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to The Sunday Times
Gordon Brown will have a year to show that he can turn around Labour’s fortunes after its drubbing in last week’s elections, senior ministers said yesterday.
As backbench sniping at his leadership intensified, ministers canvassed by The Times said that Mr Brown, who has been Prime Minister for less than 12 months, must be allowed time to fight back.
But several agreed that if Labour’s ratings did not improve in the coming year, his position might at that point become untenable. One said: “If we have not moved on by this time next year, we will be looking at certain defeat in the general election. At that point, people who see no point in putting themselves forward might feel they have nothing to lose, or Gordon himself might think it’s time to go.”
Another said: “He has put himself on trial. He has said he will get us and the country through it. That now is how he will be judged, probably in a year’s time. MPs have to believe they can win with him.”
Mr Brown is trying to silence doubts about his future with a rescue package of measures to help people hit by the economic downturn and the abolition of the 10p tax rate. In the rush to ditch unpopular policies he will veto plans for councils to impose fines on householders who throw out too much rubbish. Recycling incentives will be allowed but penalties scrapped.
The Prime Minister has summoned a special Cabinet session for tomorrow for what is expected to be an anguished inquest into what went wrong and an urgent discussion of whether and how Labour can dig itself out of the hole.
Labour MPs will soon be given an outline of the package that Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, is preparing to help the losers from the abolition of the 10p tax band. These will be aimed at women pensioners aged 60 to 64 who cannot claim pension credit.
Other measures to be announced over the coming days will include:
— Homeowners under threat of repossession because of mortgage problems to be given advice on how to avoid it;
— Boost for the housing market with new help for first-time buyers through shared equity schemes;
— Backing from ministers for the Competition Commission to stop price fixing by the supermarkets;
— Pressure from Britain and other countries on the Opec oil producers to increase supplies and bring down world prices;
— Possible postponement of 2p-a-litre fuel duty rise due in October.
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Simon,
That is GDP per head which means very little in fact. If you understand simple economics then look at the purchasing power parity (GDP per head adjusted for prices...which are much higher in the UK) the UK has about 1/2 to 2/3 the purchasing power of the U.S. so in fact I am correct.
James, London, England
The standard of living in the UK is not less than the US:
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article3137506.ece
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3613926.ece
Simon, Bristol,
1 year? Under current circumstances I would suggest about 1 week!
David Leslie, Perth, Scotland
i seriously give him three months max. the damage is done and there is no way he can repair the damage socialism has done to this country. as an american i am shocked to see how poor the standard of living is over here and how poorly the middle class is treated.
James, london, england
David,
the UK now taxes the poor and rich at almost the same percentage when indirect taxes are taken into account. taxes for all should be drastically lowered if this country has any hope of staying competitive in the forseable future.
Alex, london, england
The comments on this thread have disgusted me. Gordon is not doing well at the moment but I would rather have him 10 times over than let the Tories back into power to forget about the poor completely and plunge us into high unemployment again.
Oh how easily the fickle forget!
David, Edinburgh, UK
Give independence to Scotland. Then send Brown back there with the rest of his cronies. England to be governed by the English and you'll never see Labour in power again. Why should I be penalised for being English. Free University education in Scotland , free prescription in Wales what do we get?
Ken, London,
Mr Brown the self proclaimed 'conviction politician' is to drop his well thought out plans for the 'big picture' (stealth taxes to you and me, decided by one of new labours costly reviews).
All to stay in power? They say power corrupts, I just think.that Mr Browns 'substance' was always lacking.
Dave, Gibraltar,
I'd like there to be some sort of people's manifesto. One of the items that I should like to see is. 'No tax shall be levied for social or ecological reasons without being accompanied by a tax reduction of an equal aggregate value.'
Geoff, Sydney,
Choosing Milliband would just about complete British politics decent into the opaquely gray. Brown may be useless and dull but with Cameron, Clegg and Milliband as the 3 party leaders I would feel like I was staring at some amorphous mass. Bumbling Boris and Red Ken at least gave a sincere choice.
