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Brown to reveal political values in speech to General Assembly
MICHAEL SETTLEMay 17 2008

Gordon Brown will today set out his political values in a highly personalised speech to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 20 years after Margaret Thatcher sparked controversy with her "Sermon on the Mound".

As exclusively revealed by The Herald yesterday, the Prime Minister will deliver a keynote address at the Assembly Hall in Edinburgh when he is expected to touch on the subjects of poverty, family and the relationship between the individual and the state.

While a son of the manse and committed Christian, Mr Brown rarely talks about his religious beliefs.

On May 21, 1988, his Conservative predecessor spoke about wealth creation and individual responsibility. At the time, her views were attacked by critics as an illustration of the divisive nature of Thatcherite economics.

In 1999, Mr Brown as the Chancellor used a General Assembly speech to outline his philosophy of international debt reduction with a speech entitled The Economics of Hope. Then, he said there was an idea of a "community bound together as citizens with shared needs, mutual responsibilities and linked destinies" running like "a golden thread through Scottish history".

The PM's spokesman said that nothing should be read into the fact that the PM's speech comes almost exactly 20 years to the day after Baroness Thatcher's contentious speech.

Asked if Mr Brown, like Lady Thatcher, would use the occasion to discuss his own moral beliefs, the spokesman said: "When speaking to a Church of Scotland audience, it would be surprising if he didn't talk about his own upbringing but it has not been the Prime Minister's habit to talk about his own individual religious views."


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Posted by: Wullie, Aberdeen on 9:41pm Fri 16 May 08
Brown to reveal political values in speech to General Assembly

More like pig, trough, oink,oink, grunt, squeal. grunt .
Posted by: Patrick Kirkwood, West Kilbride on 10:01pm Fri 16 May 08
Brown's so-called "moral” compass points only to whatever he thinks will save his skin. This was clearly demonstrated by the income tax-con in his last budget and his recent need to partially mitigate the consequences of that budget on the lowest paid.
Posted by: JohnM, Perth on 10:02pm Fri 16 May 08
"he is expected to touch on the subjects of poverty, family and the relationship between the individual and the state."

Yes, as families we are now considerably poorer, even the downtrodden and underprivileged courtesy of Mr Brown. The relation between individual and state could be summed up quickly as "you give, we take".
Posted by: Patrick Kirkwood, West Kilbride on 10:02pm Fri 16 May 08
Brown's so-called "moral” compass points only to whatever he thinks will save his skin. This was clearly demonstrated by the income tax-con in his last budget and his recent need to partially mitigate the consequences of that budget on the lowest paid.
Posted by: Observer, Glasgow on 10:09pm Fri 16 May 08
What accent will he use ?

Truly he is a disgraced son of the manse. The treasurer of the War. The Kirk are far too polite to show him what they think of him, which is a shame.
Posted by: Observer, Glasgow on 10:12pm Fri 16 May 08
Oh maybe they should lose their manners !
Posted by: Im no really here, but over there on 11:53pm Fri 16 May 08
Jesus was crucified after His Sermon on the Mount, Maggie Thatcher was crucified at the polls after her Sermon on the Mound speech. I doubt if any different fate awaits HP Sauce.
Posted by: Ronald, Glasgow on 11:55pm Fri 16 May 08
A "son of the manse" eh ? What a pathetic shamefull article - this
filthy rag resembles nothing as much as a NEW LABOUR
cheerleader. Pathetic !! It reminds me of that dreadfull Lesley Riddoch on ebc hootsman yesterday ; one of her "guests" was HIS BRITANIC MAJESTY, THE BARON LORD GEORGE FOULKES.
And the main subject on the agenda? Why violence perpetrated by drunken thuggish louts. Who said satire is dead ? lol lol
Posted by: redc;liffe62, brisbane on hols on 12:15am Sat 17 May 08
will we hear some realism and magnanimity from brown, saying he understands that there are different views and he needs to work with everyone for the common good? NO

will we hear a rave about saving britain from a fate worse than death, although what could be worse than him is hard to imagine? YES

will we hear he has honest values and cares about people, particularly a week before an election when his uselessness means he is about to be shown the door? YES

will we hear there is a new beginning and he can be the hero for everyone? YES

will it all be garbage which should be consigned to the recycling bin? ABSOLUTELY
Posted by: The Judge, Paisley on 12:42am Sat 17 May 08
I hope. but do expect the Church of Scotland to recognise the damage to the church that the offspring of ministers in the form of Brown, Alexander, both brother and sister have done to Scotland.

At the Labour Party lose members in their droves I would have thought the much challenged Church of Scotland would have looked elsewhere for a message to fill the pews!
Posted by: Andrew BOD, Aberdeen on 12:42am Sat 17 May 08
Will he suggest that The Church of Scotland becomes part of the Anglican Communion? POSSIBLY. COULD BE A VOTE-WINNER IN ENGLAND.
Posted by: David Alexander, At the ile on 5:15am Sat 17 May 08
What accent will he use?


