This is not an analysis of Gordon Brown's speech but a criticism of this particular part:
And I say this too; these are my values – the values I grew up with in an ordinary family in an ordinary town.
Like most families on middle and modest incomes we believed in making the most of our talents.
But we knew that no matter how hard we worked free education was our only pathway to being the best we could be. Because like most parents, my parents could not easily afford to put me and my brothers through fee paying schools.
Why does he continually try to portray himself as an ordinary chap from an ordinary Scottish family when we all know, that back in the 50s, the minister and his family were a cut above most of us?
According to this article Gordon Brown and his brothers were encouraged to help local families, made unemployed by factory closures, when they lived in Kirkcaldy. They also set up a tuck shop in the family's garage and started a newspaper to raise money for African refugees.
I was brought up in Scotland in the same era and none of my peers lived in a house with a garage. In fact I was one of the lucky ones who was privileged to have an inside toilet and didn't have to share one situated on the landing.
If Gordon Brown would be honest and admit he came from a privileged background instead of denying his roots and effecting the fantasy of being part of the working class of these days, then perhaps I would take his words more seriously.
As an aside, did anyone notice Sarah Brown appeared to be 'guiding' her husband around during the meet and greet sessions - particularly the choreographed outdoor events?
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15 comments:
SR,
Did you see Adam Bolton's LIVE interview this morning on SKY News? After it ended the camera was still on Gorgon who was giving Adam DAGGERS - "if looks could kill" - I of course was rolling on the floor pissing myself.
Just goes to show - he's a control freak, lacks ideas, lacks substance, lacks honesty and my Buddhist conscience is insulted by his apparent inability to improve the lives of those who most need it....tic!
Mrs Broon shouldn't be there, like Fondlebum, Kinnocks (dumb and dumber) et al - unelected and running the Union to pieces - ooops that's a good thing - but in a democratic society there's something sinister when he needs her as a physical and emotional crutch!
And not letting Scotland break away democratically from the Union - I predict a riot!
Cloudy with a chance of meatballs today!
Crazy Daisy
I know what you mean SR in my town the manse was in the nice part of town by the boys private school.
Not quite the same as Bullingdon Club etc. The manse was an embedded part of the community, above the dominie maybe, but part of it all the same. Upper-middle class, yeah, but still middle class.
Tut tut CD, peeing your breeks at your age!
I think, as you know, Mrs Brown has slowly gained influence within labour. She's perhaps just as powerful as he is in certain folk's eyes.
He wisnae working class in Kirkcaldy Incoming, any Scot would tell you that.
The working class seldom were able to send their children to uni either. Yes the fees were paid, but few could afford the living expenses.
Gordon Brown was part of the elite Bucket - see my comment above.
He was careful saying his parents couldn't easily afford a private school, yes perhaps that's true. But let's face it, if push had come to shove, they would have managed.
The Bullington Club is a very English - I doubt if the Scots would differentiate so much among the classes.
This is just another one of Gordon's little Brownies, trotted out so many times that people begin to believe it.
Get Tom Bowen's book on Gordon Brown and read them all from his early life.
Didn't he say at some stage he was from farming stock?
I didn't hear that bit tris, he may well have done. I'll check the transcript.
I've read his grandparents were rather wealthy farming people. His mother's parents were business people in the wood trade (according to Wiki).
I'll see if the library has it FL because I've no intention of paying my hard earned money for it.
It's one issue that's always bugged me - coming from a country area where my father had to hold down two jobs simultaneously to get us a decent standard of living in the 60's - how does a university graduate go straight into a political party and have no real life work experience? Broon is a classic, Murphy and Gray are(I understand)two others (and I'm sure the other parties will have them). How can these people purport to speak for us when they have no idea what it is like to be a weeks wage away from poverty?
And all these promises to right wrongs, they have had 12 years to do it. Goodbye
Dram I think you've double-posted so do you want me to remove one?
I've no idea how they managed to avoid the world of work Dram, unless of course they were supported by others financially.
Now now, I think Iain Gray worked with Oxfan for a wee while - he even was abroad learning how the poor live he says.
Of course in the labour party there are many who wish to remind you of their working roots and then their union jobs which lead to the ultimate goal of being a politician and living courtesy of the taxpayer.
Not one of today's lot has worked out of the public sector so they've no clue about being a week away from poverty.
Hi SR - yes a double post. And I've a few views about Union reps as politicians , having worked with them and watched how they operated. Always remember one pricelss quote from the 70's "there's no way I'd be a nationalist, I'm an internationalist first and last" Left me a tad puzzled to say the least.
That would leave me puzzled too Dram.
Any union boss I met during my career structure which involved them were careerists. They mocked their members relentlessly and it's from those days that I've harboured a dislike (to be kind) of them.
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