Dave, Beijing, China
i am from the states but live in London. i am liberal by american standards but a fascist (according to my brit friends) by UK standards. i really thought i was the only one who realized how absurd labour's socialist policies are but thank god after reading these comments i am not . Bye Bye Brown!
Alex, London, England
Couldn't find one comment in Gordo's support. Just goes to show how much pain he has caused. Don't forget, though all senior ministers are just figureheads, they have an army of overpaid advisors, and make decisions based on thier advice. Get rid if the advisors!
Ron, Milton Keynes, UK
Why do we have to pay so much tax on the fuel
Gordon Brown needs to consider everyone else in the country who will suffer when fuel reaches £ 1.50 per litre ( including 75% fuel tax ) .
I have personally signed Richard Mason petition on the Downing St website
Total signatures now 9000 plz sign
brendan oneill, sutton surrey sm13bh, england
the UK's finances are not in a great state which is shocking considering how much they tax the general public. bin tax, road tax, petrol tax, petrol duty, inheritance tax, large income tax, VAT...then...spend spend spend spend spend! where does it go?
Alex, London, England
there would be less people claiming welfare (thus requiring lower taxation) if the cost of living was decreased. we have the highest prices in the developed world on just about everything and ALOT of that is added on by tax. suddenly a car costs 400 pounds to license? who are they kidding?!
Alex, London, England
None of you good folks above seem to understand, that UK supplies 2/3 rds of daily needs from Brent North Sea the government is making 120 USD a Barrel on that lot every day like a bunch of Arabs.
So why then do we come to such a price at the pumps, I know political ineptitude.
Gordon, Perth, Australia
Most policies are a smoke screen for raising tax with no real link to the under-lying issue eg. Green taxes. Its simply a convenient way to raise more revenue. The problem is the government is only accountable through elections and you never get a proper explanation of where the money goes.
Andrew Brown, maidenhead,
The more people spend, the more tax is raised, more people are employed, etc: so reduce the overall tax burden. Simplify it so it becomes only income tax and VAT. Abolish all tax on savings, pay only the 'extra' amount at each stamp duty threshold, etc. Oh, and stop wasting my money!
Stewart Wiltshire, Peterborough,
Instead of pressuring Opec oil producers to bring down world prices of oil why doesn't Gordon Brown just reduce the amount of duty we have to pay on petrol?
Russ B, Newcastle, UK
Everything that has been said about petrol, the 10p, penions fiasco etc is correct.
However, I don't think people see Gordon Brown as a 'leader'. He lacks charisma, has bullied himself into power (no democratic vote), seemed to be duplicitous in the Blair years and doesn't listen - even now.
A Hughes, Swansea,
A woman as Labour leader? Yes please... that would make it utterly unelectablefor the next 20-odd years.
jimbo, london,
Gordon Brown pressurised his party into forcing the early resignation of the charismatic Tony Blair. Gordon will never win a General Election. Put Great Britain out of their misery and resign now. We cannot tolerate another 2 years of you as Prime Mininster. English Votes for English Legislation
Roy Carpenter, Hutton, Essex, England
People keep going on about Miliband or Balls, how about a woman leader for a change??????!!!!
Kitty Simmons, Camberwell, London
Mr Brown Your hearing aid must be turned off, The people want, A referendum, Fuel tax cut by at least 20p, A Cap on petrol prices i.e the same price from lands end to john o groats, petrol firms being forced to stop increasing prices willy nilly.Revue on income tax pensioners pay
malcolm strang, falkirk, UK
One year of grace for one man to clean up his act and save face, twelve months of added liability for 60 million if he doesn't.
Reassuring to know that the Labour Party has got its priorities right !!
Richard Crow, Warsaw, Poland
Why bother waiting a year? he will get worse as the financial mess he has created deepens! Harriet Harman is the only senior Labour figure who has been elected by the party and she should take over as PM immediately.
roger , york,
These people calling for a woman leader of the Labour Party (Hazel Blears, Jacqui Smith, Harriet Harman, Ruth Kelly) or for David Miliband are living in a dreamworld. There is a sea change taking place as there was when Major and Callaghan lost the election. We are fed up with Labour.
Ian Burgess, Bristol,
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
'New' Labour is visionless.
