PM 'treating us like fools'

October 07, 2007

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TORY leader David Cameron today accused Gordon Brown of "treating the British people as fools" in not calling a snap election.

Mr Brown told Andrew Marr Show he had had a "duty" to consider whether to hold an election, but decided against it so he could show his "vision" for Britain.

Mr Cameron said: “Watching that interview, I think people sitting at home will think ’he’s just not being straight with me, he’s treating the British people like fools’.

“Everybody knows he wanted to have an election and he is now saying ’I am not having an election because I want to make my changes’.

“But everybody knows he is not having an election because he thinks there is a chance of losing it and I think that is just treating people like fools and I think it will rebound on him very badly.”

Disappointed

The Conservative party leader insisted he had been “utterly consistent” about demanding Mr Brown submit himself to the electorate “whether we have been up in the polls or down in the polls” and was genuinely disappointed at yesterday’s decision.

Mr Brown defended his decision to kill off the possibility of an autumn poll.

The Prime Minister insisted he had not been scared off a quick election by new opinion polls giving the Tories enough of a lead to wipe out his Commons majority.

He had a public duty to consider demands for him to go to the country early, he insisted, but had decided it was better to give voters time to see his long-term "vision" in action.

Asked if he could now rule out a poll next spring or autumn as well, Mr Brown told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show: "It's not likely that we'll have an election."

Pressed on whether he was ruling out a vote "for a long time to come", he said: "I think it's very unlikely that this will happen in the next period.

"I think the important thing is that we get on with the business of change in this country because people do want change and I am responding to that demand."

Fevered

Mr Brown used the interview conducted yesterday afternoon to make his dramatic move to end fevered speculation about an autumn election.

"The question I asked myself in the end was a more fundamental one: why am I in public life; what am I here to do?

"And I think I have a duty to set out my vision for the future."

"When you are Prime Minister and you have the power to make this decision, people come to you and say 'you must consider it' and you've got to consider it because you have to exercise power with responsibility."

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GARFIELD (07/10/2007 at 11:30)

if the shoe was on the other foot? would he be saying the same or doing the same???

wkdboy1, Woodley (07/10/2007 at 11:33)

GB has shown that he is not competent enough to run as prime minister, he and his party have ruined our country and show no sign of stopping. He has shown the public that he is only after him self and does not care that the public really wanted an election. Cameron has shown that he is starting to get his party together and that they have spent time getting thier policies together, something that has made GB fearful, thats why he has bottled it and will not let the public decide who we want to run the country, hopefully the economy will crash and then GB will see it is time to go as his party have ruined and bankcrupted this country by adding stealth taxes that do not benefit the public but stop them living thier lives and only causes them more debt.

ace, manchester (07/10/2007 at 11:48)

Surely people dont expect anything else from this man "Brown" he was blairs lapdog for years he was blairs yes man ,its time to throw him and his terrible government.

PW, Manchester (07/10/2007 at 16:42)

Let's get rid of this utter shower. They are ripe for a big kick up the wotsit.

markyboy (07/10/2007 at 17:07)

to mr brown and the labour party - you bottled it and the electorate will really give you a kicking when you finally have to go for an election.
according to the press reports today the uk is on the brink of a financial crisis of mega proportions.
democracy?, what democracy?.

mauger 9, HANNOVER GERMANY (07/10/2007 at 17:50)

What comes next.The Euro?

watt tyler, ex-Manchester (07/10/2007 at 18:30)

What's the difference between a party game and the Brown government?

One is spinning the bottle. The other is bottling the spin.

Laura Norder, Didsbury (07/10/2007 at 22:31)

The opinion polls, three (3) of them, indicate to the PM he could lose the election - if he was stupid enough to call one. And the hypocritical tories, (and their mind-numbingly servile Lib Dem allies) and he decides against it. Where's the shock, there? Turkeys voting for Christmas?

Did Major go to the electorate when he took over from the 'woman in the attic'?

Thought not.

dessie, manchester (08/10/2007 at 08:14)

theres never any drastic change in this country which is what is needed, it needs a kick up the you know where to get this country back on its feet, and no one has the bottle to do that.

Daniel (08/10/2007 at 08:17)

Every party is the same. Regardless what they say! If Cameron comes in, we will have the same problems. SO leave labour to it.

Ms D, Manchester (08/10/2007 at 08:20)

For many people there are more reasons not to vote for Labour than to vote for them. That's why brown has "bottled it".

Mr Angry, Bury (08/10/2007 at 08:33)

Lancashire 4eva of Pendlebury, you are right. THe tories have tried to bribe their way back into favour with some rubbish about supposed tax cuts. Inheritance tax will probably benefit about 0.001% of the population and all the very rich will have sharp accountants and lawyers and avoid paying it anyway.People in this country are so gullible, have you forgotten 3 million unemployed, the poll tax, VAT up to 17.5%, the mess that was privatisation of the railways and buses, the miners being crushed etc

mylifeinthemafia (08/10/2007 at 10:45)

Daniel, you are so right! They are all the same. Indeed, the only decent person ever to get to Parliment was Guy Fawkes!

come-on-city (08/10/2007 at 12:38)

My Angry, completely agree with you.

People have short memories when it comes to the Tories.

May I also add it doesnt matter who we vote in Labour or Conservative, they are all funded by the same big corporations and nothing will change.

P.S. Im still waiting for the real Labour party to turn up!

The Bobelesque, In The Rye (08/10/2007 at 13:02)

come-on-city: You had the real labour party under Michael Foot. Remember? That's what convinced the elcetorate that they were buffoons.

ace, manchester (08/10/2007 at 15:48)

Yea just what we need a party that dosnt listen to the people who voted them into power,a party that sells everything british to the highest bidder the party that takes us into wars that have nothing to do with us,the party that sends billions on foreign aid,while the NHS is failing and schools are in need of books etc. A party that tells africa that it will guarrantee to send it millions to educate its children while back in good old blighty our kids are finding it hard to get educated?????labour the party of the world "Excluding britain" We just keep paying through taxes for others......

come-on-city (08/10/2007 at 16:43)

Ace you seem to also be describing the Conservatives.

Your Excellency, Häme, Finland (08/10/2007 at 21:16)

Reading the comments on this topic I can't help but wonder!! Of course we are being treated like fools, ALL politicians and gov employees have forgotten what public service is they (all of them) are riding the gravy train this will not stop until we have a good old fashioned revolution and do away with the lot of them, will anyone listen to my words? I doubt it.

ace, manchester (08/10/2007 at 23:26)

come-on-city
You wouldnt know a conservative if you saw one? conservatives dont give a lot of foreign aid mate ,they do what the name says "conserves" just what they did before labour got into power and wasted the multi millions that conservatives had saved .that is how labour conned the public in their first year in power it looked like tony was giving people lots of free money .it was money that was being saved but since then they have borrowed until we are in so much debt that it will take generations to get out of trouble. typical labour way of doing things borrow....then tax the daylights out of the working man...

The Bobelesque, In The Rye (09/10/2007 at 09:55)

come-on-city: do you remember when Britain was referred to as the poor man of Europe? I do.

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