Gordon Brown’s leadership skills are under even more pressure today, as the new unemployment figures were made official yesterday. The figures saw the highest increase in February since records began in 1971. 138,400 people lost their jobs in February, taking the total number of people out of work to 2.03 million people. Under pressure.
In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, Gordon Brown finally admits some responsibility over the financial crisis. After David Cameron’s apology and subsequent double digit lead in the polls, this was only to be expected. Although it is doubtful whether this is enough to diffuse the calls for an apology from his political opponents. Brown finally accepts some responsibility.
Dick Cheney is still the Dick Cheney we got to know, but not love, for eight years. In an interview with CNN’s John King, he strenuously defends George W. Bush and the policies implemented during the administration Cheney was such a big part of. He also launches an outright attack on President Obama, saying that the new administration’s politics will leave America vulnerable to attack. Cheney proves he is still deluded.
David Cameron today apologised for mistakes his party has made on the economy. Among the errors mentioned was not warning about the extent of the UK’s debt crisis. Cameron says ‘sorry’ while Brown is silent.
We all love the Daily Show for poking fun at the political scene. Now we also get to love it for being right, and taking the moral high ground. It is about time someone spoke up about the ludicrously of business shows, and how they lack a sense of both good and evil. David vs. Goliath (or Stewart vs. CNBC).
President Barack Obama will today announce the lifting of restrictions on government funding for stem cell research. The restrictions were imposed eight years ago by George W. Bush, saying that such research would cross a ‘moral line’. Another poor Bush decision to be put right.
Several MPs have called for an inquiry into the claims of Binyam Mohamed, who is adamant the MI5 fed information to the CIA when he was in custody, making the MI5 implicit in the torture he endured while in captivity. Mohamed was held in Afghanistan and Morocco before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay. The broken image of the MI5.
Gordon Brown met with President Obama today, to discuss the world economic crisis. Mr. Brown’s aides were quick to emphasise that this was a ‘low-key visit’ when it became clear that there would not be any formal press conference to the White House press after the talks. The omitting of this tradition might take away some the importance and significance of being the first European leader to hold talks with the newly elected President. Brown feels snubbed by low-key Obama.
Sir Fred Goodwin is currently one of the most unpopular men in the UK. The former head of RBS, the bank that this week announced a £24,1 billion loss – the largest in UK corporate history, has said he fully intends to keep his pension plan. A plan that gives him £693,000 a year from a bank he promptly left when the government had to bail it out last October. A very expensive lesson learned.
2634 Americans was asked who they admired enough to call a hero. President Obama came out on top, with Jesus in second place. This interactive Harris poll is heavy with politicians, and comes up with quite a spread. Obama in the top spot, Jesus in second and coming up in fifth place is none other than George W. Bush. God doesn’t even make the top ten, but having to make do with an 11th place. I guess action, and lots of it, speaks louder than words. Obama is bigger than Jesus.