Paul, Coventry,
We want to vote about something; to have a say about how Britain progresses. Give us our promised EU referendum Gordon, or are you still not listening. You said you would listen and learn...... how about starting?
John Ross, Eastbourne, Sussex
When will this silly little man realize that he just wasting money.
Tax people
Pay lots and lots of people to administer it
Give some back as tax credits
.
How about..
Not tax people as much
Not pay others to give it back
More money for those who earned it
Leigh, lima, Peru
The labour party may be willing to give Gordon another year, but will the electorate be willing to give the Labour Party another chance after another year?
Martin, Poole, UK
The refuse tax proposal, presumably motivated by objectively 'green' considerations, was pursued despite clear popular opposition. An electoral thumping, and it is now to be dumped. Not because it is no longer deemed fit for purpose but because some MPs are worried for their jobs. Utter cynicism.
Michael Airey, Reading,
Boost for first-time buyers through shared equity schemes sounds much like collateralised mortgages.
The current crisis has taught us that if you put many small bad loans together, the result is one big bad loan. By the same logic, why should shared equity turn into more equity?
qed, Hurst,
a year? my goodness, i see its the new way to reward people, most companies would say you're fired mate..
i do think there needs to be a new contest and i think this time round a woman would be an ideal replacement seeing that we've never had a woman leader before...
Gary, Lambeth, England
Amazing that we've had 10 years of insane house price rises yet after one or two months of slight falls the government falls over themselves to give the market a boost. Its essentially a subsidy (paid by us) for unaffordably high house prices, and will help prop prices up (i.e. not helping FTB's).
Simon, Chester,
Brown is like Prozac in reverse.Labour MPs should realise that having a Prime Minister with all the charisma and jollity of an undertaker is never going to give voters the 'feel good' factor. With Milliband as leader and a new set of policies, Labour might stand a chance - otherwise it's curtains!
David Miles, St Andrews, UK
The arrogance, what makes Labour think it has even a year ! they are dead, they just don't know it, a persistant vegative state beyond life support.
Andrew Wakeling, London, uk
New-Labour is the party of opportunist, some of the will go to
media and probably may sell theyre own grandma?
Is this not the same treatment, what Torie gave to theyre leader
in downing street then, i can promise this to all nu-labour, once you lost power you won't be back for many years,
Cllr Ken Tiwari (Independent), Oxford , United Kingdom
To answer Emily Brown - yes Gordon (not Gorden) Brown does come from Scotland. Not proud of that but why tar us all? What's your point?
Definition of stupid - "continue to do the same things that caused the pain in the first place" - exactly what he wants to do - answer - not any more you don't!
JohnM, Perth, Scotland
Be gone Brown, to the other side of Hadrian's Wall. You & your "Hillbillies" have ruined:-
POLICING
PENSIONS
INVESTMENTS
BANKINS SYSTEMS
NHS
INLAND REVENUE
IMMIGRATION CONTROL
The only pain you feel, is when you have to pay for something you can't put on your expenses account.
GET OUT NOW.
chris, Bournemouth,
It's really very simple. If any new Chief Executive had been appointed to run an existing business and 10 months later produced the worst result in 40 years, he would be out the door in double quick time.
Why do the Labour Party not face reality? It's time to go Gordon!
Peter, York,
If Labour think it is all about the cancellation of the 10 pence tax rate then this shows how out of touch this rump of an administration is -
1) An illegal and ill conceived war in Iraq
2) Pension Fund - ruined under labour
3) Stealth taxes
4) Cash for honours
5) Corruption
Any more - YES
W Hutchison, Luss, Scotland
What Brown has failed all these years to understand is that UK plc is a business and what business needs to thrive is incentive. He has crippled business with Tax after Tax after Tax. The electorate is now fed up with him ,he needs to be replaced with someone more competent.The sooner the better.
S.L.Green, Colchester, UK
At last Brown's record is uncovered. As Chancellor he presided over the best economic times in recent history.....he prooceded by building budget deficits, driving up public sector wage inflation and increasing stealth taxes. We now face darker economic times for which we are ill-prepared.
