enfrance, yes, the fiasco of Lamont/Major with entering the ERM was an absolute disaster, shows what amateurs these true blue Torys are. Laughed my backside off the way they carried on then, they didn't have a clue what they were doing.

Ed Miliband can solve a Rubik's Cube in one minute 20 seconds.

The imbecile Gideon can write Tory party policy in just 20 seconds if his

Family Allowance/
Married Couples Tax Break

equation is anything to go by.

Why

Yeti
Who cares? We are still unelectable for the next 2 elections.
----------
Cogent reasoning. You got me.

John Harris's piece in the Guardian today is the best analysis I've seen in the mainstream press yet.
When Ed Miliband talked about a missed opportunity over the implosion of the banks, I thought: This man gets it.

Thatcher ripped up the post-war consensus, as the 1970s had shredded its legitimacy. 1929-33 had destroyed the previous consensus and each ushered in a new centre ground. That is what most commentators have yet to see. 2008, Lehmann's, AIG the meltdown of the world's financial system was a historic moment. And all people can talk about is accounting (the deficit).

Politics has changed far more fundamentally than many realise. I hope Miliband has not lost his courage or his insight. Cooper particularly seems a loss at the foreign brief.

Victor Moss, political editor of the Sunday Mirror was interviewed last night on the BBC News Channel and he predicted Alan Johnson to be given the Shadow Chancellor post. Mr Moss described Alan Johnson as being a "safe pair of hands".

I do agree Alan Johnson would be a safe choice, but Labour need more than that. The economy will dominate UK politics over the next few years, that is why Labour need a stronger candidate for Shadow Chancellor i.e. either Ed Balls or Yvette Cooper.

I fear the appointment of Alan Johnson as Shadow Chancellor just goes to show the fact Ed Milliband doesn`t have the bottle to handle the tough decisions required as part of the Labour leadership job.

Good interview by Ed with Jon Sopel who present Ed with an economics primer for Alan Johnson. Ed may have a point Alan is a politician not an economist; but you don't need an economist at the Treasury; there are plenty of them as advisors anyway. As Barbara Castle once famously said: You don't need to be a driver to be SoS for Transport. In fact its might be an advantage because you can ignore all those lobby groups pushing for the motorist.

Its not just a question of 'age' but 'generation'. Osborne in his 40s compared to Johnson in his 60's, are bound to have a different aspect and take on things. Its about the whole experience and baggage you carry ith you.
And, a universty degree although not always useful but does help you to 'think, reason and conclude'.

Clearly Yeti is clueless

kids-don't bother with gcse's just become shadow chancellor for loads of pay and if labour wins an election you also get the chance to screw up the economy

That's such a boring comment John Gilmour; back to your sand pit!

Maybe, unbelievably, he is actually a clever bloke, that walked about a biblical desert for a couple of years, and then came back to us to talk sense, like me, maybe.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qosn893FTdo

Grow right the semi-up.

What about Dianne Abbott being made shadow public health minister? Why has she allowed herself to be gagged?

Let's just see how they all do before shitting bricks about how terrible this is. He could be okay. Ed might have a reshuffle before the next GE. He might get elected and make someone different his chancellor (as Cameron did with Home Secretary). They might all be killed in a terrible explosion, engineered by a man with a pointy goatee.

As someone with absolutely no economic experience beyond counting daddy's money, Gideon won't be able to ridicule AJ on his lack of credentials for the job.

Strange, or maybe not... Maybe johnson's advanced age is exactly his useful feature. Maybe Ed is puting a caretaker in to keep Mr and Mrs Balls out until he can mobilise his prefered choice? At which point Johnson can gracefully retire, citing old age. Ah, he's trying to leave a back door open for david! That's why johnson.

'Miliband's surprise appointment will have Tory strategists scurrying back to the drawing board tonight'

More like it will have them popping open the champagne corks. Johnson is a complete lightweight in this key position.

Alan Johnson will obviously have economic advisors who will guide him like every other chancellor does. I think it's important that Ed Miliband gets former Blairites on his side so all the former Blair advisors can stop going on TV and saying it's a disaster that Ed is leader, and inevitably causing mischief everytime there's a bad poll.

It's a shame that people like David Lammy aren't in the shadow cabinet as you don't get a sense that any of the cabinet are part of a new generation, or are people who can reach out to the wider population.

Mpre than Gideon,at least he's actually had a proper job...

I hope Ed is playing politics with the appt of Johnson, but he genuinely believes Johnson is the right man for the job of exposing the sinister mask behind Osbornes Tory Cuts. Its simply ideological.
Johnson will need his Latin Economics Primer to learn the basics of the subject before wading in. Johnson is performing a role similar to Ken Clarkes as an elder Statesman, but in my opinion all quite unnecessary. But the rest of the Shad Cab is new generational, apart from Hain.

Anyone who has heard AJ arguing the complexities of a bonus scheme based on the variabilities of the postal system should not underestimate his grasp of any finance system. Equally nor should they ignore his background in the killing grounds of union and party politics.
The Tories should be very careful or they will soon be exposed for the uncaring people they are and those they represent.
By the way, Luddite, the 2008 deficit doesn't even compare with the one the Tories produced in 1993 and that was without the help of those bastions of corporate greed, the banks.