Friday, 28 September, 2007
- 28 Sep 07, 05:35 PM
From tonight's presenter, :
How snap is snap?
It takes a certain talent - as Gordon Brown might say - to be in the right place at the right time.
Something the Secretary of state for Culture, James Purnell, is discovering to his peril today. But more on that later in the programme...
Timing will certainly be crucial to the call of an election. And tonight we'll be doing pretty much what we imagine Mr Brown will be doing this weekend. Consolidating the myriad polls, mountains of advice, and conflicting external factors to tell him on what date he should go to the country if he goes for a snap election.
We'll speak to a panel who know all about giving political advice - and ask them just how much is left to chance in these decisions.
Burma
What would it take to complete a full scale revolution in Burma? How close are the protestors to their end game?
The thing that tipped the 1988 revolt into a revolution was a split within the army and a general strike by Burma's working class. So how does a country - where trade unions are banned - mastermind a revolution?
Paul Mason has been speaking to some of those working - in exile - to exact change in their homeland, and asks whether a shift within the military could occur this time.
And we hear from Pascal Khoo Thwe - one of those politicised by the Burma uprising in 1988. His book - From the Land of Green Ghosts - puts the human face on the atrocities perpetrated by the generals who took over the country. Tonight, he tells us his story.
Comments Post your comment
If my memory serves me correctly, when John Major took over from Thatcher he had to stay in the job of PM for a year and a day to claim his prime ministers pension. If this is the case Brown is a fool if he goes to the country before next July at the earliest. Perhaps the only reason for keeping the current speculation on the election date going is to bounce the Tories unto producing some firm policies which Labour can then attack and tear to pieces.
Complain about this post
Sorry to spam multiple posts but the server is playing up, no conformation message, preview also not working.
Complain about this post
brossen99 - yes indeed. This speculation is interesting, but having had a look at the useful graphic in the Guardian today I've yet to be convinced this is any thing other than a political ploy by Brown.
If he goes on October 25th it is said to be 'half term for English schools' [not all of them, surely], and if he goes a week later on November 1st, then any canvassing is going to run into the 'Trick or Treat' mob [although at least they can be 'paid off' with some sweets] - so I remain sceptical.
p.s. can we have an interview with the new Blue Peter cat James 'purry' Purnell ?? Or at least have him as an extra guest on Newsnight Review ??
Complain about this post
STREET DEMOCRACY 鈥 BURMA/BRITAIN
Now that Miliband has addressed the Burmese rulers 鈥 through the UN - telling them to show respect for masses of citizens in Burmese streets, might not Tony Blair be briefly seconded (from solving Palestine) to solving the Burma problem, as it was he who showed such democratic finesse in responding to a similar 鈥渦prising鈥 in Britain over the Iraq war?
Complain about this post
Sorry to interrupt you, D.Allan.
Why does the 大象传媒 attach so much importance to a trivial story like the hospital photograph? At most it might be of interest to local residents who might decide not to vote for Purnell at the next election for bad time-keeping.
Complain about this post
Another perspective on Burma and despots:
/blogs/newsnight/2007/09/british_investment_in_burma.html
Complain about this post
In addition to polls I do hope Gordon Brown takes into consideration whether there are more important things he needs to be doing other than campaigning. It is bad enough the length of the summer recess and then the conferences, to go into election slow down would be too much.
This would all be a bit easier if the media and, for that matter, the opposition stopped with this "mandate" rubbish, and perhaps explained to those parts of the ceaselessly gullible public how our system works.
We DO NOT elect Prime Ministers, we elect whole governments. Prime ministers are chosen out of the ranks of that government in anyway the party wishes - which could be done by musical chairs; there are no fixed rules.
I notice Cameron is shouting "Bring it on."
I wonder if he is desperately hoping that he can frighten Brown out of an election ...
Complain about this post
there is an excellent 30 min undercover video on burma here. well worth a go.
Complain about this post
#21 - The site is funded (at least in part) by Shell. How is a viewer to ascertain what's true and what's staged?
Here's another:
Again, should anyone be unfamiliar with the history here, they should critically follow up Jeffrey Sachs, the 'The Chicago Boys' and all of the subsequent good fortune of 'The Russian Oligarchs' e.g.
And as for further context on dictators, a closer look at the background to the recent Bollinger-Ahmadinejad exchange at Columbia University might reveal how promotion of Human Rights and Equalities legislation *can* become a little more complicated than many choose to acknowledge, as groups vie for hegemony at the expense of rivals:
Some local fall-out:
Just to cap it off and highlight just how distorted our conception of history and geopolitics may really be:
"TONY BENN: ......... in the case of Chamberlain and Hitler, Chamberlain supported Hitler. I鈥檝e got hold and have got at home the captured German Foreign Office documents reporting what Lord Halifax, the British Foreign Secretary, said on behalf of Chamberlain to Hitler. He said, 鈥業鈥檝e come, Herr Chancellor, to congratulate you on destroying Communism in Germany and acting as a bulwark against Communism in Russia.鈥........"
