MoveOverDarling

There is a Minister of our British government called Alistair Darling; he is the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Remember the name, I don’t believe he will be in his job much longer. He said about the people of the UK, “The people are pissed off with us!” He said about the economy, that Britain was facing “arguably the worst” slump in 60 years. The Treasury spin-doctors immediately claimed that he had been misrepresented, so Darling took to the airwaves to clarify his remarks.

But rather than easing the mind of voters, the chancellor compounded the crisis he had created by restating and reinforcing his dire assessment. Darling, mega idiot that he undoubtedly is, insisted that it was his duty to be “straight” with people. He went on to warn that the slump now really beginning to bite, will be “more profound and long-lasting than people thought” could not comes at a worse moment for his neighbor in Number 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister, Gordon Brown as he struggles to shore up his leadership.

The government was plunged into turmoil yesterday as the chancellor admitted the full scale of Britain’s economic crisis.

Downing Street and the Treasury launched a despairing exercise to limit the damage after the disastrous interview with Darling. Their idea of forcing the Chancellor to do a quick television interview with prepared sound bites direct from the Prime Minister was not the best they’ve ever had.

Hazel Blears, the communities’ secretary, moved to reassure voters, saying: “We know things are tough and understand that people are worried and anxious. But Britain’s economy is fundamentally strong.” Sadly for the government no one believes them anymore, least of all Hazel Blears.

It is clear that the Labour Party’s MPs and activists were shocked, angry and mystified. Mark Todd, a Labour member of the Commons Treasury committee, said: “I must admit that by my own measurement this would be an exaggeration. The economy appears to be surviving rather better than he suggests. I was surprised by his language.”

The comments overshadow the measures to help first-time house buyers and those facing repossession that Brown is still expected to announce later this week. Perhaps it’s Darling’s petulance with such Brown originated plans into what he considers his own financial territory that caused Darling to raise his head above the parapet. Who could blame him after the 10% tax rate fiasco that Brown forced onto the Treasury department that the government then had to cancel.

All of which heats the bonfire burning under the dying embers of this government. Darling is patently suggesting that cabinet rivals are “actively trying” to do his job. This is all seen in the corridors of power in Westminster as an almost overt attack on Ed Balls, Brown’s closest political acolyte, who is assumed to be measuring up 11 Downing Street, the Chancellor’s official residence, for his own. If he’s at all competent, let alone brilliant like the current situation demands, then we should all hope his moving truck is already on route.

Many political insiders including some Labour MPs now openly question the chancellor’s judgment, while others label his comments “astonishing” and accused him of ruining attempts to turn around Labour’s current poll ratings, which are amongst the worst ever recorded.



Darling is right about one thing, the people’s entirely negative attitude about his government; does he ever stop to wonder why this is so? To a large extent he is the architect of his own downfall.

This is the same government that was remarkably complacent and sanguine about the economy just weeks ago. Darling unbelievably states that the first time after he assumed office at which he realized the economy was in such bad shape was when he was on holiday and had read reports informing him that central bankers in Europe were pouring money into Sterling to prop up its value. Whereupon the hapless financial minister apparently telephoned his office to find out what the problem was. You honestly couldn’t make this up.

How did this government go from sunny indifference to total economic apocalypse in so short a period of time? The answer is that the people currently running the UK are complete and total incompetents. The government has to get its house in order immediately; we all need and demand this. As for our Chancellor, it’s time to move over Darling!