The Wardman Wire

A number of people have responded to the Got to be Gordon meme (the full list is here):

Duncan Hames suggests that Gordon Brown should be proud of the Minimum Wage, having “doubted it would work at the time”, and international debt relief, but should apologise for the house price boom - which has done far more to widen the gap between rich and poor in this country than any measure he has attempted to reduce it.

On the other hand, he should immediately end forced Key Stage tests for primary school pupils, and help us kick the materialist consumer habit, by (among other things) restraining advertising - especially to children.

Darren Lilleker says that Gordon Brown should be proud of being the longest serving Chancellor in modern times, and that he can say that within his ten years there has been no serious crisis but a prolonged period of stability, and also thanks him for sacking Charlie Whelan, who is much more useful as a commentator than a spin doctor.

On the deficit side, Gordon Brown should apologise for his quiescence (Ed: a lovely word I have not heard since my chemistry A Level) during the Blair years:

“There is an invisible force field that seems to separate him from the cabinet decisions. He is often reluctant both to endorse or to criticise and as such he acts more like an impartial civil servant. Perhaps he has always been keen to be seen as a separate entity…”

and the fact that state pensions are a miserly sum.

Darren wants 2 independent enquiries, into the cash for peerages scandal and the lead-up to and prosecution of the Iraq War now. Later in Mr Brown should carefully consider the effects of various pieces of anti-terror legislation on British society and reform government communications to ensure there is openness and transparency.

Mike Rouse, who is the Chief Technology Officer (i.e., he mends things when non-techies break them - sorry Mike - as well as being responsible for everything technical ) at 18 Doughty Street says Gordon Bown should be proud of making it this long without being ‘removed’ and following Tory spending plans years after 1997, but should apologise for the pensions crisis and the largest tax burden since WWII.

On the other hand, Mr Brown should review the raft of legislation created in the last 10 years and announce an independent inquiry into the 7/7 bombings, and then amend SOCPA to bring back some civil liberties and cut taxes.

Meanwhile, over at Lib Dem Voice in the comments thread about Got to be Gordon, Jock who admits to being “a terrible recluse with no friends“, changes the agenda. Gordon Brown should be proud of Sarah Macaulay (and especially for the fact that she doesn’t hang around his political life ala Cherie) and his children, but should apologize for the pension fund tax raids and The Bob and Bono Show. He should immediately initiate proper PR for all UK elections and then call one. And he refuses to suggest anything long term because he reckons that Gordon Brown would lose the election!

Finally, Iain Dale asks in the same comments thread:

how the hell do I go about tagging others? yes I am aware that I’m a ‘pooter simpleton?

The easiest way is to send them an email with a link to the original article Iain. Really switched on bloggers who watch Technorati will notice if you post about them with a Technorati Tag of their name on the article - but that doesn’t always work.

[Update Friday 12:30: there are at least a couple I have missed: I'll do another update this evening]