergency. If I was Obama I would not want to spend too much time with the British Prime Minister.

What has to understood is that I am nearly sixty, just like Gordon Brown. Now I will be retiring and receiving a pension from a previous employer, this is the demographic time bomb going nuclear. If the dividend income from the pension fund is reduced then they will have to start selling assets to raise capital to pay the pensions because the work force is being reduced, so no income from the new employees.

The other problem is that if the pension fund invests in gilts then yes they will receive an income from those investments but they will be losing capital because the gilts are priced above par.

The whole economic situation is deteriorating just as it did in 1928/29. When the market fell in New York there was nothing left, all the money had been spent trying to avoid the unavoidable, a loss in asset values. As for the Dow Jones it has to be the most ridiculous index to measure share movements that was ever invented.

So Gordon's trip to see the president is a complete waste of time, and effort. We have had 9/11 the Twin Towers, we have had 9/15 with the collapse of Lehman Brothers, well just wait for 9/9, because that is the day thgat I think the whole edifice finally collapses.

Mind you I will finish by saying I wonder if Gordon will ask about the CIA destroying all the interrogation evidence on at least 92 suspects.

Lost Tapes

I think a question which must be asked is why is that the CIA have destroyed the tapes of the interrogation of a substantial number of combatants, insurgents or whatever the 'enemy' are to be known as.

Bearing in mind that no evidence could be found of maltreatment of prisoners, as was said in the statement to parliament only last week by John Hutton, could it be that the evidence has been destroyed. That is why there is no evidence.

CIA Interrogations

I think a question which must be asked is why is that the CIA have destroyed the tapes of the interrogation of a substantial number of combatants, insurgents or whatever the 'enemy' are to be known as.

Bearing in mind that no evidence could be found of maltreatment of prisoners, as was said in the statement to parliament only last week by John Hutton, could it be that the evidence has been destroyed. That is why there is no evidence.

Illegal war

I wonder who will handle PMQs this week. Whoever it is will they read out the names of the dead soldiers this week or will they say that Hutton has already read them out. This is a national disgrace, if they adjourn for the death of a baby, the son of the leader of the oppiosition then they can adjourn for the death of a soldier, or is he not the son of anybody important.

Also, it has been pointed out the the soldiers are suffering terribly from stress disorers, mostly from having seen things I don't think anybody should see, and also that they now know that they have been following illegal orders, which is conformed if you read the Hutton speech last week.

Operations in Iraq

can I indicate a response which was actually made in parliament with regard to prisoners detained by UK forces and handed over to the Americans:

'In areas outside multinational division south east, UK forces have undertaken operations to capture individuals who were subsequently detained by the United States. These individuals do not feature in the data that I have set out today, but I want to reassure the House that the review has concluded that UK forces have exercised appropriately their responsibilities towards all captured personnel handed to US custody, whether in Multi-national Division (South East) or elsewhere, and that it has uncovered no evidence of mistreatment'. Now this answer is in Hansard Column 394 on 26 February 2009.

He continued 'our detention operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are underpinned by arrangements with our international partners. We have a memorandum of understanding in place with the government of Afghanistan signed on 23 April 2006, covering the treatment of individuals detained by UK forces and transferred to Afghan custody. We also have a memorandum of understanding with Iraq, agreed on 8 November 2004, on the treatment of detainees transferred to Iraqi custody. Iraqi Interior, Justice and Defence Ministers have confirmed to us that Iraqi detention procedures remain consistent with the principles set out in that memorandum of understanding'.

Now read the above with great care but check the dates as to when these came into operation and what has been done to ensure that the above comments are still valid or were valid at the time that our soldiers were detaining people. Exactly what has happened to all the people we detained, where are they now? Will the government dare to put into the public domain the various agreements and memorandi as refrred to by the new Minister.

I wonder if Gordon Brown will dare to ask that confirmation of this comment will be given in public by the new President. If he can then he should otherwise we will know that the statement made by Hutton was just so much waffle, and half truth.

PM in America

so why exactly are you going on the wasted trip to America. is this some sort of reward for failure.

In the court of public opinion I think that the BBC is wasting an awful lot of money. For example is there not already an American team who could cover what Brown sys. Actually the whole fiasco is doomed to failure. I mean the man, Brown, will do anything to avoid having to answer questions during PMQs.

I just cannot believe what has been going on, will for example the PM ask Obama what exactly has happened to the many detainees who have been handed over by the British to the American forces.

Is the PM going to tell the President that enough is enough and that we will be withdrawing from Afghanistan by the end of the year. Nothing is being achieved there is a terrible loss of life, and we are not winning any hearts and minds.

Tell the President that we all now agree that we were lied to over the war against Iraq and that unless action is taken now we will still be in Iraq and Afghanistan for years to come.

So Nick, I hope to have reports from your journey that it was nothing other than a PR stunt, and that Obama cannot wait until he
can have a new relationship with a new PM.

I wonder if public opinion will have any sway at all, the PM is nothing but a fraud, I mean, yah boo hiss Goodwin is getting a pension that most other people can only dream about, and what can Gordon do, nothing, absolutley nothing. I mean Gordon who exactly has voted for you in England. Nobody!

Time to go

I hope that other contributors have noticed that yet again Gordon Brown will not be available to answer Prime Minister Questions yet again.

There was absolutley no reason why PMQs were cancelled last week over the death of a son, every week he reads out the name of some other son who has died in a war which he will not end.

Just like when he was always disappearing when chancellor now he disappears as PM. This is unacceptable, he lacks any credibility, it is time for him to go. End this appalling parliament.