He Used To Be Decisive - But Now He's Not Sure!

When your Deputy Chief Whip is prepared to go on television and say your indecision over an autumn Election last year is proving to be a "watershed" from which your reputation has not recovered it must be time to question whether you are cut out to be Prime Minister.

June 27th 2008 represents one year of the Gordon Brown premiership and in the run up to this landmark date it is surely time we assessed his performance to date.

For me, much of what we have suffered over the past 12 months has been of our Prime Minister's own creation. After all, Mr Brown's last budget as Chancellor provided for the abolition of the 10p Income Tax band which hit the poorest in our society hardest and it was on his watch that Northern Rock trade itself into trouble. For anyone to suggest that the "we won't - we will" take Northern Rock into public ownership fiasco was not under the direction of the Prime Minister would be ludicrous and, as it destroyed all confidence in our money markets, it is he who should shoulder the blame for the economic unrest we are all suffering from today.

Looking to the future we have huge errors of judgement with a whipped vote on an issue of conscience on the Human Embryology and Fertilisation Act and attempted strong arm tactics to deliver 42-day detention without charge for terrorist suspects when the current 28-day limit has never required to be used.

So far the answer to all difficulties has been the U-Turn! While none of us have a crystal ball I would be looking to the fuel tax rise scheduled for later this year and to next years intended introduction of additional road tax bands on cars bought since 2001 for Prime Minister Brown's next major climbdown.

So, that Cabinet Ministers Jack Straw and Jacqui Smith are prepared to go on Channel 4 to question the Prime Minister's judgement and character should not really be that great a surprise.

For me Gordon Brown as Prime Minister has been a disaster! History will probably show his failure to call an election in September 2007 was a mistake for the Labour Party, but on reflection it will surely conclude it was an even bigger disaster for the people of the United Kingdom!