Damian Pearspn, London,
Ken Lingston (sp) did all he could to to get the largest Mosque in Europe if not the world built but he would not allow under any circumstances the largest Christian Church, tended by a Nigerian Pastor, to be built. Maybe now the Christian church can be built.
Paul Bahre , Granby ,CT, USA
Brown will go down in history as the last Labour Prime minister
thats it folks shows over
the jig is up
shaun, stoke on trent, staffs
If Brown wants to see a continuance of a Labour government after the next election he should go now.
Unfortunately I think he fails to distinguish between a Labour government and his own domination. Back bench MP should call for a leadership election and determine who they want to lead them
Chris Wigley, Handforth,
12 months, I'd give him 10 years inside, one for every year he screwed the nation with the numerous and nefarious forms of taxation he imposed on us. But, there is little or nothing that he can do about the price of oil, foodstuffs and utilities, all he can do is reduce taxation to reduce costs.
Kenneth Armitage, Suffolk, England
I can't believe that Gordon Brown's been given a year. If Labour lose the Crewe and Nantwich byelection he should do the right thing and resign immediately. And if he won't resign the PLP should kick him out.
John, London,
Images last longer than words: Chancellor Brown, ending his budget speech with a smug grin, as he plucked a tax cut out of the hat and just forgot to mention the quid pro quo: more tax for the poorest. The 'pain' he feels is the electorate's disgust. They are unlikely ever to forgive him.
anne, bournemouth,
There can be no problem with the price of fuel. 80% is excise duty and VAT which is paid even on the duty itself. What a ridiculous situation. Just remove the duty and tax on fuel and it will go down to 25 pence a litre. They do it in the USA, Problem solved.
Richard, Alicante, Spain
If the Labour Party are giving Gordon Brown a year, that will leave almost no time in which to bring a replacement PM up to speed before the general election falls due. It's actually a sign that Labour has not understood the depth of resentment in the British public. Brown should resign today.
Mike Mitchell, Spalding, England
A good economist understands the critical link between the supplier and the customer, SALES. A good sales person knows that people buy from people they like. To bring these factors together, sales people need to meet prospective customers face to face. Brown fails this test at every level. QED
Dicken, Farnborough, UK
Predictions for the rest of 2008:
1 Brits discover devastating impact of shrinking pound on euro holiday spending money
2 Brits (reluctantly) booking holidays in the UK
3 Autumn announcement from Treasury re introduction of hotel bed tax in 2009
Gordon Alexander, Frome, UK
Where are the funds coming from to relieve our hardships?
The Treasury has blown billions over the years and is supposed to be broke.
Looks like more very well disguised taxes and a lot of brainwashing (LIES) is about to come our way.
Mike O' Connor, Plymouth, uk
One of the good things about Westminster democracies is that after ten or a dozen years in power, the electorate adopts a "kick em out, it's time for a change" view of the incumbent. It just happened in Aust, looks like it's about to happen in the UK
Steve, Adelaide, Australia
Fred Brough - if you think Gordon is so wonderful, why do you live in France?
Gordon can't give us a tax rebate, he has blown all the money in the kitty - as he knows, the only way to get out of the mess is higher taxes.
mnairb, Hove, U.K.
On the DWP website it states the total benefit bill paid out in the past 10 years is
£1,226 BILLION POUNDS
All our taxes are expected to pay for this!!
How much goes on those too lazy to work and immigrants?
No doubt these people are grateful and will vote Labour.
Margaret, Bristol, UK
Daily new 'intitiatives' aimed at raising more tax or interfering in another aspect of our lives...the man seems bent on political suicide. With worsening economic conditions destroying his reputation and people fed up of being taxed on everthing it's unlikley Lab will get in for another 10 years.
Jimmy, London, London,
Too little too late.
Andy, Brighton, uk
Stick it out GB. Labour has destroyed any sense of worth for all in the UK, sold out the UK's reserves, destroyed pensions, taxed us to the hilt, fined us for breathing and persecuted us for living.
Don't quit - at the next election we want the satisfaction of kicking you where you've kicked us!
J Valentine, London, UK
He just doesn't understand, its not a future 2p rise in the price of petrol, its not a future pay as you throw refuse tax, its not help for first time buyers thats needed. The problem is New Labour have built an economy on increasing house prices and ever increasing taxes, both are too high!.
