The Brown Imbroglio

The Prime Minister's standing, according to the opinion polls, is at its lowest ebb ever. He is desperate to ward off mounting and sustained criticism about his handling of the economic situation here, and his role in its severity during his lengthy tenure as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Many maintain that Mr Brown steered us into this mess in the first place.

Issues like the global recession and Sir Fred Goodwin's pension are red herrings, designed by the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Gordon Brown, MP, and his lieutenants to deflect condemnation. Goodwin is a wealthy man anyway. This recession is, indeed, a world-wide phenomenon. The effect, however, has been much more severe in the United Kingdom.

It would be easy to suggest that the retired banker, Sir Fred Goodwin, has his knighthood revoked; and that we - the taxpayers - enact legislation in Parliament to have his pension stopped. We would undoubtedly pay a very heavy price, literally, for this course. Goodwin, I'm afraid, is standing on quite firm ground. If the matter did, eventually, end up in Court, Goodwin would expostulate some most unpalatable, not to say embarrassing, home truths for the Prime Minister and his Government.

Of course, were we ever to reach that stage, we'd probably have a new government with a new Prime Minister at the helm.

Mr Brown is desperately seeking scapegoats for his current woes. As far as he is concerned, nothing is his fault; despite a decade of fiscal stewardship at the Treasury.