tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post115692907724304652..comments2023-11-03T15:48:35.688+00:00Comments on Paul Linford: The Greatest PMs we never had?Paul Linfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977920120772282561noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1157588747774546152006-09-07T01:25:00.000+01:002006-09-07T01:25:00.000+01:00No Roy Hattersley . . . . ?No Roy Hattersley . . . . ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1157455518796358522006-09-05T12:25:00.000+01:002006-09-05T12:25:00.000+01:00PaulI was being sarcastic with the David Owen comm...Paul<BR/>I was being sarcastic with the David Owen comment - clue in the second sentence. I pretty much agree with your sentiments on DO, but still rate him more highly than GB; my teenage daughter is less moody and more statemanlike than he is. Thanks for the reading tip, it'll be on my Christmas wish listtowcestarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15092802492560172339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1157312532924030622006-09-03T20:42:00.000+01:002006-09-03T20:42:00.000+01:00Loathe though I am, I have to side with Guido on B...Loathe though I am, I have to side with Guido on Brown. He is almost (but not quite) the Peter Cook to Blair's Dudley Moore (seriously - put the rictus grins together).<BR/><BR/>If Brown really were the brilliant man in waiting then he would cope better and plot less. As it is, he comes across as Cooke's Glid of Glood.<BR/><BR/>Which is why the Dear Deluded Leader is hanging on. He doesn't think MorrisOxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11952846056079111473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1157309376334218522006-09-03T19:49:00.000+01:002006-09-03T19:49:00.000+01:00Some great comments there, so I thought it would o...Some great comments there, so I thought it would only be polite to respond to the various points!<BR/><BR/>Morrisox - agree Chris Patten <I>coulda been a contender</I> - he was desperately unlucky to lose his seat in 1992 at a time when he would probably have got the Chancellor's job and emerged as Major's heir apparent. I'm not sure he could have led the Tories by that stage though - I think Paul Linfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01977920120772282561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1157306761849449022006-09-03T19:06:00.000+01:002006-09-03T19:06:00.000+01:00Portillo before he went into ideological meltdown....Portillo before he went into ideological meltdown.<BR/><BR/>Brown - nah. He is a moody psycho.Guido Fawkeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15091277669318213298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1157232503757741382006-09-02T22:28:00.000+01:002006-09-02T22:28:00.000+01:00What about David Owen? He certainly would have put...What about David Owen? He certainly would have put himself in your top 10.towcestarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15092802492560172339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1157151807215385452006-09-02T00:03:00.000+01:002006-09-02T00:03:00.000+01:00A bold list, and while not necessarily agreeing wi...A bold list, and while not necessarily agreeing with the likelihood of success for sundry premierships, that seems to cover all the dauphins I can think of.<BR/><BR/>If you will permit a small meander, a friend of mine who works in retail once had the chance to say to Healey that he was the best Prime Minister we never had, and hearing this Healey was both modesty and grace personified.Croydonianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14670533609622717223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1157125062077661242006-09-01T16:37:00.000+01:002006-09-01T16:37:00.000+01:00Media scumStafford Cripps was a little fortunate t...Media scum<BR/>Stafford Cripps was a little fortunate to be made ambassador to Moscow in the war-his leftwing standing was the reason- but did not really succeed in the role; the ascetic tee-totaler did not hit it off with Stalin or his fellow alcoholic henchmen. But this was his launch pad into the War Cabinet and then Chancellor. Not sure he measures up as a 'great' political figure.<BR/>On skipperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02632351344359303404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1157041976234148872006-08-31T17:32:00.000+01:002006-08-31T17:32:00.000+01:00I'm not so sure that Brown would have done a bette...I'm not so sure that Brown would have done a better job than Blair as Prime Minister. I cannot disagree with the rest of the list, though!The New Constitutionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11741087598350764970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1157015083641811072006-08-31T10:04:00.000+01:002006-08-31T10:04:00.000+01:00have we overlooked Stafford Cripps ? I have alway...have we overlooked Stafford Cripps ? I have always thought that had he not died in office, he would have been someone that might have led Labour to a very convincing win in 1951 - remember that he had a big wartime coaltion reputation, and was seen as a competent and effective ChancellorAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1156956258958881902006-08-30T17:44:00.000+01:002006-08-30T17:44:00.000+01:00Powell was a great politician. Personaly, I would ...Powell was a great politician. Personaly, I would have put him higher up the list. It is also likely that has he not left the Conservative Party in 1974 he could have fought a eladership conest and won it - he was, afterall, easily one of most well-known Conservative polticians of the time.ThunderDragonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09022244110521962876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1156953131331507392006-08-30T16:52:00.000+01:002006-08-30T16:52:00.000+01:00In my opinion, John Smith was the best labour lead...In my opinion, John Smith was the best labour leader never to have become PM.Manchester University Labour Clubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13381773349911326993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1156939072057979652006-08-30T12:57:00.001+01:002006-08-30T12:57:00.001+01:00or even possibly!or even possibly!stalin's granhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14152454150416060673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1156939051118394182006-08-30T12:57:00.000+01:002006-08-30T12:57:00.000+01:00How can you possiblu say Powell was a "great man"?...How can you possiblu say Powell was a "great man"?stalin's granhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14152454150416060673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-1156937188514215232006-08-30T12:26:00.000+01:002006-08-30T12:26:00.000+01:00Agree with much of your list. But not RAB (too wea...Agree with much of your list. But not RAB (too weak-kneed), or Powell (the Darth Vader of right-wing philosophy), or Jenkins (far too intwested in clawet).<BR/><BR/>But what about Chris Patten?MorrisOxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11952846056079111473noreply@blogger.com