[Politics] Who would have been the perfect leader to take us through this pandemic

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Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
If you still believe the Cameron lie that Labour caused the worldwide economic crash of 2008 by excessive borrowing, then the history you’re reading is probably a Johnson article from the spectator. It’s utter bollocks, no economists worth their salt believe it to be the case.

Labour did not regulate the banks sufficiently, that was indeed a mistake but we’d have been hit by the financial tsunami from the U.S even if we’d have kept the likes of Goodwin under control.

When the financial Tsunami came, Brown was heroic in his decision making and decisiveness. He has more talent, integrity and capability in one of his scotch turds than c*** Johnson has.

If anything, Rishi Sunak, the present Chancellor, had a finger in that pie.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...-in-on-fund-that-helped-break-banks-rb7zgfqkz
 


WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 10, 2003
26,066
A Rustie Lee/Bobby Davro coalition with GAP in the Cummings advisory role.

Only a three week tantrum on this account this time ?

Welcome back :lolol:

And of British Prime Ministers in my lifetime, I think only

Harold MacMillan
Alec Douglas-Home
Harold Wilson
Ted Heath
James Callaghan
Margaret Thatcher
John Major
Tony Blair
Gordon Brown
David Cameron
Theresa May

would have handled it better
 
Last edited:




Neville's Breakfast

Well-known member
May 1, 2016
13,423
Oxton, Birkenhead
If you still believe the Cameron lie that Labour caused the worldwide economic crash of 2008 by excessive borrowing, then the history you’re reading is probably a Johnson article from the spectator. It’s utter bollocks, no economists worth their salt believe it to be the case.

Labour did not regulate the banks sufficiently, that was indeed a mistake but we’d have been hit by the financial tsunami from the U.S even if we’d have kept the likes of Goodwin under control.

When the financial Tsunami came, Brown was heroic in his decision making and decisiveness. He has more talent, integrity and capability in one of his scotch turds than c*** Johnson has.

Straw man argument. No-one is saying Labour caused the global crash. The accusation has always been that Labour overspending made the UK unusually vulnerable to its effects ie magnified the UK crash. Agree or disagree with that proposition as you will but it’s a bit pointless defending against a charge that has not been made.
 




WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 10, 2003
26,066
I'm sorry, but I do not wish to indulge in typed intercourse, lest I get dragged into your bullying and childishly oppressive timbre.

Well maybe don't mention me in your very first post back after your self imposed exile.

Hope this helps :bigwave:
 


Horses Arse

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2004
4,571
here and there
Straw man argument. No-one is saying Labour caused the global crash. The accusation has always been that Labour overspending made the UK unusually vulnerable to its effects ie magnified the UK crash. Agree or disagree with that proposition as you will but it’s a bit pointless defending against a charge that has not been made.
Labour spent to overcome years of neglect under Tory rule..it is always that way. Many years of choking the country, the right leaning UK eventually tires of the abuse and labour come to power. They invest in the countries infrastructure, get hammered for doing so and we enter another long period of abusive cuts and wealthy people becoming wealthier.

It's what the population of this country vote for, we seem to love a bit of self harm..very odd.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk
 


Commander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Apr 28, 2004
13,041
London
I keep hearing what brilliant jobs NZ and Australia have done throughout the pandemic. Their attempt to go zero Covid is a great idea in theory. But while they have avoided the deaths and economic crash that we've had here, they now have a population hugely susceptible to a virus that most Europeans are immune to, as their vaccination rates have been so low because people aren't bothering to get jabbed as there are such low cases there.

I'm not sure they thought this strategy through properly, and they are now 18 months behind Europe and the US in the pandemic. It's great that they've avoided the hardship we've had here, but they're basically trapped with closed borders. I know who's situation I would rather be in at the moment.
 




A1X

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 1, 2017
18,211
Deepest, darkest Sussex
If we're talking realistic figures within recent Tory history, it would 100% have been Rory Stewart. He understood what was going on waaaaaay before most others in his party did and called it right every time (albeit from the sidelines because he was too sane for the modern Tory party).

In recent times I think actually the time our political system was best equipped with the people at the top to deal with it might well have been in the 2010-2015 period, with the worst influences in the Tory Party kept in check by the Lib Dems in coalition and a Labour party led by someone who knew what they were talking about and would have done the right thing.
 


Neville's Breakfast

Well-known member
May 1, 2016
13,423
Oxton, Birkenhead
Labour spent to overcome years of neglect under Tory rule..it is always that way. Many years of choking the country, the right leaning UK eventually tires of the abuse and labour come to power. They invest in the countries infrastructure, get hammered for doing so and we enter another long period of abusive cuts and wealthy people becoming wealthier.

