Monday, April 02, 2007

Brown still under pressure over pensions

I wrote about Gordon Brown's Great Pension Smash and Grab on Saturday following stories in the Times and Telegraph about a freedom of information request which had brought to light advice on the pensions smash and grab.

Well the story continues. Today's Times speculates that this may damage Gordon Brown's leadership chances.

What is more interesting it the governments attempts at spinning the issue away. It is not working. Firstly Ed Balls has popped up all over the place saying they acted on best advice. Frankly that is just not good enough. Politicians get advice all the time, some of which they ignore and some they don't. The politicians are accountable for what they do, and trying to hide behind advice is like an errant school boy saying that he did something "because Johny told me to" to which "Well you wouldn't jump off a cliff if Johny told you would you?" is the normal reply.

Even more laughably is Ed Balls running around saying the CBI had been lobbying for the change. Lord Turner of the CBI has broken of his holiday to say that is simply not true! (See the BBC here)

By complete coincidence Gordon Brown having been questioned by the treasury select committee on Thursday on this very issue departed for Afghanistan on Friday, so just like Macavity, he was not there. Well he can't stay away for ever and the story so far looks set to run for a few days more. I wonder if he will be back in time to answer some questions? The Treasury select committee will want to ask him some questions when he gets back.

It looks like the wheels are coming of Labour's spin machine.

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