Scottish for the hymns, English for the prayers and a transatlantic drawl for the sermon.

The man is a complete fraud and the Church should show him the door.

Keep him away from the collection plate.
Posted by: george alexander, north lanarkshire on 8:55am Sat 17 May 08
Comments black out on Scottish issues continues, no explanation from anyone at The Herald

Another typical offering from Douglas Fraser:
Television in Scotland needs more local output, says MSP

A unionist MSP profers an opinion and our Douglas duly turn it into a prominently headlined article. Everyone and their dog can see that Scotland isn't well served by this regionalising of it's news output. The inherent London control of the BBC in Scotland can be seen in many of it's political output.

Mr Brocklebank spoke out against the idea of "the Scottish Six" - an hour-long mix of Scottish, UK and international news to replace the current UK news on BBC1 at 6pm, followed by half an hour of Reporting Scotland.

So he spoke out against the idea did he Douglas? Well how about printing his arguments against so that we can determine their merit.
Posted by: stonehaven on 10:22am Sat 17 May 08
This newspaper is garbage. I will be buying the Express from now on. The end of a 30 year relationship. So very sad!
Posted by: Toophingers, Bellshill. on 10:40am Sat 17 May 08
As the acknowleged leader of a gang of proven ruthless. self-seeking, prevaricating conmen and women Gordon Brown shouldn't even be allowed near any religious gathering.
Posted by: Jwil, Lanarkshire on 10:41am Sat 17 May 08
Brown to reveal political values in speech to General Assembly

Does he have any?
Posted by: Edward, Edinburgh on 10:59am Sat 17 May 08
'As exclusively revealed by The Herald yesterday'
Awwe Herald is that what your Labour breifer told you, shame
As it was also reported in the Scotsman and in the Times
Posted by: Edward, Edinburgh on 11:04am Sat 17 May 08
stonehaven wrote:
This newspaper is garbage. I will be buying the Express from now on. The end of a 30 year relationship. So very sad!
I think the loss in circulation will continue to nose dive as long as this paper keeps pushing the Labour agenda
They are about to looses all the revenue they and the Scotsman (as well as other fine(sic) papers also available) from all the councils in Scotland as well as the Scottish government posting jobs online instead of advertising. These will be loses for the papers that run into millions!
The Herald is going to have to re-invent itself very very quickly
Posted by: Toophingers, Bellshill. on 11:40am Sat 17 May 08
What about the Scottish Sun?
Some three years ago it was almost daily - and rightly - castigating the Bliars as Satan's son and daughter.
Now it is serialising and promoting her ficticious rubbish.
Seems there is something in the old adage 'You can't believe all you read in the papers'.
Posted by: Wullie, Aberdeen on 12:00pm Sat 17 May 08
I posted this yesterday for the labour, rangers ned, troll '' George Alexander '' . A good comment is always worth repeating.


Here we have the twit '' George Alexander '' wittering on like an old sweetie wife . As someone who purports to be an advocate of independence '' George Alexander '' is indeed a phoney. Yesterday he was telling us he was a rangers fan. The most British, arch unionist, loyalist, union jack waving thing in Scotland. '' George '' probably goes to freemason meetings with Donald Findlay QC. Absolutely hilarious.

Listen '' George '' most of us on the Herald forum are use to you squealing like a piglet, but the majority of people in Scotland are not use to it. When are you going to behave yourself ? Its hard work for me typing out all these comments, trying to keep you right . Do us all a favour and give us all peace.

Posted by: David Alexander on 3:57pm Sat 17 May 08
Wullie

Dinna be a stroop.
Posted by: george alexander, north lanarkshire on 5:39pm Sat 17 May 08
Poor 'Wullie', still foaming at the mouth then............oh well it would appear that my posts have had some positive effects.
Posted by: ditchgazza on 5:53pm Sat 17 May 08
From Gogs's speech to the COS.

a global society governed by a shared "moral sense".

These words are taken directly from the Bilderburg / Common Purpose / Illuminati directives. IE, a world governed by a few elite politicians, bankers, and industrialists.

creepy stuff.
Posted by: allymax, yuk on 7:06pm Sat 17 May 08
ditchgazza wrote:
From Gogs's speech to the COS. a global society governed by a shared "moral sense". These words are taken directly from the Bilderburg / Common Purpose / Illuminati directives. IE, a world governed by a few elite politicians, bankers, and industrialists. creepy stuff.
Yeh, Bean-Broon has used rhetoric that amounts to declaring war on Scotland, functionally indoctrinating everyone in yuk towards his/the engerlish crown's way of thinking, and moralising everyone to what he believes is the ideals that everyone should have; f*ckin' lizard!
Posted by: Wullie, Aberdeen on 7:06pm Sat 17 May 08
''George Alexander'' rangers ned

The people of Scotland are tired of you '' George Alexander '' squeaking like a wee mouse.
Posted by: Wullie, Aberdeen on 7:12pm Sat 17 May 08
''George Alexander'' rangers ned

