Why Should Gordon Brown Be Allowed To Step Into The PM Spot?

Question

What I Mean By This Is, That We Voted For Tony Blair Back In The Elections, We Didn't Vote Gordon Brown, Or Any Other Labour MP. In My Opinion, I Think That We Should Have Another General Election That Involves Britain, And Not Just The Labour Party. Gordon Brown Hasn't Proved That He Can Be A Good Prime Minister. Another Thing, I Think It Is Disgusting Of The Treatment By The Public Towards Tony Blair (i.e Blaming Him For The Deaths In Iraq And Making Him Name A Resignition Date)

Answer 1

I really cannot see any one better then Blair and I don't like the man. As for Brown, I would never vote for that smarmy Scottish git!

Answer 2

Technically, it is the party that elects the Prime Minister, who also have the authority to get rid of a sitting Prime minister. Also, the PM does not have the authority to appoint his successor.

I take your point though, Blair had been Prime Minister at the time of the last election. I don't think that a new election should be held purely because of a change of leader, unless there was a crisis of some sort. As I have said, the electorate don't actually vote the PM into office, the party does.

I am not/never have been a Labour supporter, and I certainly am not a Blair or New Labour supporter. Although, I think that it is part of Blair's style to turn himself into a victim in order to get the sympathy vote.

I agree with you, however, that it is unfair to Blame Blair for deaths in Iraq, that is what wars do. It is unreasonable to personalise it around the PM. The left wing TV have fanned these particular flames. The Labour party is very unpopular at the moment, not only because of the Iraqi war but also because of their failure to follow through on promises. Very convenient, therefore, for the Party to try to pin all these failings on Blair personally, the party is then seen to be clean again as soon as they change the leader.

Answer 3

Yes, you don't vote for your Prime minister, you vote for an MP, and his party. If you voted for labour you did it knowing full well that Tony Blair could step down at any time and you wouldn't get a say in who your PM was. Tony is the PM, but he does not rule the country, who the PM is isn't that significant. It is his government who rules the country, and with Tony leaving the government won't change.

As for the 'he hasn't proven himself to be a good PM' argument. That's bollocks. And besides, how can he be any worse than old Tony? He's been the chancellor for nearly a decade, and a successful one, surely that counts for something (although I don't doubt Brown will be terrible too). If everyone followed your way of thinking we would never, ever get a new PM. (Incidentally, that's why the USA has a two term limit, because they always vote in the current president again).

I think the Tony bashing was perfectly justified, he's been a terrible PM. I laughed when Tessa Jowel claimed he was our most successful PM ever. The words 'cloud cuckoo land' come to mind. That said, I want Tony to stay in as long as possible, as the longer he stays the less chance labour will have of ever getting elected again.

Answer 4

I don't think that Gordon Brown will automatically take over the leadership of the Labour Party for that is what it means. A number of names have already been bandied about as successor to Tony Blair, but for the life of me I cannot see an yone who is anywhere near to filling the post.
Following on from John Smith, Tony Blair took the old Labour party out of the ways of jealousy of the have not's of the old system into the New Labour policies, which unfortunately did not find the full agreement of the old Guard, which included the big unions and the Lefties(commies) ideas.
I think that Tony Blair has conducted the Prime Ministers position
well but has been the target of innuendo and spite from the moment he took office and I think in this sphere the figure of Gordon Brown looms very large.
If he does succeed as P.M. I can see the Scottish Parliament which is subsidised by English taxes and whose building estimates spiralled to £700m , having a greater influence in Westminster then that which it enjoys at presennt.

Answer 5

The country voted for the Labour Party of which Tony Blair was leader at the time. The Leader of the Labour Party is elected by the Party members. Gordon will only step into the job unchallenged if the other members of the Party, which the Country voted for, allow that to happen. Tony was a lame duck at the last election and once he announced his intention to go, inevitably started losing his authority. It is now time for him to go and that is the clear message from his own party without whose support he cannot operate.

Answer 6

Hey ho here we go. You don't vote for a prime minister, you vote for a party and their manifesto. Labour/New Labour were elected so during the term of their parliament they can elect who ever they want as the prime minister. Same as the conservatives did when they eventually saw the light and threw Maggie Thatcher out. You don't have a general election until the party in power decides they want one, or until they reach the end of their elected term in government, unless there is a vote of no confidence in the government which they lose. The only other time you may have a general election is when the reining monarch decides to dissolve parliament, however this is a rarity outside of the conditions set out above and would cause a constitutional debate that you wouldn't even want to think about.