It's what the population of this country vote for, we seem to love a bit of self harm..very odd.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

There’s probably some truth in your first sentence as there is to the opposite take which is that the Tories are elected to rectify Labour mismanagement and overspending. As always neither side accepts the uncomfortable truths.
 








Horses Arse

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2004
4,571
here and there
There’s probably some truth in your first sentence as there is to the opposite take which is that the Tories are elected to rectify Labour mismanagement and overspending. As always neither side accepts the uncomfortable truths.

A regular change over between the two, to invest and rest is probably as good way a forward as this electorate can hope for. The problem is that this country has had far to much of the Tories throttling. The decade of decay to punish us all for the global crash has generated far more problems with the pandemic, for which we will suffer for decades.
 


Neville's Breakfast

Well-known member
May 1, 2016
13,423
Oxton, Birkenhead
A regular change over between the two, to invest and rest is probably as good way a forward as this electorate can hope for. The problem is that this country has had far to much of the Tories throttling. The decade of decay to punish us all for the global crash has generated far more problems with the pandemic, for which we will suffer for decades.

Good summary. I don’t disagree.
 






Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
50,985
Faversham
I had a brief think about this and realised it is a ludicrous thread. Unless people come up with a list of former PMs who would certainly have done things better the OP is free to say 'see, nobody is better than Boris!'. The same reasoning could be put forward that nobody would have presented TOTP better than Jimmy Savile, and so....

:facepalm:

Boris has made mistake after mistake and today he's made another. We have another 2.5 years of his 'leadership' to endure. If, by then, the people of Northern Ireland will be reflecting on a new found secure, safe and prosperous future (for example) I'll give Boris some credit. Full credit won't be forthcoming until thousands of those who lost relatives in care homes, because they were made to work unsafely, etc., turn round and say 'no, Boris was right; he did very well and I am grateful'.
 


Not Andy Naylor

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2007
8,806
Seven Dials
If we're talking realistic figures within recent Tory history, it would 100% have been Rory Stewart. He understood what was going on waaaaaay before most others in his party did and called it right every time (albeit from the sidelines because he was too sane for the modern Tory party).

In recent times I think actually the time our political system was best equipped with the people at the top to deal with it might well have been in the 2010-2015 period, with the worst influences in the Tory Party kept in check by the Lib Dems in coalition and a Labour party led by someone who knew what they were talking about and would have done the right thing.


Stewart is a good example of the way the system keeps good and intelligent politicians away from power. Although I have generally detested most Tory governments, I can't deny that there are people of talent (misguided perhaps) in the party. Tom Tugendhat, Tobias Ellwood, Greg Clarke and Sayeeda Warsi seem to have both intelligence and integrity - but not being Brexit nutters, they will never get big jobs under the present administration.

Equally the Labour front bench is alarmingly devoid of talent, while Dan Jarvis, Hilary Benn and Yvette Cooper wait their moment. Starmer would also be a better Home Secretary than party leader. I like Lisa Nandy and Jess Phillips but I'm not sure either of them are front-line material. And neither Andy Burnham nor David Milliband, the two I might want in charge of the country, are even in parliament.
 


A1X

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 1, 2017
18,211
Deepest, darkest Sussex
Labour spent to overcome years of neglect under Tory rule..it is always that way. Many years of choking the country, the right leaning UK eventually tires of the abuse and labour come to power. They invest in the countries infrastructure, get hammered for doing so and we enter another long period of abusive cuts and wealthy people becoming wealthier.

It's what the population of this country vote for, we seem to love a bit of self harm..very odd.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

There’s probably some truth in your first sentence as there is to the opposite take which is that the Tories are elected to rectify Labour mismanagement and overspending. As always neither side accepts the uncomfortable truths.

A large part of the problem is in this country we've really got it arse about face with the economic situation and who should be in charge. We tend to install Labour Governments when the economy is doing well and Tory ones when it's not, but in fact it should be the other way round as the best way to do things is to save money when times are good ("fix the roof while the sun shines) and spend money when they're tough (to get the economy moving again),.
 




DavidinSouthampton

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 3, 2012
16,660
Nicola Sturgeon has done a decent job in Scotland.

Mark Drakeford in Wales, too, has done well. Sensible, measured and in the main trusted.

Has anyone mentioned Rory Stewart? Sensible and knowledgeable about things like pandemics!
 


Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull
May 22, 2012
15,035
Your mum.
 


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