Homeward bound
The tour is over. In Delhi, as in Beijing, Gordon Brown has said things his hosts wanted to hear - today calling for India to get a place on the UN Security Council. He believes that Britain's relationship with India and China will be as important for our prosperity as the relationship with Europe and the United States.
He is not alone in seeking to woo these countries. This weekend President Sarkozy will be in Delhi joining in the celebrations of India's National Day. The Indian press is already more gripped by the arrival of and her possible visit to the Taj Mahal than by anything the Browns have said and done. Monsieur le President was in Beijing before Christmas and he made a trip to see the terracotta warriors.
Reporting on Sarko must be much much easier than reporting on a man who is uncomfortable doing photo opps and sees questions as a risk not an opportunity. Who's doing better for their country will only become clear some time from now.
I'm 
Comments
Sarko has something to offer the Indians from French inbdustry, be it nuclear reactors, aircraft, railway infrastructure etcwhereas UK no longer has much in the way of industrial goods to offer. Even the financial sector is is permanently scarred by Northern Rock
Sarko will doubtless return to France with orders for French companies just like he returned with 20bn Euros of orders from China in November. He understands like Mrs Thatcher did that these trips are not grandstanding freebies unless the big man at the top returns with some jobs for the boys.
Sarkosy is in a different league to Gordon Brown. He has a fresh electoral mandate, a cooperative government machine at home and enjoys good relations with the captains of french industry. Despite what the left think of him he is the head of state and embodies the spirit of a new France that is throwing off the shackles of it's post WW2 leadership. He is a breath of fresh air, reminiscent of Tony Blair in his heyday.
By contrast Gordon Brown is tarnished by the incompetence of incumbency. Since the scottish assembly elections he can't even claim to represent the whole country. As you have shown Nick he is very uncomfortable with the media and on these sort of trips you need to spin a positive story. Stories about development and aid may pass for a time but when the economy is looking grim people want to know that their leader has bought back something tangible and benificial from a foreign jaunt.
2. "He understands like Mrs Thatcher did that these trips are not grandstanding freebies"
How in the hell can you accuse Brown of grandstanding?? Please, stop these Tory rants, they only make you look partisan and silly. Brown went over there to cement ties and work towards increasing trade. Time will tell whether he was successful or not - But harking back to a supposed golden time of Thatcher is simply an exercise in selective nostalgia.
Sarkozy is a staucnh nationalist and on the world stage, it shows. Mr Brown, meanwhile, doesn't seem as to be as prominent on foregin trips, although the China visit was probably a success both for his image and the image of China. I just think that to be a successful global diplomat, you need a bit of charm; something Sarkozy has, but Brown doesn't. In the end, this could prove to be something of a hinderance to the prime minister.
I'm glad the Prime Minister had such an uneventful trip. I'm generally impressed with China and India. Beneath the political froth we all face the same challenges. Developing shared purpose and mutual gain over the long-haul should be an interesting journey. The fit between the Prime Minister's leadership, domestic policy, and foreign policy is well integrated. I generally welcome anything which develops this.
The mind of a man like the Prime Minister is highly strategic. On the domestic and foreign fronts his shared approach to both issues is beginning to develop a rough shape and, I'm sure, flesh will be put on the bones as things roll forward. If issues of marginal but important focus are given opportunity to evolve that should help solidify purpose and keep everyone on board. Once the heavy lifting is done the rest should be easier.
From my own straw poll I know people respect and admire the Chinese sense of industry and Indian community values. While the Prime Minister and his opposite numbers have been cracking deals the focus will return to people on the home front picking up the ball and running with it. Personally, I'm hoping for less procrastination and finger pointing, and for people to develop a sense of what they could achieve if they try.
Sarko comes back with contracts.
Brown comes back having 'donated' taxpayers' money.
The mind boggles!
Ah yes, but what does Sarko think of Marks and Spencer's pants?
Jc, you complain about 'Tory rants', and yet you then go on a Labour one!, people in glass houses and all that.
Could I also point out that Conservative is the correct name not Tory.
Let Nick hark back if he wants to no4. There is a mood for nostalgia - do you remember when the country was broke and when our leader was a badly dressed national embarrassment? Then you remember the last Labour Govt.
History repeats itself. It has to nobody listens.
Welcome to the decline of Britain. Again.
The Government is in danger of having ridden an economic storm this autumn most of which was beyond their control and at the very last being seduced into economic foolishness in respect of Northern Rock. 鈥淐apitalism without failure is like religion without sin鈥. History tells us the last time that the Government was persuaded to sell comparable levels of debt it started with general euphoria and ended with the South Sea Bubble.
Let鈥檚 avoid the North Sea bubble and nationalise this apparently essentially sound business, sack the remaining culprits, reinstate the long time simple business model of a traditional mutual with a few safe financial instruments added on, cancel all bonuses, investigate the liability of the Directors and Board and trade out the position. Provided someone has done the due diligence.
The result could be a clear out of the 鈥淪ir Desmond Glazebrook" style characters presumably still prevalent in other City institutions; jobs for the boys is surely over. Restrained but liquid lending retuning to the market. The subsequent sale of a complete going concern in the medium term, probably but not necessarily in mid 2009. Taxpayers protected, savers protected and employees protected. The shareholders have a worthless asset without Government guarantees they currently have circa possibly a 拢2 asset if bonds are issued but potentially a proportion of a 拢6 or 拢7 asset on an ex gratia basis once a temporarily nationalised bank is returned mended to the Private Sector the Government fully reimbursed for all costs and with a significant share of any profit. If a profit is made.
Of course, the EU position may be a problem but surely if the Government finally accepted that the lavish spending on Public Service is over for this Parliament and beyond and used this as a wake up call rather than looking for ways to alter their Fiscal rules, then Borrowing could be reduced to acceptable levels of circa 拢17-拢18 billion and interest rates could hopefully descend incrementally to 拢4.25%, by 录 point reductions in Feb, April, May, June, and Sept.
If this is truly a government of all the talents then why don鈥檛 they listen to Mr Cable who is unconstrained by outdated ideas about Markets and Command economies?
Britain can weather this overdue correction; Strike out East and increase exports in conjunction with and to China and India, a non-carbon fuelled car and carbon catching power stations would be a good start and projects the British Private sector should be focusing on this year!
Paul Donnelly Esq (Unaffiliated)
I still think Sarko is going to regret this media frenzy at some point in the very near future.
It's also good to see that the British media are sceptical about Brown's motives in India and China, seeing as no-one has quite figured out why they need our financial help nor why our trade can't improve without a visit from the PM.
4.Time will tell whether he was successful or not.." Time has told this morning that the UK public sector deficit for December is the worst on reecord and way above the target. Brown came to power saying he wanted to be judged on his results; another own goal I fear.
As GB returns to the UK, he will feel very satisfied. The agenda has moved on from the calamitous events of the last 6 months and he has shown himself a Statesman on the world stage.
He is immune from the fall out of Northern Wreck and the effects of global market turbulence.
The Hain replacement is already identified and in training. Clegg has slithered into the lobby to support New Sleaze on the (non) referendum vote
The FTSE has plunged below 6,000 and may even clear 5,000 but no matter. Stocks are once again cheap if they have good management in place
The simple fact is that the market will drive stocks back up despite the appalling debt problems GB created as Chancellor.
The leaders in that recovery will be the banks. Their profits will recover and the service sector will boom filling the VAT coffers. M&A activity can but increase at these valuations
He is 18-24 months from an election. He will be very, very happy.
All hail Greedy Gordon, the people are indebted to him. (gedit, 'in debt' ............ oh forget it)