A Seymour, Peterborough, UK
At the start of a housing market much needed correction it is immoral to use first time buyers to try to stop this correction, via shared equity schemes.
These young couples are being used as canon fodder by Brown, trying to save his political career. Shameful. And futile.
Brown s moral compass?!
Laura Fox, Chichester, West Sussex
Brown has no clue when it comes to peoples income level's and expense. I live in an band "F" house and pay well over £2000 in council tax, Currently I would be better off on benefits than working, go figure!
Harry, Gravesend, Uk
At the age of 66 losing £167 a month because of 10p tax, is too much . I will never vote for labour again. This is a message for Gordon Brown since it was his budget and his doing.
J Hashemi, Solihull, w. Midlands
These elections woke up the middle classes, they are the votes that change governments.
There comes a point when people realise that Gordon Brown is a classic tax and spend Labour prime minister.
If he felt our pain he would do more than postpone bin tax!
james, london,
Brown used to boast that his stewardship of the UK economy would enable us to decouple from the fortunes of the US. He likes to believe that he made a big difference! Predictably, he now says that our economic woes are all the fault of the US! Brown's plan for "the end of boom and bust" has failed.
Melchet, Edinburgh,
The next big one is Vehicle Excise Duty.
Just wait until car owners realise the extent to which their car tax is due to rise. It will put the 10p tax rise in the shade as it is far more widespread and a lot more expensive.
I can't wait.
Peter, Knapton, Norfolk, England
Perhaps it is time for Mr Brown to consider some strikingly apposite words from Oliver Cromwell...
"You have been sat here too long for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"
and
"My design is to make what haste I can to be gone."
R Hulley, Sonning, Berkshire,
socialism in britain DOES NOT WORK. few countries can pull it off (denmark and sweden come to mind) but the wealth gap is becoming enormous and WILL surpass the US's in a few years (i have no doubt). britain needs to shrink the welfare state or risk creating a permanent underclass of underperformers
Alex, london, england
Did Brown also apologise for taxing us to a standstill, ruining pensions, broken promises on NHS, Education and no EU Referendum, for not being tough on Crime, for hating Motorists, for failing Public Services, the ludicrous Tax Credits and ever increasing Welfare Bill. Stil have ID cards to come.
Bev, London,
For a number of years my company had Japanese contractors working for it, whose favorite word was Hi which means Yes. We soon discovered that when the Japanese responded to a question with Hi, it did not mean, yes we understand, only they had heard us. This is Brown now, he hears, but that's it.
Tomas, Alicante, Spain
I recently visited my local NHS hospital. As we walked in I noticed hordes of young men hanging around, they were on edge. I later discovered they were rival gangs waiting on fellow gang members who had hurt themselves in a fight. We felt menanced by the experience. My wife and I pay 40%!!!
Paul Denge, London,
"Boost for the housing market with new help for first-time buyers..."
Don't try to encourage any more first-time-buyers into the Housing Pyramid... sorry, "Housing Market". House prices are too high. It's that simple. They are now falling. Let them fall. We will all benefit in the long run.
Matt ODonnell, Guildford, UK
It's not possible to dig oneself out of a hole...the secret is to stop digging......(resign and call a General Election!)
Mel Turtell , Pratts Bottom, Kent
Margaret, Bristol makes a very good point. And most of this fortune was squandered on things most people would like to see abolished.
How long would the savings fund a 10p tax rate to help the worse off British taxpayers?
jane b, london, england
Wow!! Advise from Alistair Darling on how to avoid repossession of your home? That'll be a vote winner won't it. Do I really want to take advice from someone who thought 'repossessing' Northern Rock was such a good idea?
Chris Warren, Perth WA, Australia
TAX BURDEN as DWP website
£1,600 B given overseas
£13.5 M to house 10,000 immigrants in 2006
£75 M to run Gov depts to oversee immigration
£1,226 B in benefits over the past 10 year
£100 M on drug addicts benefits
£1.5 Billion on legal aid to immigrants in 10 yrs
All figures confirmed!
