Thursday, December 04, 2008

Call 0500 909693 and Speak to Gordon

From 1pm Gordon Brown will be taking calls on Simon Mayo's Radio 5 Live programme. Sadly I am going to lunch and will miss the festivities. Do feel free to report back in the comments the number of times he mentions any of the following phrases...

* hard working families
* difficult economic circumstances
* Do nothing

You get the drift...

One question you could ring in and ask: Jacqui Smith just said in the House that there were concerns that national security information COULD in the future have leaked to Damian Green. Since when do police arrest opposition MPs on the basis that they might in future be leaked something which involves national security?

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Surely that's the most cringeworthy start to an interview even Brown's made?

westminster watch said...

The whole interview is totally nauseating! Not even a probing follow up on 'how much responsibility do you take for our problems!'

Slagella said...

It started in America.
I am getting on with the job in these difficult times.
We are doing the right thing for hard working families by helping them remain in their homes.
Rinse and repeat:
hard working families
hard working families
hard working families
hard working families

Desperate Dan said...

Gordon keeps telling us as usual that he's doing his best to...blah blah blah. But I'm afraid that Gordon's best is just not good enough.

Anonymous said...

golden opportunity missed for a game of bullshit bingo ....

Unknown said...

Radio 5 house style - as everyone knows, Mayo makes everything it is poured on bland and slippery.

westminster watch said...

Mayo has just asked your Jackie smith question - completely side-stepped and not pressed for a reply.
pBrown has expressed full confidence in the speaker and contradicts Harman. presumeably wouldn't want a less symapthetic one!

Administrator said...

I cant get through for some reason!

Alfie said...

It's a typical BBC fit up - the number is constantly engaged and has been since 12.10pm.

Simon Mayo keeps going on about getting as many listeners as possible to phone, text, email in - then has done nothing but do his own interview with him!! Honestly, I really do wish Mayo would shut up!!!

Some phrases you have left out, Iain -

'It was nowt to do with us - it's all the fault of the Yanks'

'I have the utmost faith in Speaker Mick's ability to resume his shipyard welding career'

'Yes I am the global financial guru'

'I will be saving Africa straight after lunch next Tuesday, just as soon as I have sorted the global financial crisis'

Lord Elvis of Paisley said...

I'm avoiding it. The last time I listened to Brown at any great length (when he was on Jeremey Vine) put me in a foul mood for the rest of the day.

Ronnie Stooge said...

Mayo did get him on Obama. Got Brown to say how great he was and then asked 'Not bad for a novice?' Brown squirmed and blustered....

Alex said...

I liked the ending ...

We've got lots more questions that we didn't have time for, Prime Minister

Well if you give me their names and addresses we'll sort them ou ...errr I'll write to them.

Desperate Dan said...

Simon Mayo's a very good interviewer. He always brings out the best in people. Now we know Gordon's best is the same as everyone else's worst.

kenny murphy said...

Well done PM for spending some of your hard earned dosh on buying in her indoors xmas present.

Maybe Cameron can ask at PMQ's next Wednesday if he purchased it before or after the VAT reduction so he can yet again avoid a question on the economy?

Dominic Allkins said...

Could in the future?!? Could in the future?!?

Are you f**king joking???

I might do all sorts of things in the future that would see me banged up for a very long time. Alternatively I might not. Actually, I won't be doing any of them.

Is the fact that I might going to see me arrested and locked up? No.

So why arrest Damian Green is case information that may be a national security concern might be passed to him?

Fascist, authoritarian pigs. I thought it impossible that this government could sink any lower. What next, Civil Contingency Act??

Angry simply cannot come close to describe how I am feeling!!!

Hacked Off said...

Desperate Pies for Desperate Times

http://therantingkingpenguin.blogspot.com/2008/11/mcbrron-pie-shop-saga-so-far.html

The Penguin

Anonymous said...

Just e mailed this joke about Gordon to 5 live and I'm not holding my breath for it to be read out:


Gordon Brown was visiting a primary school and he visited one of the classes.

They were in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings.

The teacher asked Mr Brown if he would like to lead the discussion on the word 'tragedy'.

So the Prime Minister asked the class for an example of a 'tragedy'

A little boy stood up and offered, 'If my best friend who lives on a farm is playing in the field and a tractor runs him over and kills him, that would be a 'tragedy'.

'No', said Gordon - 'that would be an accident'.

A little girl raised her hand. 'If a school bus carrying 50 children
drove over a cliff killing everyone inside, that would be a 'tragedy'.

'I'm afraid not' explained Gordon - 'that's what we would call a great
loss'.

The room went silent, no other children volunteered.

Gordon searched the room. 'Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a 'tragedy'?

