Bill Clinton backs Gordon Brown

Just in time for the Labour party annual conference, where he will be the big guest speaker, Bill Clinton has said he thinks Gordon Brown will make a good successor to Tony Blair.

Mr Clinton, who has known Mr Brown longer than he has Mr Blair, said that he had been a great Chancellor and would be a good prime minister.
He also strongly praised Mr Blair’s record.....

......He said of Mr Blair and Mr Brown: “I just want them to stay together, to decide what to do and keep the Labour Party together.
The political difficulties of the moment should not obscure for the British people the fact that this Government has been good for their country.”

.....He added: “You’ve got a great economy, better growth than America has and less inequality than America. Gordon Brown has been a great Chancellor of the Exchequer.
They just have to work this out.
You can make too much of the politics and too little of the substance.
The point is that new Labour has served the British people well.....

.....Asked whether Mr Brown would be a worthy prime minister, Mr Clinton replied: “There’s no doubt. I have known him since 1990 and I think he’d be a good prime minister.”

www.timesonline.co.uk...

- Interesting take on events.
It surprises me a little because I was not aware that GB and BC had worked closely enough together over the years for him to take such a firm view.
The (always favourable) comments about TB I can understand as they obviously worked so well together and so closely (particularly on Northern Ireland).

Bill's always been a great speaker and freed from the 'day in day out' of partisan politics he's become quite liberated in what he says, I'm looking forward to what he has to say.

This should be an interesting round of party conferences.
Labour's restlessness as the imminent leadership change gets ever nearer.
The torys attempting to sound like they might actually have a little depth without actually committing to anything of substance.
The Lib-Dems look up for a bun-fight as Kennedy, the ghost of the election past, rises zombie-like to create dissension and frighten the woolly-pully brigade.



[edit on 14-9-2006 by sminkeypinkey]

Oh I did not know that they had a close relationship either.

Well now If B/C's wife become thenext president. I would say that the so called special relationship the UK has with the USA will be more stronger.

Anyhow hopefully GB, will be the next Leader of the Labour party. Just wonder if they are going to win the next G/E.

Least we wont have to put up with Prescott anymore. Now theres a plus.

Whilst Gordon Brown will be the next Labour leader i doubt they will win the next election, and even if he does he will end up just like John Major, being stabbed constantly in the back by his predecessors suporters.

Originally posted by solidshot
Whilst Gordon Brown will be the next Labour leader i doubt they will win the next election, and even if he does he will end up just like John Major, being stabbed constantly in the back by his predecessors suporters.

i believe too,

i dont think he will win a general election either.

Hell no, I do not want another 12 Years of the Tories.

Im moving to another country if they get back into Power.

Next election?

We shall see, but as I've said so many times before I think the tory party are fighting the last battle and the world has moved on, we've just had umteen years of 'young' and I'm far from convinced that a 'young tory' holds very much appeal beyond the (desperate) tory party.

Gordon and in-fighting?
I think the hand-over period will give the so-called 'Blair-ites' time to see and realise just how much Brown was co-author of the so-called 'New Labour project'.
That and the poll boost Brown delivers will more than settle them - as will eyes on a looming general election, whenever it's called.

Mind you, any bets on a snap election during the first year (or year and a bit) of GB in 2007-08?

Much as I'd like to see it I'm far from convinced Hillary Clinton will even stand, never mind win, a possible race for the Whitehouse in 08.
But I'd like it myself.
A woman's got to scale those heights soon and she'd be a good one once in IMO.

(BTW sj it was almost 19yrs in a row of tory government last time.
Just being friendly.
Not trying to antagonise you or anything, like. )

[edit on 14-9-2006 by sminkeypinkey]

Knew it was something like that. But im asking do we want them in ?

I for one do not want the tories back in.

But who else is there to vote for?

Liberals hmmmmms

Guess I'll believe Bill is telling the truth on this one. Apparently he was ecstatic to here that Blair had won back in 1997. And its no surprise as they're from the same side of the political spectrum. Spencerjohnstone right that if Brown wins the next election; and if the democrats do too then we'll be one big family. That's what its about "sewing the seeds for a good working relationship".

The Other Voting Advice…
Well I might be moving to another country if Labour wins.
The biggest thing about the Tories is that they're against I.D cards. Of course so too are the Lib Dems; trouble is the Lib Dems can't win. In many places voting for them actually reduces the chances of a change of government as it cements Labour Control.

So I want the Tories to win not because they've won me over; but because they have yet to annoy and worry me as another Labour victory.
However my local area has always been Tory since 1923 I'll be voting Lib Dem next election. This is firstly because in my area it does not threaten the Tories grip on overall power (i.e. because they're going to win anyway I can afford to vote differently), secondly because I hate their grip on power in our local area, thirdly because (even more than a Tory government) I want a Lib Dem government but realise (under our stupid voting system) that isn't really obtainable at the moment.

Basically my advice is that if your in an area where no party has a strong grip on power vote for whoever you like (in my case as long as Labour can't win; otherwise I’ll just vote for whoever will ensure against that most).
If your in an area where one political party has a strong grip on power then ether vote for them (but only if your truly in love with them) or vote for second greatest opposition.

The Tories will be for about 4 years because they've had time to suck up to the public in exchange for power. However after about 4 years they'll do what Labour did (ever noticed how most of Labours really good decisions like the minimum wage, bank of England independence ect had been made within the first for 4 years). The Tories are no different; after they've done the popular things; they'll make up others things they will want to force upon the public (in the belief they've already got our vote).
Only by that time I'll be thinking of voting Lib Dems again (or possibly even Labour).
Currently a change of government is needed unless you want I.D cards and biometric passports to be forced upon you (the law has already been passed only a change of government to Tory will cancel it). It's that simple.

I also believe that most of the ruling brains in Labour are A-moral; the same is true of the Tories but I just wan't to see power taken away from Labour (for the reasons just explained). And next time perhaps we can do it to the Tories (just to be cruel). Hence within only two elections both of them would of been punished; and therefore encouraged to pay more attention to the public.
That's the plan; it's not a political party, but it has my support.

[edit on 090705 by Liberal1984]