Margaret, Bristol, UK
So the Labour MPs have given Gordon a year to sort himself out. What a generous lot they are, he doesn't deserve five minute.
Neil, Gloucestershire, England
if labour's socialist policies did work you wouldn't have more people going on the dole, a growing wealth disparity, enormous wait-lists on the NHS, the highest food/petrol/housing/transport prices in the developed world, and mass emigration. god save this country.
Alex, London, England
A poem for New Labour
Great Britain
Gordon Brown
goodbye
Mike, Windsor,
Like the housing market he allowed to be speculated out of control, he has lost momentum, and will share a similar fate - once upward momentum is lost, the only way is down, and for him, out.
Rob, Andover,
It's going to be a long Year!
Ian Gibb, Ashtead, Surrey
GB says he's a rather private person who wants to understand peoples' problems. He might well be able to. He keeps the answers to himself, privately. But he's supposed to be PM. APM has got to be capable to acting, taking decisions, doing what's necessary.
Unfortunately he can't, won't, doesn't
Sparke, St Remy, France
Good luck to Mr Brown when he tries to get OPEC to cut oil prices.
Perhaps he should threaten to cancel Al Yamamah II.
That should bring them to their senses.
stephen bull, fontes, france
Why all the agonising within NuLab? Brown was never PM material, simple as that. He seemed at the time to be a competent (if boring) Chancellor but that has now unravelled. Have we all forgotten his smug smile when announcing the removal of the 10p band? He couldn't even work out the effect of that!
Clive, Chichester, UK
It is time to sell all my assets including my house, when the housing market picks up again, and move to warmer climates. By doing that I will not contribute to any tax to refugee and immigrant seekers, at the same time I will avoid inheritance tax.
Good luck to you all. You will need it
Tony, machester, uk
Jim Murray of Liverpool is absolutely right.
Mr. T. Bliar has done very well off the backs of the proletariat just look at that property porfolio.
Mike O' Connor, Plymouth, uk
It never ceases to amaze me how much better the punters would run the country. So much leadership potential! I don't know why we bother with elections. We should just start with As and work our way through to Zs.
Megagran, Manchester,
what do the labour party expect- they have an unelected government, the way Gordon Brown became primeminister was more like an eldest son inheriting his father's estate than what should happen in a democracy. This country has gone to the dogs under labour despite their "statistics".
Janet Woods, Blackburn, Lancashire
the enormous tax burden is used to oil the creaky machine that is the welfare state...and for what? an enormous underclass that is now dependent on the state and has no incentive to work, a growing wealth gap, and 6 month waiting lists on the NHS? Bye Bye Labour...get these socialists out!
Alex, London, England
It seems that NuLabour is running out of other peoples money
bob, aberdeen, uk
Why can't leaders be like football managers - so we could appoint a leader with a good track record from another country?And my choice? Definitely Mr Putin - what a brilliant job he's done in turning around Russia. Just look at our respective fortunes. Gordon Brown is the "Steve McLaren" of politics
David Fergus, Padiham, UK
Only a year to improve Labour's fortunes! Impossible! The state Labour have got this country in to will take years to unravel, with much pain for the public, in particular, taxpayers. Be profligate, squander taxpayers money should be the Labour motto. It always turns out to be that way!
R.B., Leicester,
It's not the 10 tax fiasco. It's him and his weird tax tax tax to deal with some notional measure of poverty. It's him who thinks equality is not a zero sum game and that he decides who deserves his help. Spewing forth the same excuses...Get Carter to tell you straight Gordon, it's you we hate.
Neil McF, Southampton, England
The prosperity was always an illusion. If you ignore mortages, student loan, and nursery care the average young family is better off, but these things are now part of everyday life for millions of couples.
Malcolm McLean, Bradford, UK
It's not the 10p tax fiasco. It's him and his weird tax tax tax to deal with some notional measure of poverty. It's him who thinks equality is not a zero-sum game and that he decides who deserves his help. Spewing forth the same excuses...Get Carter to tell you straight Gordon, it's you we hate.
Neil McF, Southampton, England
Gordon Brown is a clear example of the "Peter Principle", that a person is continually promoted until reaching a point at which they become incompetent. He may have been a tough and successful chancellor, but the statemsman-like qualities to lead the UK are just not present.
