Bob Piper has been a Labour Councillor for the Abbey
Ward in Sandwell, West Midlands, for 10 years. He is a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa Football Club and a follower of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
The views expressed here are mine in a personal capacity, not those of the Labour Party, Sandwell MBC, Aston Villa or Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Get it! Mine... just mine!
Promoted by Bob Piper of 115 Barclay Rd, B67 5JZ on behalf of the Labour Party, care of 39 Victoria Street London, SW1H 0HA . Hosted (printed) by Swaithe Internet Solutions who are not responsible for any of the contents of these posts.
Please note however, that The Labour Party is not responsible for the content of this website or individual posts as, unless specifically stated, I am writing solely in a personal and individual capacity.
Promoted by Bob Piper of 115 Barclay Rd, B67 5JZ on behalf of the Labour Party, care of 39 Victoria Street London, SW1H 0HA . Hosted (printed) by Swaithe Internet Solutions who are not responsible for any of the contents of these posts.
Please note however, that The Labour Party is not responsible for the content of this website or individual posts as, unless specifically stated, I am writing solely in a personal and individual capacity.
I thought George Osborne pitched it just right this morning on the Andrew Marr programme. The right combination of defiance, mixed with some talk of economic prudence. If he still wants the job, and he gave no sign of calling it a day, I would confidently predict he will be standing alongside his old Oxford chum David Cameron as Shadow Chancellor at the time of the next election. His only real problem, I suspect, and the bit that probably doesn't endear him even to his Tory colleagues, is his air of superiority and arrogance, and that won't play well with the electorate unless he can lose that inbuilt sneer.
Oh, and that pained expression when concentrating that makes his face look like a smacked arse! But apart from that...
Robert said:
November 16, 2008 12:14 PM | permalink
Somebody must be teaching politicians how to smile, and not doing a very god job of it, when Blair smiled because somebody attacked him you though dam prunes will remove that problem, when Cameron smiles it's like waking up from a deep sleeping and finding the dream was a lie, and when Brown smiles well everyone ducks because I'd swear he is going to throw up, so somebody has to look into who the hell is giving these people smile lessons and sack them.
He has a pallid look about him, very noticeable when seen pictured with the other Tory toffs, they having that pinkish appearance so prevalent in aristocracy.
Paul Sandars said:
November 16, 2008 2:57 PM | permalink
Osborne must be approaching being the Tory Barry Goldwater now.
Robert said:
November 16, 2008 3:05 PM | permalink
Bloody heck, I though Brown was looking very pink these days not red just pink then I realized it might be high bloody pressure from the dizzy heights he's been reaching.
Oh please, the only reason he might come across as arrogant is because he has to rise above the stupid BBC stories about him and how apparently the BBC don't think the Shadow Chancellor is allowed to talk about the value of Sterling on international financial markets.
Well, neither you nor I know him, nor why he comes across as arrogant, but it seems to be one of the most popular accusations made by Tory backbenchers.
You may well have a point Valerie, but Gordon Brown appearing to you as arrogant has absolutely no bearing upon whether George Osborne does.
My opinion of Osborne is that he is one of these people who comes across, a bit like Peter Mandelson, strangely, as rather 'above' the people he is talking to. It gives him a superior air, and that appears arrogant... and as I say, Mandelson's natural urge to patronise his interviewers has the same effect.
Valerie said:
November 17, 2008 4:06 PM | permalink
Bob, I have never thought George arrogant. However I have only seen him on TV, perhaps he gives a different impression 'in the flesh'.
November 16, 2008 12:14 PM | permalink
Somebody must be teaching politicians how to smile, and not doing a very god job of it, when Blair smiled because somebody attacked him you though dam prunes will remove that problem, when Cameron smiles it's like waking up from a deep sleeping and finding the dream was a lie, and when Brown smiles well everyone ducks because I'd swear he is going to throw up, so somebody has to look into who the hell is giving these people smile lessons and sack them.