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We're in depression, says Brown as his party slumps in polls
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor4 Feb 2009
GORDON BROWN said Britain and the world's economies were in "depression" today as a new poll showed that Labour was heading for election defeat in key marginal seats.
The Prime Minister's words were seized on by the Tories as proof that the downturn in Britain was turning from recession into outright slump.
Mr Brown's remarks in Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons came as a Channel 4 News/YouGov poll showed that David Cameron was set for an overall Parliamentary majority of nearly 70 seats.
The poll - which was conducted in marginal seats which will determine the outcome of the election - put the Tories on 43 per cent (unchanged) and Labour on 36 per cent (down three).
Number 10 tried to play down Mr Brown's "depression" remark, while minister Tessa Jowell said she believed it was "a slip of the tongue" and he had meant "recession" instead.
The Prime Minister had been explaining that a global trade deal was vital to kick start economic growth. "It also is absolutely clear that we should agree as a world on a monetary and fiscal stimulus that will take the world out of depression," he said.
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne said: "The Prime Minister must personally and urgently clarify whether his statement today that the world is in 'depression' was a slip of the tongue, or whether he knows something that we don't know.
"For the sake of confidence he should clear up this confusion. Prime Ministers in particular need to be very careful about their use of language to ensure they don't undermine confidence." In a further blow to Labour, it emerged today that its key green pledge in its last three election manifestoes was likely to be missed.
In 1997, 2001 and 2005, the party committed itself to slashing 1990 carbon dioxide levels by 20 per cent by 2010.
But latest figures from the Department for Energy and Climate Change show that CO2 has fallen by only 8.5 per cent.
Shadow Climate Change Secretary Greg Clark told the Standard: "This is pathetic progress. It's an indictment of Labour's whole approach, which is to set a target without any plan to deliver it."
Reader views (40)
I think Brown is telling us how bad it is so that in 15 months time he can tell us how bad it was but he has saved us....just in time for the election???
- Steve Byrne, christchurch UK, 05/02/2009 23:21
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Thank you Gordon for pointing how much you depress us, as if we need reminded.
While Gordon is out to destroy society, the economy, provide British jobs for British workers and yet has time to save the world. He is deluded if he believes that the whole of the rest of the world really sees it that way, or is affected in the way he would wish them to be.
- Ian, Reading, England, 05/02/2009 15:28
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Do you have to show Brown always smirking.Looks like he is taking the proverbial out of us all?
- Harvey Lawrence, london, 05/02/2009 15:09
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As for London being the financial hub of the world we will have to wait and see - I for one as so many otheres will be looking for opportunities overseas - at least I won't have to pay any more for this white elephant called the olympics and imnept and incompetent government maintinaed at eye watering expense - the sooner Brown and Co are purged from government the better
- Wallytrader, London, 05/02/2009 11:24
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Nulabour sent Britain economy into a disaster by using its borrowing culture. There is nothing can do to recover by Labour. It is the best decision to call a general election and asked the public to choose the right government.
- Muheed Jeeran, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 05/02/2009 09:41
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I find it depressing that this country is run by criminals, thieves and liars. Why we allow ourselves to be controlled by these fools is a mystery. Why don't we just get rid of them?
- Neil M., london uk,, 05/02/2009 09:40
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What depresses me is reading that in spite of bailing out the RBS, thousands of staff there will be getting huge bonuses very shortly. What is Brown doing about this and the continuing corruption in the Lords?
- Peter Little, Wendover, England, 05/02/2009 09:23
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Barrie, Essex, you are right, but even if the majority of the UK population agreed, what difference would it make? We are allowed a single vote every 4 or 5 years, to elect an MP, put a party into government, select the Prime Minister, give a mandate for a party's agenda and express our opinion of individual policies. Besides this limit on our power, our voting system often produces MPs and majority government elected by a minority of voters.
After the election we are ruled by a virtual dictatorship; we have no control over what the government does. The PM can reverse or make up policies which are then rubber-stamped by MPs, bullied, blackmailed or bribed into voting for them. We have no control over the government at all.
When he became PM, Brown promised open, answerable government, with parliament having more power to question policies; yet within a few weeks, parliament was being bypassed with major changes to defence policy being pushed through at the recess to avoid a debate and vote, our promised EU referendum was refused on a pretext only the government believed and the government became even more authoritarian by pushing ahead with more police state measures. More and more people resent and dread the Government’s Chinese / Middle-Eastern ID Card system / NIR / ContactPoint and eBorders, yet Gordon Brown is obsessed with them, despite opposition from law experts, head of the CPS, many Labour MPs, Conservative MPs, Lib-Dem MPs and others.
- Stan, Midlands, UK, 04/02/2009 23:36
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The latest opinion poll is a disaster for David Cameron. We are in a deep recession (and may even in a depression),with job losses left, right and centre, Gordon Brown should be well behind. Cameron needs to spend more time developing convincing policies and less on inventing clever sound bites. William Hague should have a quiet word in Cameron's ear. Not many real people (i.e. outside the Westminster village)give two hoots about PM's question time. It didn't do Hague any good and he is a far better parliamenterian then Cameron will ever be.