Garry, Dunmow, England
Brown has never learnt to drive, is chauffered everywhere and has probably never bought a litre of petrol or taxed a car in his life. He is struggling to bring up his young family on a salary of £163,000p.a. plus expenses and free house. And he feels our pain? NOT!
David, Taunton, UK
People are fed up of Labour. They have been in power for too long and it's time for a change. Brown has been far worse a Prime Minister than anyone could have expected. He will probably go down in history as one of the worst ever. The election that never was appears to have fatally wounded him.
gareth , llanelli,
Brown's misfortune is not down to the economy as he claims. It is down to arrogance, no EU Treaty referendum, years of stealth taxes, economy of truth, obfuscation and his blind lust for power. He must be delighted at the extra tax revenue we all pay, on the back of spiralling energy costs.
Melchet, Edinburgh,
The real crux of Brown's dilemma is that he has run out of wealth to redistribute. Pensioners, smaller companies and lower/middle earners are now soaked for every penny and he's afraid to hit the higher paid and large corporations. To get more the nation's wealth has to grow which is beyond him.
AWilliams, Cradley Heath,
'I feel your pain', 'I will listen and learn' are all platitudes.
At least start to be honest you're not going to reduce the tax burden, you're only postponing rises or giving back money you've taken in the first place. Talk is cheap Gordon your taxes are not!
Mark Reed, Rugby,
Brown doesnt understand that he doesnt understand!. People on low incomes expect to be better off each year following a budget and he has done the opposite. He wont restore their past income level nor fulfil their past expectations. Worse still their retirement future is grim and poverty riddled.
alan, warks, uk
So he's 'considering' stopping a bin tax and a 2p fuel duty rise.
Two things we're not paying for yet anyway! Woopy Doo!
Lower fule duty now and cap it at £1 a litre. That way £200 of my money doesn't get spent every month on fuel just to GET TO WORK!
Maybe I should give up and get benefits.
Nick D, Swindon, UK
New Labour simply do not get it! The New Labour government is so isolated they don't understand what people are angry about. When is the penny going to drop! When are New Labour going to understand that the average working family can no achieve an acceptable standard of living?
Costas, Cyprus,
A typical socialist living in a time where central control does NOT work. In this modern era you can no longer fool any of the people any of the time, they are just too well informed. Quit the tax hiking robbery (road tax, income tax, fuel tax etc.) which has gained billions and produced NOTHING!
Spikey, Bristol, UK
There is no point in saying "I feel your pain, sorry" when you are the person inflicting it, then trying to make amends for your own sake not the inflicted. It does not matter how educated one is, if they are not part of the real world then they cannot have the foresight and imagination to succeed.
Dave Madley, Alicante, Spain
Surely they've got to give Ken Livingstone a couple of months break before they give him the job..?
Guy Clapperton, London, UK
One of Brown's ministers said this morning that Brown's solution to the current worldwide economic situation hitting Britain is to pump tax payers money into the Treasury to reduce poverty. This does explain why he is in charge of one of the highest tax paying regimes in the world.
mike lincoln, wakefield,
This man has created a benefit dependant nation and taxed the rest to the hilt: good luck to companies emigrating. The sooner he is put to rest the better for us all.
William, London, UK
Brown still does not get it. People want concrete steps , not dithering as highlighted by the " Possible postponement of 2p-a-litre fuel duty rise due in October". he should take a leaf out of George W Bush's book. He sensed the public was getting edgy and straight away sanctioned a tax rebate.
Hamad Lone, London, England
Well, he and we have seen the protest vote. Unfortunately we have also witnessed Cameron's vacuity - which simply wouldn't wear in a general election. Our feeble opposition has given him -and itself- a lifeline while it conjures up some palpable and substantive policies. I'm not holding my breath.
Mike L, Chippenham, Wilts
All of these measures are no-brainers - what we want is to see some vision and some leadership. GB is reacting, mostly too little too late, because he is essentially too scared to strike out on his own. Give us a real leader., please.