Finally at the back of the room little Johnny raised his hand.

In a quiet voice he said. 'If a plane carrying you and Mr Darling was struck by a 'friendly fire' missile and the plane was blown to
smithereens, that would be a 'tragedy'.

'Fantastic!' exclaimed Gordon. 'That's right, and can you tell me why that would be a tragedy?'

'Well' says little Johnny,'it has to be a tragedy, because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be an accident either!'

Summer said...

Doesn't Jacke Smith realize that the leaks were about HER endangering national security. Maybe she should consider if she should be arrested!! Will someone please point this out and ask her.

Also, isn't giving funds to extremist Islamic organizations (as long as they behave themselves) also an action endangering national security?

Isn't having borders we cannot control a danger to national security. Isn't allowing foreign criminals to stay, a danger to national security. Will someone please hoist this wretched woman by her own petard on one of her interviews.

Next time terrorist blow someone one up in this country, is the whole Government going to be arrested for 'endangering National Security'?

Bill Quango MP said...

HardWorkingFamilies is pronounced as all one word.

Started in America must have a pause between each word.

Avoid saying "I awake at 5am to begin work on how to help the Hardworking people of Britain" it makes you sound a bit odd.

From The Focus group feedback interview monitoring section.

Jimmy said...

As I have pointed out before, the Courts have accepted, ever since the Thatcher administration first argued it successfully in the Tisdall case, that the national security angle did not depend on what the mole did leak, but what the mole could leak. You may have to forgive a certain cynicism if the Tories start complaining about this 25 years later only when they themselves are affected by it.

T England. Raised from the dead. said...

I'm at the stage I just can't concentrate on Browns voice any more to understand him.
Yesterday I was slightly interested in what he had to say but after about ten mins I just gave up because I just found it so fraustrating trying to listen to him & make out what he was on about!
From now on I'll wait for the English translation!

Desperate Dan said...

Geoffrey G Brooking
That joke is so old that the last time I heard it it was about Tony Blair.

Doug said...

Here's one for Iain and the assembled contributors.

I noticed toady that there is programme on the BBC 4.35pm called Election. It is hosted by Angellica Bell and judged by Jonathan Dimbleby (a la Alan Sugar, The Apprentice). It has had many different topics such as debating, campaigning, diplomacy, public speaking, making an impression, recruiting and publicity stunts. Guests have included Ann Widdecombe, Ken Livingstone and Peter Tatchell.

And the prize is to 'have a chat' with the Prime Minister.

So what does everyone think about this? The BBC essentially teaching politics to children and some of the programme topics (Publicity Stunts?) not to mention guests such as Livingstone (couldn't they have found a better example of mainstream left-wing politics?).

Catosays said...

Jimmy said...

As I have pointed out before, the Courts have accepted, ever since the Thatcher administration first argued it successfully in the Tisdall case, that the national security angle did not depend on what the mole did leak, but what the mole could leak. You may have to forgive a certain cynicism if the Tories start complaining about this 25 years later only when they themselves are affected by it.

December 04, 2008 2:36 PM

Jimmy, award yourself the prize for 'Most stupid comment of the day'
You are talking 'thought police' here. You're saying that because someone MIGHT do something then it's ok to arrest them.
You are an idiot!

Trumpeter Lanfried said...

Will the people who qualify for mortgage relief have to demonstrate that they are hard working?

Will layabouts not be eligible?

Are we now to discriminate (at long last) between the deserving and the undeserving poor?

Or is the phrase 'hard working families' mere verbal dross?

Jimmy said...

Cato,

I'm not expressing an opinion at all. I'm merely pointing out what the Courts have decided. In the circumstances I'm unworthy of your prize and I'm returning it to you as its rightful recipient.

I'm assuming your screen name is intended ironically.

jaybs said...

HardWorkingFamilies, I just get sick and tired of this constant over used statement, do the users not realise how many these days are single, they are hardworking as well.

I have got to the point now I can's stand to listen to the PM, first what he is trying to say and second working out why answers he is trying to avoid.

Catosays said...

Jimmy said...

Cato,

I'm not expressing an opinion at all. I'm merely pointing out what the Courts have decided. In the circumstances I'm unworthy of your prize and I'm returning it to you as its rightful recipient.

I'm assuming your screen name is intended ironically.

Since you're posting here, you are expressing an opinion...and you're still an idiot!

Jimmy said...

Virtutem primam esse puta compescere linguam.

Catosays said...

Jimmy said...

Virtutem primam esse puta compescere linguam.

Si mihi pergit,quae vult,dicere,ea quae non vult, audiet.

Jimmy said...

You won't get this on Guido you know.