What I find amazing is that with all the problems, the receiving of illegal donations, mass immigration, illegal wars, pensions being raided, etc; 33% of the populace are still willing to vote for (what can only be described as) complete incompetence.

Beggars belief.

Graeme, Edinburgh,

People are beginning to see what this is all about.
So much money has been wasted, and we have so litttle for it.
This just seems to be countered by more promises of change. After 10 years of power this makes me feel a little sick There appears to be a no underlying philosophy on which to build the change. Initiatives are announced without enough thought, then seem to be abandoned a few months later. It would be nice to see some delivery on promises, rather than just more promises.

John Machin, Toddington,

Shirley Hodge, Glasgow.........

As Mr Obama said, "The real gamble in this election is to do the same things, with the same folks, playing the same games over and over and over again and somehow expect a different result. That is a gamble we cannot afford, that is a risk we cannot take. Not this time. Not now. It is time to turn the page."
A wonderful description of New Labour.....

As in the case of any party sweeping to the last days of decay, it multiplies public offices and takes upon itself the burden of maintaining more and more of its pauper subjects...just as Brown has done.

Phil, Preston,

The most amazing thing in the so called 'rise' of Cameron is the fact that while he is excellent at pointing out problems never once have I heard him mention any solutions which he might bring to these problems. Of course the great reality is that with Cameron comes Thatcherism in a different shaped box but with the same old disasterous crap inside. The duplicity of Cameron is there for anyone who wants to get beyond the slick appearance and public speaking skills but seems no one wants to look there. My biggest question about Cameron is who is really pulling the strings that makes his mouth go. Just like George Bush and the world had to wait quite awhile to find out who was pulling his strings but by then it was way to late.

Shirley Hodge, Glasgow, Glasgow

Crash Gordan has made the Uk the most personally indebted country in europe, increased taxes, increased the size of the civil service and robbed our pension funds.
Unelected, unloved and unwanted. Take the plunge and go for an election!

david barker, maidstone,

Do we really want Flashman as PM?

Tom, Cardiff,

Stuart Murray, you say of Brown: 'If he wants to be respected then he better start respecting those who WILL vote for him.'

The point is; in England we like to elect our leaders before they do the job, not after.

Brown's avoidance of a public vote or a competitive election for his job within his party is the problem. The man has no legitimacy, is untested and is now showing all the signs of being unqualified.

Shame on us for allowing him to steal the job and stay in it so long.

Zen, London,

Jim McCallum, Calgary, Canada, "Based on intelligence, know-how, experience and ability to run a country, based solely on these non personal attributes, Brown is a giant with the other party leaders mere minows." It is very obvious that you do not live here and perhaps do not watch PMQs and have not followed what has happened to the economic circumstances of the UK over the last decade. Far from being Prudent McBroon has been profligate with public sector finances; far from being Prudent he sold off our gold reserves at a time when gold was at its lowest for many, many years; far from being Prudent and reducing the size of government and public sector employees and moving government departments out of London to reduce overheads he actually increased the numbers and costs. Clegg has yet to find his feet and Cameron is still learning but Brown's handling of just about every issue so far, including Europe, Immigration, Northern Rock and loss of government data is poor to say the least.

Kenneth Armitage, Suffolk, England

Regardless of these new year Government initiatives, the people of this country have already decided the outcome of the next election--whenever it is.
The Conservatives will be returned with a moderate working majority.

william grierson, Kimpton, UK

Does this so call Mr Brown with a mandate to validate him as a PM actually have a vision? He seems to be a man with a vision of no vision! shame to those who back him cos he will only lead us to disasater that I am sure. despite Tony's critism I believe he was still a man of substance as oppose to Brown who exist in a vacuum

Rene , Bristol,

Another New Body. Something else that will have a huge staff to suck up the money poured into the health service and spent on anything but the nations health.

Anthony Box, Wretton, UK

For please some of the people read 'fool'. Brown is incompetent and the job is plainly to big for him

Michael, London, UK

Good to see that the Lib Dems are up in the polls with a new leader. Nick Clegg sounds as though this guy is in touch with what's going on in the world today.

Robert Bleakley, Manchester,

Whenever Scots have run England - the Stuarts, Ramsay MacDonald, the result has been disaster.

TomTom, Leeds, England

Maybe Gordon Brown would be seen as a better leader if he acted like one - the referendum over Europe, or lack of it, was dishonest and underhand but not very clever. If he wants to be respected then he better start respecting those who will vote for him.

Stuart Murray, Amsterdam, Netherlands

It isn't in the interests of democracy for any government to go on and on for ever. The polls reflect the fact that people intuitively feel this government has lived long enough.

Ubi, Edinburgh, UK

The old addage comes to mind
'You can please some of the people some of the time, but you cant please all the people all of the time' Brown is so wrapped up in trying to convince everyone to be British, that he overlooks the fact that most just dont! The quicker England and Scotland are Independent of each other the better. It becomes grating to Scots, when he stands up and lectures about how well he is doing regarding Education and Health in the UK, when everyone knows that they are devolved and not his responsabilty! He was reminded of the differences, when Scotland awarded its Nurses and Police the full 2.5% pay rise and he refused to do the same for the Nurses and police in England, so its no surprise that polls are now reflecting how unhappy everyone is with Brown and the Labour party

Edward, Newbury, Berkshire

They say you get what you deserve. Based on intelligence, know-how, experience and ability to run a country, based solely on these non personal attributes, Brown is a giant with the other party leaders mere minows. Sadly for Brown, inter personal skills are not his strengths and unfortunately all good leaders must have that skill. As a fellow Scot, it is obvious, the English majority want one of their own. Unfortunately for the poor English, there is limited talent available. Substance appears to be somewhat laking in the other party leaders while a better word to describe them is opportunistic. If labour are sensible, they should let Brown get on with the job, and six months before the next general election, get a new leader. That would probably be good for the UK also.

Jim McCallum, Calgary, Canada