Dead politics

Any lingering doubts about the fate of Gordon Brown disippate on reading his response to the impact of the crisis on the 'fuel poor': "Not short-term gimmicks, or giveaways, but firm steps towards making every home in Britain more energy efficient, thus reducing bills not just temporarily, but permanently. You cannot address a long-term problem - the supply and demand for oil - with a short-term gimmick."

It is the speil of the undead. The speech was conducted via a ouija board. Almost every word falls flat: 'firm steps' that 'towards' and that truly squirmy 'not just' as in "Hey not just a million pounds but world peace too!" As for the argument at the end - it's glimmeringly eye-squintingly false. The petrol stations respond with a price hike short-term gimmick immediately on supply and deamnd shifts.

Besides, and sorry this is obvious, the rich get the bailouts when thier wretched banks sink under tons of debt - and this is Brown' response to povved out people in Britain whowill go cold this winter? "Put a jumper on."

Conservative victory - then civil war comrades.