Simon W, Norwich, UK
I voted for Boris on Thursday. Always voted Labour before but I've become sick of the sterilised politics of the NuLabour machine where everyone of them is either boring, spinning or spineless. At least Boris is a character and we can all have a bl--dy good laugh over the next four years.
kris, dartford,
Does he REALLY think fiddling with concessions over the 10p tax, a bit of debt advice, telling a quango to get tough with the supermarkets and postponing a petrol tax rise is going to save him. He is a dead man walking and Labour know it but are too scared to do anything about it.
Donna Walker, Effingham, England
I hope they keep Gordon in power so they are crushed at the next election.
I have just read he was going to bring in a bin tax costing £50 per year on top of the council tax. He really is bent on political suicide, is he completely nuts, and living in a word of his own?
David B, Wanstead, UK
A year? They are optimistic. It evidently hasn't dawned on Labour MPs that Brown is the biggest liability they - and this country - have. Those who wish to keep their jobs in two years time should seek to get rid of him now.
Paul, Coventry,
Brown is talented, has a good track record and is serious BUT HE LACKS CARISMA therefore in this pop age is valueless.
Fred Brough, Altillac, France
It is difficult to imagine how his ratings could get any worse, so improving is not exactly a tall order. He will need an improvement in the economy, and some blunders from the conservatives to have much of a chance in an election. The conservative blunders are a given. The economy?
Larry, Stratford,
If I told my boss I could show results "in a year" he would thank me and wish me the best in my future career.
jon livesey, Sunnyvale, CA/USA
A labour MP says that "he has put himself on trial" ...so go for an election Gordon. Many of us still resent the fact that you were appointed not elected.
In the words of Mrs T he is "frit"
Tom, huddersfield, UK
Helping first time buyers into the market just as the decrease in house prices gathers pace? The man knows how to go out with a bang!
Josh, London, England
You read it here first...
Labour under TB and GB lost its principles, its philosophy, its ideological heart - never to return. It has no reason to exist, and so will not.
Labour will badly lose the next General, never again gain power, and just wither on the vine. Left? 19th C Tory and Liberals
Jim Murray, Liverpool,
Oh my god, do we really have to wait a year?
James, Southampton,
Well goodbye then.
Chris Gillibrand , Brussels, Belgium
he is just so disconnected from the average brit. he says he "feels our pain", then he raises road and petrol tax and abolishes the 10p tax band. we are not stupid and the election results showed you this fact.
Alex, London, England
To quote: With fuel duty at 50.35p per litre and VAT at 17.5 per cent then the cost of a typical fill of 50 litres of fuel at £1.05 per litre works out at £52.50. This consists of £19.51 for the fuel, £25.17 for the fuel duty and £7.82 for the VAT." Why so much tax and VAT?
Dwight Vandryver, Scholar Green, Cheshire, UK
I wonder if the Labour party regret granting Gordon Brown a coronation now? One can't help think that they are equally to blame.
Anyway, a year is far too long, David Miliband is the only person with the capability of taking on Cameron at the next election.
Adam Hunt, London, UK
They just don't get it, do they? Labour is finished. Within two years, Labour will be crushed between the Conservative South and the Midlands, and by the Nationalists in Scotland. Inevitably, this will lead to Scottish independence, because the political divide will be too great for unity.
Ken, Bexleyheath, England
Here we go again! The Bottler just doesn't get it, does he! The last thing the housing market needs is a 'boost' for the sake of first time buyers. And helping the indebted to avoid repossession is sending out the wrong message to young people trying to get a deposit together. Resign Brown. PLEASE!
sophie smith, london,
he has taxed fined and banned everything he can, no refurendum on eu, i could go and on. i will never vote labour he had destroyed england, and the pub trade, thinks he can controll us as he thinks he knows best, i think we showed him he dont. get out labour ur not wanted
sandra, brighton , england
Once confidence the ability to lead has gone it cannot be restored. Brown lacks all of the necessary characteristics to be a leader. He cannot inspire confidence but leads through bullying. He is not a visionary but a backroom accountant whose success was based on a world credit boom and bust.
R. Bear, Warwickshire,
does gorden brown come from scotland ?
Emily Butler, Hartlepool, england