- Neil, London, 04/02/2009 19:45
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What's depressing is how little is learned about the folly of continuing to trust free market capitalism any more. To attempt to blame Brown or Darling is lazy thinking.
It's been our fault, for contiunuing to allow ourselves to be mis-sold a clapped-out dysfunctional way of condcuting human economic relations.
Its depressing that we have been conned into believing that refinancing a failed and unstable system is the best - only - way.
The comments here are so depressing as they trivialise and misundertsand the huge challenges that remain. Can ahny of them really believe that to return to the ghastly failed tory ideas and policies would produce a recovery of our prospects?
Pouring more billions of our good money after the bad of
- Barrie, essex UK, 04/02/2009 19:38
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The time has come for the people of the uk to realise what New Labour has done for us? Leaving aside the world Down turn,Who took away all the tax advantages of pension funds OUR GORDON who taxed everybody to the limit OUR GORDON and now he is not to blame, its the banking industry, the world markets,the global down turn.
NO MR Brown YOU have never looked after us on your or Tonys watch so now is the time to say GOODBYE.
- Bill Williams, Bagnoles France, 04/02/2009 19:33
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I'm in a depression because he is Prime Minister.
- Ann, East Sussex, 04/02/2009 19:09
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Finally Gordon - will you PLEASE get the message and GO
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 04/02/2009 19:08
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Blair knowingly gave Brown a poisoned challice. The sooner he drinks it better it will be for all of us.
- Keith Hedges, Wheatley. Oxford UK, 04/02/2009 19:07
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Greg Clark should be a lot more careful with what he says about CO2 emissions. One of the reasons why they have come down is the decrease in industry and the recession. If he thinks that he can get to the 2010 target by 2020 without inflicting some real pain, he is day dreaming.
The Conservatives are going to be in power, as the economically illiterate Broone has had too long at the controls of the UK economy. They need to be careful that they don't flippantly exchange their dogma for his. Careful thought from smart people, not partisan claptrap, is needed.
- Coylum, vancouver, Canada, 04/02/2009 19:01
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Why does he constantly get things wrong and says stuff that he doesn't mean? He is clearly the wrong man for the job.
- Chris, London, 04/02/2009 18:40
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Afraid Dave and the team dont exactly set me alight,still lets get rid of Gord , and put it to Dave-'NO BOVINE FAECES' whats needed to get things right,he;ll dance and sing to hold power, but we must make these guys realise the old gravy train is in the sidings and it aint coming out again, if they do not shape up someone ressurect Guy Fawkes, him of the blessed memory.I truly despair the whole system stinks, theres this pervading air of nothing is really going to change, the dregs will keep their heads down,Bingo! as soon as they think its ok, the hands will slide back into the till. and the snouts will be buried in the trough, as though nought had happened,Phew thats my gripe, whats yours?
- Tobius, grobelarsdorp south africa, 04/02/2009 18:37
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This amazes me - there is no way that 36% of this forum support Labour so, who are they asking? His family? I see no support for this fool anywhere not at work or on the internet. As we have no method of voting him out and did not vote him in, this is a form of poor mans dictatorship.
- Simon Grey, London, 04/02/2009 18:34
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Depression: so that was what was in his mind when arrogantly and foolishly he said 'an end to boom and bust'. Heaven help us. But the electorate has only itself to blame when it elected New Labour. "Time for a change" was the cry in 1995 and later when Mr Major's government was floundering. "Anything is better than this lot" was often said then, and by intelligent people too.
Well in a democracy it is the job of the voter to select something that is better, not just blindly to vote for a change. Electing 'anything' is tantamount to anarchy.
Sadly for Great Britain, that is what the electorate did in 1997, and that is largely why we are now in this parlous state.
Alleging we are inescapably part of a world event fails to recognise the crass economic mismanagement of Mr Brown as Chancellor and now as Prime Minister. He bears responsibility for the enormous expansion of the public sector which alone allowed him to crow about declining numbers out those of work. He has created a catastrophe which will take decades to rectify, and which doubtless he will deny when in opposition.
- Martin, London, 04/02/2009 18:28
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I think Mr Brown himself is suffering from depression.
- William Grierson, Kimpton-UK, 04/02/2009 18:12
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This clown Brown has had to qualify his recent statements, including today's, far too many times and I can only conclude that he has acquired the liars disease, namely that he cannot remember what lies and to whom he told them.
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hampshire, 04/02/2009 18:11
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I always knew Brown had it in him to create a country hooked on Prozac. From: "I've eliminated boom and bust" to British Jobs for (British) Polish workers," Brown is a Scot in a country he doesn't understand. Unelected by the people whose financial futures he's destroyed, he sleepwalks through events in a trance, wandering in a political ether world which doesn't exist nor understand the lives of ordinary people - those who so blindly believed that "Things would only get better."
- Barry Cashin, st albans, 04/02/2009 18:05
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Just at his silly face. It says everything.