Janebfc above rocks. I have got to say that most of the respondents so far haven't got a clue about parliamentary democracy, its origins, their own backgrounds, what the parties stand for, and even worse, if they do vote, what they are voting for. It's totally frightening when you think about it. Best that most of you out there go and get an education and become cognisant of what you are talking about or trying, poorly, to debate, and yes I may be deprecating, however I do get annoyed when large/big issues are discussed by people who obviously haven't the intelligence to debate them intelligently..

Answer 7

Unless you live in Tony Blair's constituency of Sedgefield lets get one thing clear Mr I-Like-To-Start-All-My-Words-With-Capitals (and I'll put the next bit in capitals in the hope you understand): YOU DID NOT VOTE FOR TONY BLAIR. You voted for your constituency MP, Tony Blair became Prime Minister because those of us who are members of the Labour Party participated in a leadership election following John Smith's death in May 2004 where he won, then we won the 1997, 2001, and 2005 elections meaning that as our party leader he became Prime Minister.

You'll get your vote come the next general election but if you think there should be an election called to basically serve as a referendum on one party's choice as their next leader then should we have had an election after the last general election so you could all think again about the Tories and their new leader...or after Charlie got drunk once too often and the Lib Dems changed their leader? We are not a Presidential run country, we do not vote for the Prime Minister. If I sound a bit snappish you'll have to excuse me - its just with the number of questions being posted on here I'm beginning to understand why we have such a low turnout at elections - either none of you understand the difference because you don't actually vote...or you go in with your eyes shut.

Are you now going to tell me you live in Sedgefield? ;-(

Answer 8

Although I'm not convinced Gordon Brown is the right man to be Prime Minister he has been the longest serving Chancellor and has brought about un-rivalled stability to the economy. He has had the most successful period in office compared all Chancellors before him.

His poliocies are family focused and are about reducing the burden of government, he has a superb track record. The questions I have about his suitability are around his lack of government experience in other departments, as Gordon was shadow Chancellor when Tony Blair was Leader of the opposition.

Gordon Brown probably will win the leadership election over-whelmingly, but until the leadership election comes we need to support our Government and especially the prime minister.

Answer 9

FACTS versus FALLACY.

1/ Gordon Brown will succeed Tony Blair as Prime Minister provided no other New Labour M.P. comes forward to oppose him in a Leadership contest.

2/ Gordon brown has kept inflation at aound 2% or has he? House prices rocket and so does his tax take via Stamp Duty. This is not included in inflation figures.

3/ He has not raised the level of Inheritance Tax allowance in line with the rise in house prices.

4/ He raided the Pension funds to raise billions more in revenue and thus helped to promote the current pension crisis.

5/ There is a FLAT rate on ROAD TAX but not on FUEL. Each time the price per litre rises he rakes in yet more revenue.

6/ Workers have PAYE TAX deducted and should they SAVE from their NET income they pay interest tax on their savings. At death they may be liable to Death Duty Tax at 40% over the current allowance.

7/ The gap between the RICH and POOR has INCREASED under Gordon Brown's stewardship despite all his Family Credits and other Benefits.

8/ The rich are proprtionally retaining more of their wealth than the lower paid workers.

9/ ALL Members of Parliament have voted themselves salary increases above the rate of inflation and secured lucrative pension provision.

10/ Gordon Brown has introduced many 'stealth' taxes.

For all the above reasons, based upon FACTS, I conclude Gordon Brown is not fit to be Prime Minister, but that is For New Labour M.Ps. to decide.

Answer 10

The BBC site reports that former home secretary Charles Clarke launched another attack on Chancellor Gordon Brown.

At the end of a week in which Labour focused on when the PM will hand over power, he tells the Daily Telegraph Mr Brown is a "deluded control freak".

Handing power from an overlegislator to an overtaxer and overregulator doesn't seem to be much of an improvement! I would welcome a complete renewal at the top of the Labour party. In other words getting rid of both of them - Alan Milburn looks a better bet for the Labour Party.

Answer 11

Well I think he should be Made to continue his term. I dont care what the Unions want Labour to do in order to keep in power.
I was hard up when they got in and got a few tax breaks which was good now I pay 40 percent tax and am thinking of living abroad anyway!
Yes I think the Beefeaters or some heavily armed Ninjas should force him to stay in the Parliment building 24/7 until his time is up watching BBC News 24 day in day out on a 42" Plasma TV while his eyes are held open like on clockwork orange so he can see what he really has done!
This or be Shot on live TV and the National Lottery machine picks a random PM from 49 members of the public. Who are currently on Income Support and drink Special Brew from 0930hrs when they drop their spawn off at school.