Recall that Stalin's 'socialism in one country (National Socialism) was not the type of communism Hitler saw as an international threat in 1939. He opposed international financial and international Bolshevism. Stalin too had been trying to eradicate these from the time he ejected and exiled Trotsky in the late 1920s. The USSR slipped back into Bolshevism after Stalin's death, leading to the Sino-Soviet split with Mao regarding the post-Stalin era as revisionist, and doomed to collapse into capitalism. With the death of Mao, China looked like it was at risk of the same fate.
But is all what it seems?
Complain about this post
I would like to say that first, Gordon Brown is a genuine heavyweight political leader we will talk of many years to come and beyond.
Tony Blair was as true to Labour as Brown but the looney left do not want to accept that because they were and still are a cosy talking shop of well to do studenty lefties who did nothing for the miners because they were too busy finishing their degrees and talking over coffee and digestives when working men needed thier help like my mom and dad.
I will never forget Tony Blair's premiership and I know Brown was eager to get the reigns as is normal amoung real leaders of men but they actually helped us.
They gave money and time.
Blair was called Bushe's poodle but remember he was also the most popular prime minister ever in 1997.
He stood by the USA because we had to regardless of leader.
Margeret Thatcher defeated communisn and many knock that but not those who have been to Poland and seen what a crap style of life they had forced on them. A student, YMCA hostel life for all.
Blair took Thatchers lead because he had to. Ten years had had an impact.
The loony left had talked but not changed a thing and Diane Abbot even sent her own son to a private school outside the borough after been MP in Hackney for so many years.
The Russians invaded Poland and most of the east. Why would they have stopped had it not been for Thatcher and America bankrupting them which they did.
If anyone dissagrees I ask them to go to these countries and see how they lived. See why millions want to come to Britain risking life and limb to get here.
In three years I hope the Clinton family is back in power and that our great prime minister Brown with his great mind and the great character Tony Blair can get the moderate muslims onside and get rid of extremism. I know they will and I told Tony myself just that when I could.
I have nothing against Cameron but he will not suffer too much if his political career isn't fabulous. He is still middle class and comfy a lot like the looney left who slated Mandleson, Brown and Blair and Cambell yet they made a difference to our actual lives regardless of what had gone on before.
Brown is the leader now and the guvnor.
Any election would spell that out any time but MPs need their time to fulfill their promises.
Labour all the way......minus the looney left tea drinkers.
Brown and Blair and Mandelson and Cambell led the charge and Brown is the Guvnor come to rule over his domain. We know he means what he says because he said it from uni.
And while Blair and Clinton make moves in the east Brown can help them.
NEVER forget how desperate people are to get to the UK.
We take it for granted. Especially the loony left.
I hope our historic premier helps Blair and Clinton in the next decade and we can really aim for peace and justice in Africa and beyond.
Bush and his dad tried a world order but I'd prefer one with Blair and Brown and Clinton (we all have our needs) and Cambell and Mandellson.
These are men who can change our planet for the better and I think they will if we let them.
Complain about this post
One last thimng boys.
You are the men to do it.
Brown and Clinton are the bosses and you are the minds to do it.
When I ran the 1500 I was always told to blockout the noise.
Get Hillary in the White house with Bill and Blair in the east and Brown at home with mandelson and cambell doing their thing and you know what? We may actually feel proud to take our kids to the park again.
Muhammid Ali tought he was fighting his demon in Lston but it turned out to be Foreman who made him a living God.
All silly now but a new world order with Clinton Brown and Blair and not to mention the European leaders and world leaders can change this century so we stop killing each other and start understanding eqch other and tolerating each other and maybe even like each other.
Please Tont, Bill and other's don't pass it up as this may be your real goal in politics. The real thing.
Nathan Sturley
Whitstable
Complain about this post
Realise what going on!!!Gordon Brown is just mind the gap as prime minister until he get elected, or Mr Cameron is elected. His real problem is that Tony Blair was a fanstatic, flash ans some what a presidential prime minister. It is probably safe to say that Mr Blair was the best prime minister of all time. Unfortunately for Gordon Brown, he has merged from the inner working of the labour party and walked straight into the position of prime minister. How undemocratic is that? the public do not respect that! Gordon Brown best asset for britain was as chancellor like Andrew Boner Law. In my opinion, mr Brown fate as prime minster will be similar to John Major.I think charles kennedy should be bought back to improve the liberal democrat politicial game, anyway who don't drink in britain? For a moral new britain, the gentlemen William Hague should replay david Cameron and become prime minster and improve britain.
Complain about this post