- Dee Jay, Fleet Hampshire, 04/02/2009 17:46
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Depression, Recession - its all the same Dearie!! Maybe Pa Broone is suffering from depression with all the 'Bad News' that keeps falling out of the sky like banana skins. Soon too, the Men in White Coats will be trundling Pa Broone away on a gurney to be taken to the funny farm where things are happy all the time.
- Uncle Vanya, East Anglia area UK, 04/02/2009 17:08
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Another slip of the tonque Gordon. Saver of the World. British job for . . . I wil do everyone I can to save the economy . . . opps he didn't say that but . . . is he? I will not take lessons from the part opposit . . perhaps he should. Depression or depressing or both? Gordon is cracking up.
- Albert Hall, hove england, 04/02/2009 17:03
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I'm suffering depression having Brown as the UK prime minister.
- Tony, dundee, 04/02/2009 16:42
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And the nonesensical Crash Gordon had just spent one rant, sorry 'answer', at today's PMQs furiously accusing Cameron of talking down the British economy!
Little wonder scores of McLabour MPs, Ministers and Peers are scurrying off to find cushy directorships with fellow cronies' highly remunerated public and private sector, whilst simultaneously stuffing their pockets with outrageous expenses and freebies.
- dave, cumbria, 04/02/2009 16:39
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How on earth can these clowns get 36% Oh I forgot, these are the fellow travellers and client-state scroungers supported by this poor excuse for a government and paid for by us hardworking taxpayers. As EWngland goes down the toilet last one in please pull the flush.
- Keith Price, Luton, 04/02/2009 16:38
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Once again we have to paraphrase Ronald Reagan's famous sound bite from 1980;
"A recession is when the other guy loses his job.
A depression is when you lose your job.
A recovery is when Gordon Brown loses his job."
- Steve, London, 04/02/2009 16:30
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was the fool referring to his rule, his political party, our economy or his general state of mind? I too am depressed waking up to the mess that is now the UK. How depressing.
- fly, london, 04/02/2009 16:25
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"We're in depression", says Brown.
You're in a depression? Think about the rest of us, who have to listen to you wittering on cluelessly whilst throwing taxpayer money at a problem you helped cause in the first place!
- Bob, Cheam, 04/02/2009 16:07
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CO2 levels?.. but what about the wonders of Prezzer's condensing combi boilers we all have to have?
- Chris Davies, Stalybridge UK, 04/02/2009 16:06
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Brown inadvertently has told the truth. He meant to say Recession, but tripped over his tongue and said Depression. Whilst the rest of the world will slowly recover from the global recession in 2009 Britain, the WORST hit economy in the western world, will suffer a Depression all because of Brown and the Socialist rag bag that have been ruining, sorry I mean running this country for the past 11 years. Finally after all the spin, being economical with the truth, having their snouts in the taxpayers trough the socialist party admits the truth, that they have vandalised our strong economy and sent it hurtling into a long and painful Depression. Not since the 1930's has the outlook been so economically bleak. I hope all the young people who cannot get a job, all those taxpayers who have witnessed the decimation of their house prices, and the erosion of the value of their pensions, all those who have been a victim of crime and all those patriots that want to see Britain strong not weak will remember that when voting next.
- Richard K, Nottingham, 04/02/2009 16:03
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I don't know if we're technically in an 'economic' depression, but one things absolutely sure - I'm totally 'depressed' by Gordon Brown and his government. It might have been a "slip of the tongue" as brown-nose Jowell has tried to impy, but as the old sayong goes "there's many a slip twixt cup and lip". I suspect Brown knows something from the figures he's seeing that he clearly doesn't want "us plebs" to know.
- Malcolm, London, 04/02/2009 15:53
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"In 1997, 2001 and 2005, the party committed itself to slashing 1990 carbon dioxide levels by 20 per cent by 2010.
But latest figures from the Department for Energy and Climate Change show that CO2 has fallen by only 8.5 per cent."
I don't see how that works at all, the UK's CO2 emissions have overall increased during the period 1997- 2008, so even though it may be down by 8.5% on 1990 there's no actual definitive decrease at all.
- Bob, Cheam, 04/02/2009 15:52
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For once he is speaking the truth. It is going to take a long time time to heave ourselves out of this, we will but there are no shortcuts...either for Brown or for the Tory party. Throwing money at it will not help, we have to just work through it. Everyone has to lower their sights, including government. When this is realised we might progress
- sheila, london uk, 04/02/2009 15:48
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Not only has Brown and Co taken us into an economic depression, all the signs and body language of the British public indicates he has also brought the vast majority of us to the verge of clinical depression. Including by the looks of it himself and his administration.
- Robert El-Cid., Hull, East Yorks.,, 04/02/2009 15:19
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Freudian no doubt
- Jim, London, 04/02/2009 15:16
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By my reckoning that makes Labour up 4 since the polls last week, not down 3; the Conservatives remain on 43. Could it be that there really are green shoots out there. I see the NIESR forecast, produced this morning, says that we will start to recover in the third quarter of 2009, just as Alastair Darling said we would. Watch this space.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain, 04/02/2009 15:15
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I've been in a depression since 1997, because the complete disaster that has been NuLiebour was entirely predictable.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 04/02/2009 15:02
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