The people of Scotland are tired of you '' George Alexander '' squeaking like a wee mouse.
Posted by: Vronsky, Scotland on 8:12pm Sat 17 May 08
Yawn. You'll get some decent journalistic comment on New Labour here: tinyurl.com/6c9tnp
Posted by: Macthickey, Irvine on 8:43pm Sat 17 May 08
Perhaps the decent souls in the 'Manse' dont know or dont want to
know the 'Secret ' History of this Son of The Manse
1) Sat on Board of IMF and suffocated the Life out of a Country called Malawi. People starved to death because he recommended
Privatation of Social Protection schemes.
A decision to sell of Grain Reserves at the height of the Famine to
pay large debtors was despicable.Perhaps the future Govenor of
Malawi Jack McConnell could investigate and confirm.
2) This son of the manse was Chancellor when his fellow religous
freak Bliar declared war on a basically defenceless people. He bankrolled that war and is still doing so.
3) By your deeds you will know them. He obviously doesnt give a **** for the poor. If he did he wouldnt even contemplait the daft
idea of doubling the 10% tax for the lowest wage earners.And God
**** those Scottish MPs who stood and cheered this suicidal
action.
Could The Manse Excommunicate Pa Broon for his 'Sins'?
Posted by: Andrew BOD, Aberdeen on 9:24pm Sat 17 May 08
To The Herald

What are you playing at? Why so many articles without a facility to post?

Two weeks ago, you asked me to complete a web survey to help you improve your website. Presumably other people completed that survey as well. Two weeks on and the website is worse than ever.

It has been widely reported that withdrawl of council job vacancies from this newspaper will severely reduce your revenue. It has also been widely reported that you have suffered from falling sales of hard copies of the paper. I know that many who post on this thread feel the same and have already stopped reading and posting.

This is a shame as you have a number of very capable journalists who often make great commentary on the important political debate in Scotland.

Please get your act together and sort this out.

In the meantime I will start reading about Scottish issues in my local 'Press and Journal' and on an English broadsheet until I see an improvement. What a shame.
Posted by: Toophingers, Bellshill. on 12:15pm Sun 18 May 08
After accepting leadership of the most corrupt, self-seeking government in Britain's history and doing nothing to cleanse the status quo - indeed having added his multiplicity of stealth taxes not mentioned in Labour's manifesto to the sleaze - Gordon Brown is the last person to preach morality.
Posted by: nostress, grangemouth on 11:31pm Sun 18 May 08
Why the blanket ban on comments on Scottish articles? What is the Herald editorial staff afraid of? I know the unionist-leaning trolls can be good for a laugh, but surely they engender more pity than censure....as for Mohammed coming to the mountains...another non-story...about as relevant as the stories about super-bra Michelle leaving...or was it Billy Connolly who would leave us...David Murray??...Ewan McGregor???....gosh.

..I can't remember now

Just listened to the Great Leader's speech to the General Assembly (I know I really must get a life!) - sounded like a Miss World contestant - "better world for all" - vomit inducing stuff from the great financier of illegal wars, the grand thief of pension funds, the arch conman - even more vomit inducing was the sychophantic response from the Kirk. Even getting kiddies to give him presents for his children! I'm sure the orphaned kids in Iraq will be delighted...Shame on them all!
Posted by: Donald Anderson, glasgow on 11:05am Mon 19 May 08
Will he want his English Queen to be head of the Church of Scotland?
Posted by: Duns Scotus, The Borders on 11:31am Mon 19 May 08
stonehaven wrote:
This newspaper is garbage. I will be buying the Express from now on. The end of a 30 year relationship. So very sad!
I've popped back for a peep and not surprised censorship is still in place . But then what do you expect from a newspaper whose heid bummer blithely talked on radio and TV last week about the "indigenous Scottish " press (meaning The Herald, P & J and Hootsmon) and referred to English newspapers as "the nationals".

The announcement about local authority advertising being sensibly withdrawn from newspaper proves what many of us said a year ago. That is, the Scottish press were violently ant-SNP because they feared the loss of the advertising gravy train.

Well, it has now been derailed, old buffers!

My last comment for a while. How's the online hit rate, Mr Fraser? Going down? Don't bother answering, I know it is.
Posted by: Los Angeles, Edinburgh on 5:09pm Mon 19 May 08

Duns Scotus
and referred to English newspapers as "the nationals".
Pitiful.

Three days in Bristol last week - first store assistant needed coaxed to accept Scottsh notes. "Is it really legal tender?"

NCP car park refused every Scottish note fed to it, new or old, but took an English £20 note immediately, then proceeded to cough out a dozen stupid pound coins.

Bring on independence.





Posted by: interstellarmince, outer-space on 8:46pm Mon 19 May 08

News just in:

Baal worshiping mass murderer and Establishment placeman Comrade Broon addresses bewildered gaggle of happy-clappy naive religious numpties in an orgy of mutual c*ck sucking.
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