"Who are you calling a deficit denier?"

Wed, 2011-02-23 15:18 — Axmed

Mehdi - great speeches. Thanks for posting these clips. Cheers,

Wed, 2011-02-23 16:20 — triedeinsursE

It's official, Mehdi is in love with himself.

Wed, 2011-02-23 16:30 — John Chan (not verified)

Great speech Mehdi. As ever a refreshing take things.

Wed, 2011-02-23 16:32 — Jesse (not verified)

Good speech. The only complaints are from people who think you are too confident - the left needs people like that!

Thu, 2011-07-14 16:24 — Tavares

Now the only hope is to get funding and votes from the unions. All that will happen is that union bosses will be over paid at the expense of the low paid workers used as fodder for votes and subscriptions. http://www.plumbingprojects.net/

Thu, 2011-02-24 19:09 — thinkov

there's no effort to making money

just oragnised thievery

stop bleating on about working for it-- we're exploited for it and you're lot get it

Thu, 2011-02-24 19:25 — Marcus (not verified)

@thinkov: The most ridiculous argument i think i have ever heard.

Wed, 2011-02-23 17:08 — Axmed

Buckskins - you can hate/envy Mehdi but he is a great speaker and writer in our time!
Be human like most of the people and stop hating people because they are different from you. Mehdi is the mannnnnnnn!

Thu, 2011-02-24 20:05 — C Baker

Labour cosied up to the Bankers- Ed Balls and Ed Miliband included.

Prescott had two jags, some council chief executives were paid more than the PM.

Kinnock went off to Europe and as Jonathan Ross may say- is worth more than 60 hospital doctors.

Red Ken made sure his mayorial offices were made swankier.

Now the only hope is to get funding and votes from the unions. All that will happen is that union bosses will be over paid at the expense of the low paid workers used as fodder for votes and subscriptions.

Labour has no real solutions to poverty or inequality. They did not spend the money fairly or wisely when in power. I wish there was a credible left- but Labour is not it.

Thu, 2011-02-24 20:21 — Abbas (not verified)

It's clear that the shadow cabinet aren't doing their jobs and that the lib dems have taken another step away from sanity, the lib dems should have and should do more to oppose these cuts.

Thu, 2011-02-24 20:42 — Aide Memoire (not verified)

"What a lot of journalists shamefully... allowed the Chancellor to get away with in that speech is that on the other side... was... Barack Obama, Ben Bernanke, Tim Geithner..."

Hold on. Tim Geithner is "on the other side"? This is what Tim Geithner said the other day: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12531102

"Very impressed". "Reforms that are very good". "What he did was a very remarkable thing". "Problems not created by this government". Tim Geithner doesn't sound like he's on the other side to me.

I don't have time to check the facts like Mehdi Hasan says he does. Nor do I have time to check the facts of other journalists. But based on the fact that Tim Geithner's opinion was utterly misrepresented by Mehdi Hasan, I'd rather trust all the other journalists before I trust him.

The danger with arguing that you must be right because clever people agree with you, is that you look pretty stupid when it turns out they don't.

Wed, 2011-02-23 19:01 — Clem the Gem

Please, don't feed the animals chaps...
Spot on Mehdi, wish I had been there...
http://clemthegem.wordpress.com

Thu, 2011-02-24 21:58 — triedeinsursE

"stop bleating on about working for it-- we're exploited for it and you're lot get it"

Exploited? for working for a living? That's right, it should be given to you. Let someone else work for it, then demand the same earnings as them. What does it take to have you realize you are owed nothing for nothing by your government or anyone else. No wonder you can say "there's no effort to making money" simply let others sweat for it.

Wed, 2011-02-23 19:13 — MT2011 (not verified)

More self-promotion from Mehdi, when will it end?

Wed, 2011-02-23 19:18 — Olijaan

Fantastic speech. Good points, nice delivery.

Wed, 2011-02-23 19:38 — Gavin (not verified)

MT2011

Whats the problem and really how is it any different from when he has written countless times on this very blog about many of the points he made in the speech!?!? Get a grip

You may not enjoy listening to Mehdi but I and many others actually do, so why don't you end the pointless comments....

Wed, 2011-02-23 19:51 — Alex (not verified)

Howdy Folks! Buckshite the bush whacking inbred is back! Yee haaa!

