Lies, more lies and Gordon Brown

This day had to come. For weeks now Gordon Brown has been hiding, hoping that the consequences of his ineptitude would go away. If anything it has got worse and he has to keep compounding lies with more lies.

Everybody knows what the situation was and there are times when realpolitik has to overcome nice feelings. Ok you do what you have to do and hold your nose. Every leader has to face up to this unpleasant reality from time to time, except, it seems, Gordon Brown, who seriously lacks courage.

Blair had to deal with a not dissimilar situation with the Saudis a few years ago. They were unhappy about close scrutiny of some of their dealings with British Aerospace by the Serious Fraud Office. Blair recognized the reality and canned the investigation. Not nice but realistic. And he did have the gumption to confront questions about the propriety of his move by emphasizing the impact it would have on British jobs. Eventually we all got off our righteous high horses and got on with life.

Unfortunately Brown is so inadequate that he ha contrived a situation that has made the SNP look like international statesmen, made the Labour leader in Scotland look like a complete idiot, upset the Americans, undermined justice in this country and achieved a marginal economic benefit that could probably have been achieved through tougher diplomacy..

When will he go?