Brown should resign

Any Prime Minister who misleads the House of Commons, thereby telling untruths to the public, should resign

I thought the case was simple, but here it is laid out in an easy-to-read format, just to help -


Gordon Brown told the House of Commons that "I can announce today new guidance —[ Interruption. ] New guidance will be given to the judiciary to halt or adjourn court action on repossessions unless alternative options that help the home owner, including extending the terms of the mortgage, changing the mortgage type and deferring payment, have first been fully examined."


This was expanded upon by the Prime Minister's Spokesman who said that it referred to the Treasury news release earlier that day.


The Treasury news release was about the Civil Justice Council's new protocol.


Brown's answer to the patsy question was carefully worded, but his intention was clearly to lead the House of Commons, and therefore the public, to understand that Brown had taken action on mortgages since the bite had come. He quite clearly had not. The Civil Justice Council began consulting on it in February and had sent the new protocol for approval - it had nothing to do with the Government. Further, it doesn't guide the judiciary and it's not new, considering that it is already part of the regulations of the FSA.


Brown deliberately misled the House of Commons and lied to the public. Behaviour of that nature cheapens the high office he holds and he should resign.


For further reading, you might want to have a look at:
Nearly legal - housing law blog
Guardian's Money Blog

For the sake of clarity, let me point out that the FSA regulations apply to Scotland, Scotland is already covered by the advice that will be given to litigant parties in England - just as England already is. Scotland's protections here are as good as England's - better when you consider the Mortgage Rights Act.

You may recall that Cathy Jamieson called for Scots to be given the same protection as people in England. We already have it. I don't expect any better of Labour MSPs - they just follow London Labour's lead without questioning whether it's right.

You'll also remember that Nicola Sturgeon said that Scots borrowers were already protected and Mike Dailly saying that she was dangerously wrong. I like Mike - he went to a very good school - and I know he is a man of principle, so I'll look forward to him admitting that the Scottish Government is right.

In the meantime, Gordon Brown should resign.