I know you are a socialist and therefore mired in prejudice but I didn't credit you for such a buffoon. For your guide: your people are in charge and the ones who should be taking firm action. Oh yes, and as a direct result of ten years of Labour hubris we are broke. Again. But even worse than last time. And the only thing you lot can do is blame it on a woman who has been out of power for the best part of two decades. The genius of socialism, heh?

His initials provide more than a clue as to his best course of action...

Marcus, you are delusional. I make no mention of the old witch of Finchley here, which is not surprising as she wasn't on the Today programme and I haven't got the foggiest idea what solutions she would have for the current crisis (although I suspect throwing people out of work and blaming the trade unions would be high on her agenda).

I think you are being a little harsh Bob 9though as a Tory I would say that wouldn't I). All opposition politicians leave wriggle room in their support to blame the government if things go wrong. I seem to remember a certain James Gordon Brown, then shadow chancellor, backing British membership of the ERM right up to the moment Norman Lamont pulled the plug, but now we dont ever hear him stop talking about the Tory disaster of Black Wednesday.

Osborne said he didn't know whether the measures would work: surely that is the turth? No one knows whether the Government's measures will work. He did say they were the right thing to do (and I think you exagerate the effort it took Humphreys to get him to say that) and that he would support the Government's measures. What more do you want from an opposition politician: supine, craven support?

Osborne is by no means perfect: he has been as behind the curve on this whole crisis as the government has and I'm not sure he would have done a better job than Darling and Brown. The point is, however, that he is not the one in charge: your party is and the public will make its judgement on their performance, not that of the opposition as Black Wednesday proved. We shall all have to wait and see what that judgement is.

I don't think Alistair Darling knows whether the plans will work either!

Marcus must think that the British Government's powers are awesome. Bringing banks crashing down in the US, Iceland, Belgium, Germany to name but a few. Should someone tell him we no longer have an empire?

I think it may be he who is guilty of hubris...

Wanted to listen to what Mr Darling had to say this morning, not the self-important John Humphrys continually interrupting. That guy needs to appreciate most of the times we don't mind his rudeness, but at times like these we needed to hear from the guy who was attempting to fix it for us all, and not bloody rants by him. As for Osborne, who cares ? Not me, it's Mr. Darling and Mr. Brown who will save us all, or not, and I'm going with the save us all.

Concerning the comment that the country is broke: the national debt is indeed now very high, the highest since 1995-96 in fact. Wait a minute, who was in charge in 1995 again?

With our debt we saved the NHS, built shedloads of new schools and are now saving the economy. What did we get for our money in 1995?

When George Bush announced his $700billion rescue package, I observed that we can expect Gordon Brown to do similar with a cash injection of between £100-150billion...

Bob I'm sorry but in your place you cannot accuse anyone of "dithering" without "pot" and "black" being in the response. A five year old with an abacus might have forseen this coming for some considerable time.(not within a couple of months since GB came back from holiday!)So without contributing to it which has happened also for some considerable time, there could have been some fall backs put in place.
A bit closer to home can you tell me why Sandwell is continuing to spend spend spend, borrow borrow borrow,hand out ,hand out, hand out?

I just had Digby Jones on TV slate the Conservatives, my god what next will he become an MP well no of course not he is making more now, but would you believe that Digby Jones or sir Digby Jones would tell Cameron he is talking through his hat.

Shock I though the daft bastard had gone from labour.

Robert... he was never Labour. We made that clear, and so did he. You don't have to be Labour to think Cameron is talking through his rectum, sorry, hat.

Margaret, when those who accuse Brown of dithering actually dither themselves they have to expect to get their own back. As for Sandwell, our Deputy Leader manages the boroughs finances very well instead of leaving it to officers. Other Councils should try it. On a personal note Maggie, which Party are you in this week?

OK, here goes. Remember I'm from Cannock, so likely to be a little dim - but I just don't get it. So can someone explain (please be gentle with me) the following paradoxes;

The rail system, as inherited by NuLabour in all its constituent parts, was/is an absolute shambles. Was the biscuit tin opened to renationalise it? Nah,mate, can't be done, don't be silly.

Local Government is annually squeezed financially by NuLabour until the pips scream, never mind squeak, to the extent that services are now routinely outsourced. Over which, I guess,the Finchley Witch has a right good cackle. Has the clasp on Prudence's Purse ever been picked to release the funds to properly support public service? Sharp intake of breath, best value, blah,blah....

The country's power supply/utilities are obscenely hiked up on the altar of profit at the expense of the old and vulnerable dying in their overcoats with NuLabour waving goodbye to much of it as it floats over Le Channel?
Did anyone consider slashing the mattress and regaining control? Excuse bleedin - moi, monsieur!!.....

But come the squealing of those who live in the trough, those who say No! to those who desperately need a Yes!, those who swill champagne on the theory of the Me Society, screw you, chum, ain't capitalism great, and its

Oops-a-daisy! How much? How many billions? Sure its enough?
And all doled out in record time.

Can anyone enlighten this tortured soul?

As Captain Mainwaring would say... "stupid boy". How can we expect a poor boy with a Cannock education to grasp these things.

We've been arguing for a century that we should implement the old clause iv, part 4 which read... "To secure for the workers by hand or by brain the full fruits of their industry... upon the basis of the common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange, and the best obtainable system of popular administration and control of each industry or service."

And the first time we're bold enough to do it people start bloody moaning "taxpayers' money".

Oh, by the way, the bit I missed out said... "..and the most equitable distribution thereof". I don't think they've got the hang of that bit yet.

The actions of Mrs Thatcher (and her mate Reagan) are relevant. They helped to establish an ideological mindset that said private good, public bad. Deregulation was in, Govt interference was out. Remember the "big bang" of 1986. Just 2 years ago Michael Snyder, chair of the City of London's policy and resources committee, said
"Big Bang marked the start of a period of great success for the UK-based financial services industry," he said.
"Reducing the tax and bureaucratic burden, and building Crossrail, are investments in prosperity which will bring strong returns and City success."

Ernesto raises a good point(s).
Why now, why not whenever.
Simple. Europe.
The rules only allow a max of 3% spending of GDP.
A good rule that keeps everyone ship shape (apart from Italy, Spain.....)
How this is playing with the EU rule book, in my eyes, is the most important of all to look forward to.
I really would like an explanation.Governments are allowed to break that rule and Nicolas Sarkozy has been threatening all sorts all year against the ECB.

Still with the blues matey.Still trying to improve things for my area instead of dumbing down.Still trying to live within my means.So managing the councils finances is down to one man then ah? God help us.