News and Views DECEMBER
This month has been hair raising for the entertainment, political and financial world. Here's out take on the last 4 weeks. Hold on tight!
Weather Forecast: Rocky Seas ahead for our PM
Poor old Gordon! One minute our PM is surfing the crest of a wave called popularity, with high approval ratings and soaring opinion polls, and then suddenly he’s off his board with sharks circling around him in the seas of incompetence.
It really has been one disaster after another: a run on Northern Rock bank, half the country’s bank details missing in the post, dodgy cash donors and performances at Prime Minister’s Question Time likened to that of Mr Bean. But is Gordon really incompetent? We don’t think so. It’s just that he has decided to appoint as his chancellor a man called “Darling”. The PM has to completely cut off the opportunity for spin by creating an integral government who not only speak about their moral values but also work according to them. That’s quite a culture shift to make – let’s hope he’s up for the challenge.
Has the Avalanche Hit Rock Bottom?
Gordon probably can’t wait to leave 2007 behind him. But others are loving it! Take Richard Branson for example. Despite bashing his coccyx as he abseiled down a skyscraper in a recent Virgin publicity stunt, he is once again rising up as the people’s champion, this time making a bid to buy Northern Rock bank. This might even make Gordon smile because if the deal comes off all £25 billion of tax payers’ money loaned by Darling to the bank will be repaid. Let’s just hope “Virgin Rock” if it happens is more like Virgin Atlantic than Virgin trains!!!
Bargain Shopping…Or not!
Christmas shopping began in earnest this year when a Faberge ornamental egg was bought for £8.9 million at Christie’s at the beginning of December. You can imagine the delight someone will have as they open their stocking on Christmas day to find that amongst the chocolate money! Don’t go crazy on the spending this year. Remember it is a thoughtful gift that people value most.