Buckshite writes the same bollocks on ALL of Medhi's blogs.

Tell me Buckshite, if you dont like Medhi's blogs, then why do you spew comments on his blog????

Wed, 2011-02-23 20:12 — Richard (not verified)

Medhi will be OK once he grows up a little. Right now he's far too strident and puffed up to earn any genuine respect

Wed, 2011-02-23 20:34 — la potenza della speranza (not verified)

I like Mehdi's Style. He brings an element of humour and relevance to his commentary. I also like his passion and the way he reacts, sometimes angrily, to people who (often delibrately) misinterprate what he's saying. (constant references to Mehdi's purported religious convictions for example are becoming tiresome). It shows he's human for crying out loud. Are all journalists to be devoid of humanity and sacrifice the courage of their convictions for frivolous etiquette?

Wed, 2011-02-23 21:10 — MT2011 (not verified)

@Gavin
I haven't said whether I like or dislike what Mehdi is saying so shame on you for assuming. The point I am making is that Mehdi is clearly motivated to write this stuff to gain publicity rather than persuading people of his values and arguing his cause. This problem is what has prevented people such as career politicians and media-types from saying what they believe, rather than what will get them in the news, raise their profile or win acceptance in the right circles. It is not the content of mehdi's argument that is under question, it is the way that it is distributed and how a platform that Mehdi has gained can be wasted for such self-gratification. It is more embarrassing for him than anything that he uses this space to post a video of himself talking which is already available at other sites. What a shame.

Wed, 2011-02-23 21:23 — Simone (not verified)

Wonderful - I enjoyed listening to this speech last Saturday. Very rousing, intelligent and apposite!

Well done Mehdi.

Fri, 2011-02-25 00:47 — Alex (not verified)

Buckshite "non believer"? Yet more idiotic rantings NS's resident redneck troll.

Damm, inbreding really has hit you hard.

Buckshite you never have anything useful to say, so do us all a favour and shut your two teeth mouth.

Wed, 2011-02-23 21:27 — Simone (not verified)

BTW MT2011, Mehdi is doing a service to all those who listened to this speech on Saturday and who welcome being able to save it to watch and show others. I didn't know where to find it before.

Fri, 2011-02-25 01:34 — thinkov

marcus your po faced tripe won't save you from our revenge
robber

Tue, 2011-03-01 20:10 — Adam Cadoo (not verified)

The more I see of this Mehdi guy, the more I think he is one of the bravest and outspoken individuals on the left. Most importantly, he makes sense.

He should run for something.

Wed, 2011-03-02 18:36 — Hugh Markey (not verified)

We constantly hear the query - "Who's going to pay for it?"
The taxpayer! No, not the tax avoider, the tax evader, the vat circus performer, the 'wealth' creator, the legacy-lay-about -no, just the taxpayer.
Got a feeling this has been the case for centuries.

Taxpayer

Tue, 2011-03-08 17:43 — mutley (not verified)

Such a lot of ranting (on both sides of this argument)!

It seems that the playground nonsense of claiming people critical of the cuts 'just want handouts from the people that work' is a ludicrous, hideously arrogant, over-simplification.

The only sensible critique has come from 'Aide Memoire'. If Geithner has changed his view and endorsed the plans in the UK, then yes, it's foolish to claim he still would say the opposite.

That said, the existence of a different policy in the US is a curiosity, still more so when this new backing comes from the US Treasury Sec (who would presumably influence US Treasury policy).

Either his views are out-of-step with current US Treasury policy, he genuinely thinks the situations are completely different (obviously possible - though puzzling giving the inter-twined nature of the US/UK economies and interests), or there's something else going on altogether.

One thing's for sure, I'm not all that sure I trust the US Treasury Dept to have the best interests of the UK economy (a direct, weaker competitor) at heart?

Thu, 2011-02-24 01:04 — Alex (not verified)

Buckshite, you vile bigoted turd, it gives me such sweet satisfaction that I have a sucessful career with a nice house and an expensive car, and you live in a trailer park in Alabama with your mother. I'm just surprised that you can get the Internet in that shit hole where you live?
Now why don't you sod off and go play with your banjo boy.

Thu, 2011-02-24 01:08 — Alex (not verified)

Oh and buckshite, Alexlax? At least think of something that makes sense you dumb redneck, Yee haa!

