Gordon Brown gets lesson from the Latin Americans about sound public finances

[Doggy Styles]

Gordon Brown embarrassed by Chile president on economy

During a press conference with the Prime Minister, Chile's president Michelle Bachelet boasted that Chile was in good economic shape "because of our decision during the good times to save some of the money for the bad times."

Her remarks follow criticism this week from:

* MEP Dan Hannan, whose attack on Mr Brown in the European Parliament - initially laughed off by the Prime Minister - has become a big hit on the internet

* Leader of the Opposition David Cameron, who said that Brown did not "fix the roof while the sun was shining"

* Bank of England Governor Mervyn King, who said Britain could not afford another stimulus package (and the Treasury agreeing with him)

* The Czech Prime Minister warning that the economic recovery plans were the "way to hell"

* Shadow Chancellor George Osborne saying "Gordon Brown is getting lessons from the Latin Americans about sound public finances. You couldn't make it up. It is because under Labour, Britain suffers the national embarrassment of having the biggest budget deficit by far of any G20 country."

However, Mr Brown felt he needed to respond by insisting that the International Monetary Fund believed Britain was better prepared than most countries for the downturn.

[minestrone]

"Mr Brown felt he needed to respond by insisting that he could eat 10 kilos of Chiles and as an arsehole was better prepared than most arseholes for the downturn".

[Cyberman]

... and I was saying to those naive and blinkered Brown-backers three years ago that were saying he was the best Chancellor in history, 'wait until we hit a recession' for exactly the same reason. He was tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, with no consideration for saving for any downturn whatsoever. Now look at the mess we are in, and still no major public sector cuts have been made!!

I read yesterday that NHS managers had a 7.5% salary increase this year while the poor nurses got 1.5%. So much for fairness and prudence.

[Doggy Styles]

There were a few of us on here who could foresee, several years ago, the problems with spiralling debts. The question then was not whether we'd have a crisis, but what would trigger it.

[PM-Junkie]

There were a few of us on here who could foresee, several years ago, the problems with spiralling debts. The question then was not whether we'd have a crisis, but what would trigger it.

....most people figured a crisis was inevitable as soon as a labour government was elected. Those of us old enough to remember the last one anyway.

[minestrone]

....most people figured a crisis was inevitable as soon as a labour government was elected. Those of us old enough to remember the last one anyway.

I was born in 72 and can remember my brother studying for his degree under candle light, bins piled up in the street. someone on here made a valid point the other day, cannot remember who, that the tories should just forget about going for the next election, they dug the country out of the last Labour mess and they got no thanks for it.

[Doggy Styles]

....most people figured a crisis was inevitable as soon as a labour government was elected. Those of us old enough to remember the last one anyway.

I remember the last one too, but as an apprentice working on various defence projects it didn't hit me personally.

[Cyberman]

I was born in 72 and can remember my brother studying for his degree under candle light, bins piled up in the street. someone on here made a valid point the other day, cannot remember who, that the tories should just forget about going for the next election, they dug the country out of the last Labour mess and they got no thanks for it.

It was probably me. I am angry that Thatcher never got credit for her achievements and I really do think that Labour deserve to win the next election and so do the electorate.

[BrilloPad]

It was probably me. I am angry that Thatcher never got credit for her achievements and I really do think that Labour deserve to win the next election and so do the electorate.

hear hear.