Trivial pursuit?
A couple of comments to deal with. wrote:
Nick, why is it necessary, on your part, to trivialise this important debate by characterising it as a soap opera?
Not my phrase, David. The prime minister dismissed it as a "soap opera" - hence the inverted commas.
wrote:
Nick, Do you feel this latest spat between TB and GB is based on political principles or is just political posturing.
Both. Gordon Brown is dubious of the claims that a big increase in the state pension is the way to solve "the pensions crisis". He believes that the stock market's bounce back and the strength of the housing market will underpin private savings. He's also genuinely worried re the long term cost and would rather spend the billions involved on others things - such as his aim to increase spending in state schools to the level in private schools.
I'm 
Comments
Just a minute: didn't we find out from the IFS the day after the Budget that 'his aim to increase spending in state schools to the level in private schools' was in fact not much of an ambition?
He only pledged to increase spending to 'current' private spending levels, and he didn't put a date on it.
I think that TB will leave GB a poison chalice, & GB know's it but can do little to avert it.
I must say its a bit rich of you to actually blame TB for the 'soap opera' tag Nick. He, like many others who are disgusted by the way that political journalists in this country have behaved in recent years, was simply making an observation. I used the phrase myself in a complaint to the 91Èȱ¬ about Andrew Marr over 8 months ago.
The press at the Labour Manifesto Launch today behaved like a bunch spoilt children, for once not getting their own way. On The World at One, the day's real news was sidelined and in its place we listened to one disgruntled reporter after another complain because they weren't allowed to trivialise and derail the proceedings by asking irrelevant and leading questions.
Characterising politics as a soap opera is a perfectly fair description, if the cap fits Nick, don't throw it onto TB's head.
Nick,
You describe Gordon Brown as:
"[aiming] to increase spending in state schools to the level in private schools"
This is typical Brownite nonsense: the idea that the main cause of the great disparity between performance/productivity/quality in the public and private sectors is the amount of money being pumped in. He, as usual, fails to grasp the cultural, structural and conceptual difference between the public and private sectors.
That said, while Brown is not doing the country any good, at least he believes he is doing the right thing. Poor old David Cameron is simply doing the wrong thing in the hope of getting some votes...
Finally, interesting blog - will be sure to check back from time to time.
Raw Carrot
Nick - I can put you out of your misery.
I know when TB will resign. It will be sometime after 21st November 2008 when he ensures that he has served at least one more day than Margaret Thatcher. After all, he seems to follow her slavishly in most other aspects. He
- doesn't seem to like unions
- doesn't seem to like left wing policies
- kept tory policies in place for 2 years
- likes to strut the world stage
- wants a legacy. Maggie had one after all...
I've heard people nick-name him "Tory Blair" or refer to him as the "best leader the tories never elecetd".
It will be very interesting to see what result comes out of the local elections and whether TB ignores it like he usually seems to when anyone disagrees with him.
I think soap opera is too polite a term. Take pensions (again) - if I understand the final Turner report correctly, its primarily about the decline in private sector contributions. Err what about the why then or the demographics for that matter? Is it a cultural shift in values? Or is it due to the shift from defined benefit to defined contribution schemes at the same time as government has increased means testing? I've certainly no sense that journalists, politicians or the public has much interest in addressing such fundmental questions. And as long as no-one does I think Shirley Williams comment that we get the politicians (and politics) we deserve remains appropriate. There again there has been a lot of nice pictures of Lord Turner pointing at things in the papers.
Hi, Nick
Firstly great coverage of the Election last night.I managed to stay up for the entire coverage despite chain smoking.
Do you think with the Cabinet reshuffle Blair should have given Hilary Benn or Peter Hain a more hands on role? I know overseas developement and Northern Ireland are important issues but with the NHS and 91Èȱ¬ office in crisis the public need genuine politicians they can trust. I personal think that the removal of all the Dead wood needed to happen sadly it didn't. Keep up the Good work.