I’m sorry but that is complete rubbish – it’s not even a close representation of what he actually said.

Defend Gordon if you must, but yesterday the PM proposed forcing young mothers into compulsory care – http://tinyurl.com/ydj5reh

And you shouldn’t defend that.

1 – That’s rather the point of the piece…

Still ignoring the BNP provenance of the policy…?

@1 I think you’ve just done a Matt Munro

Anyway… If only this was the sort of stuff that was produced Don, unfortunately we get tabloid chasing stuff like this from Brown and unworkable policies from Harman.

And still the Sun abandoned him.

What will he try next?

Bringing back the birch?

Speaking of Harman, why on earth is her ridiculous Punternet proposal today’s Top Story?

This was a speech from the politician who thought it would be clever to get up and start spouting about “British jobs for British workers.” Once and for all, Gordon Brown is not one of the good guys.

Isn’t it about time people like Don Paskini and Dave Osler stopped fantasising, nay, masturbating over what they wish Labour would do, and faced up to the fact that Labour will never do it.

Funny and tragic at the same time. Brown’s real proposal was the moment I finally decided to abstain next spring. I no longer see the difference between New Labour and the Tories in their viciousness towards the vulnerable.

BBW @1, Chris @7 and Stephen @9: With respect – and I understand fully why you should feel so angry given the pandering to the right rhetoric in which it was delivered – the speech did not say that young mothers will be forced into compulsory care. It carefully stopped short of that because that is not what will be implemented.

I am nto trying to defend what was said, but it is important to distinguish the rhetoric from what will actually be put in place, which will in fact be an extension of some of the provision already in place e.g. foyers. The challenge will be to make sure that as it is implemented the right things get done and not the rightwing ones.

I’ve written on this at length (and am in debate with Don P about it) at http://thoughcowardsflinch.com/2009/09/30/gordon-browns-speech-and-the-last-chance-saloon-for-tom-harris/ should you be interested. It’s fair to say that Don P takes a more negative line on the substance behind the rhetoric, and I can see why he does that, but at least we’re having the debate rather than talking about slags in gulags.

Isn’t it about time people like Don Paskini and Dave Osler stopped fantasising, nay, masturbating over what they wish Labour would do, and faced up to the fact that Labour will never do it.

I faced up to that long ago, DJ. Suffice to say that when I do have one off the wrist, ’tis not the Labour Party that I think upon.

very good post.

Thanks to Paul@9 for the link to the discussion about this.

Excellent!

Paul – that’s well put and having read more about the proposal, my anger has subsided (fractionally). But surely the fact that Brown chose this rhetoric is itself significant. While he continues to pander to an illiberal agenda, rather than confront it, what is the point of Labour?