Thu, 2011-02-24 01:16 — thinkov

fancy going on tour?

Sun, 2011-02-27 10:26 — Steve (not verified)

Mehdi,

Been following you since I see you on Question Time a few months back.
I have to say that you are a fantastic speaker who goes for the jugular.
I think you should stand for parliament.
With you inside Westminster, no one would be safe!
Keep at it Mehdi.

Thu, 2011-02-24 09:03 — afacaca

[url=href=http://www.baidu.com lele]

Thu, 2011-02-24 09:04 — afacaca

lele

Thu, 2011-02-24 09:47 — Helen Wright (not verified)

This country pays out more in benefits than it takes in taxes.

Is that Labour's proudest achievement? Why do your think that's okay?

Tue, 2011-03-01 23:17 — Andy (not verified)

Yes that of course is the question that remains unanswered. Why these lazy lefties think others should work to pay them to sit on their arses and do nothing?

I just assume they are teachers which explains everything.

Thu, 2011-02-24 11:15 — Reginald-Fah-fah

Mehdi is a first rate chap who give an amazing speech!

'deficit denier' is one of my favourite David Cameron's quote to bark at Beyond New Labour MPs!

Beyond New Labour are all'deficit denier'!!!!

Thu, 2011-02-24 11:22 — Yeti (not verified)

@Helen Wright

Most of the people on here wont understand that as they are blinkered by this immature left-wing student mentality. Oow the bankers! Lets blame the bankers. Lets hit the bankers. Lets drive the bankers into the ground.

They simply believe that putting up taxes and reducing tax thresholds for those that work hard for a living means we all live in a fairer society.

Its entirely self-defeating and completely bonkers.

Thu, 2011-02-24 12:23 — Jock (not verified)

'deficit denier' is the Tory way of saying 'Who are you?'

Thu, 2011-02-24 12:48 — Fredrik (not verified)

A great speech - ignore the trolls...

Thu, 2011-02-24 13:47 — Hasan (not verified)

what can I say Mehdi Hasan; nthe most pwerfull propped Spokesman there is!

Fri, 2011-02-25 18:03 — triedeinsursE

WOW!! That last post lasted all of 10 minutes.

Fri, 2011-02-25 18:14 — triedeinsursE

Dr Alex-lax. Who doesn't know what a laxative is. You win the only way you can. Mehdi is protecting you from the painful truths I post. All I can do now is ignore you just like everyone else does. Did you ever wonder about that Mr Dr ?

Wed, 2011-03-16 17:19 — Sean (not verified)

Ed Miliband needs to watch this and repeat it WORD FOR WORD in the Commons.

Sun, 2011-02-27 20:38 — Shkara (not verified)

Great speech Mehdi, well argued and well presented, using reliable authorities to back your points.

I personally don't see economics as an actual science because there are so many unpredictable variables involved in any economic forecast, so not anyone with knowledge of economics should act as an authority on a nation's politics. But it's reassuring to know that the likes of Paul Krugman and Christopher Pissarides both have an in-depth knowledge of UK economics and are therefore speaking out of experience.

As for the miserably negative comments above, I honestly don't know what their problem is, as their comments are entirely irrelevant and pointless.

Keep up the great work!

Thu, 2011-02-24 15:37 — la potenza della speranza (not verified)

@helen

Assuming your figures are correct, I waould take that to indicate that the government are not collecting enough tax and that unemployment is too high. Not that we need to sell off our public services so they can be cherry-picked by profit-driven private companies.

Wed, 2011-02-23 13:55 — Sheila (not verified)

JohnF: No-no, a second was enough.

Wed, 2011-02-23 13:29 — Lou (not verified)

Good speech Mehdi, great points on the economists and the media too.

Best get your tin hat and flak jacket on ready for the troll attack that no doubt will ensue.

Thu, 2011-03-03 20:45 — Jed Marlin (not verified)

I'm just wondering what language he's speaking?
And who is this? Ringo Starr?

Wed, 2011-02-23 13:40 — Sheila (not verified)

@Lou: It looks like i have the honour of getting this one started. In order to do justice to this great honour i will just use two words. They have been carefully chosen over the past second and clarify what i believe 80% of the readers of this blog truly believe.

"Baseless ego"