Brown does not understand, a dead man walking.

Albert Hall, kettering,

bin tax, petrol tax, road tax, 10p tax band gone...where does it go? food/petrol/house/transport prices are the highest in the developed world, and they keep on TAXING away. he does not feel our pain. he taxes petrol and adds a road tax while he has a fleet of cars that he doesn't pay for!

Alex, London, England

Why do I have TWO MPs? One in Brighton Pavilion, the other in Brighton Kemptown? They're a mile apart, for Heaven's sake. Of course, they're both Labour. If Brown wants to reduce tax payers' pain, he could get rid of superflous MPs. And their gold-plated pensions. But he won't.

Ergo, he's toast.

Mike, Brighton, England

Aren't they just sick-makingly UNBELIEVABLE! Anything else I might say would be totally un-printable, except perhaps to use the old saying: "For God's sake, just go!"

S. Barraclough, Huddersfield, W. Yorkshire

So, from the comfort of his bomb proof chauffeur driven limo, pension and cost free housing, he feels and understands "...very clearly, how people are seeing things”.

Really?

m collins, Leeds,

He feels our pain?

Our pain when we saw the insanity of forcing Iraq to prove they *didn't* have WMD? Prove a negative you said.
Our pain when we knew congestion charging wouldn't have any effect on traffic flow.
Our pain when housing is provided for everyone except the average professional.

Laura Roberts, London, UK

It would be interesting to find out the source of the funds that paid the Brown Family bills when young Gordon Brown was growing up. As the son of a Church of Scotland Minister I expect the bills were paid by the Church from donations from some of the poorest members of society.

Richard, Telford,

"optimistically in my view"... perhaps you should plan for the bad times before you hope for the best.

aj, London, UK

Tax tax tax Spend spend spend Waste waste waste How can he turn that around? The whole strategy is a busted flush. He has been found out. No more stealth: no more pretence that tax policy is green. The Govt. is supposed to serve the electorate not the other way round eg. our pensions not yours!

R James, Clifton, UK

the inflation figures in the UK are incredibley doctered. i use essentially the same amount of food/petrol a month and put some money aside to cover it. that money has been getting me shockingly little as of late. the inflation rate the gov claims is simply not what the consumer is experiencing.

Alex, london, england

Gordon must be a masochist then, since he and the Nu Labour machine inflicted this pain upon us and it's nothing to do with the 'so called' credit crunch, the majority were sick of your ways long before then. Labour have paid the price of robbing the public and producing nothing with the prooceeds.

Andrew Wakeling, London, uk

if inflation is only 2.5% (which i seriously doubt), why oh why are they hitting us with these stupid punitive taxes that mean so little? why increase petrol duty when the prices are at record highs? why increase road tax? why instill a bin tax? why abolish the 10p tax band? in touch they are not!

Alex, london, england

When will Governemnt Ministersand MP's realise that the Great British public don't want to listen to empty promises.
They (MP's) are so far removed from the effects this administration has had on us voters.
I am £104 a month worse off than I was a year ago, when will it end???
Labour OUT!

Shelly, Durham, Co Durham

While Gordon Brown was telling us, on Sunday, that New Labour was going to listen and learn, Diane Abbott MP was in a debate on Sky News where she never stopped talking.

Brian Christley, Abergele , UK

He cant understand, he just thought he was invincible, now he knows he isn't .

John Green, worthing,

'I feel your pain!' People want to keep more of their pay - they want you to reduce taxes not think of ever more complex, supposedly green ways to increase them! The election drubbing had nothing to do with economic circumstances and everything to do with taxes. Forget price control - reduce taxes!

Shaun Hexter, London, UK

When Brown has to do something to reduce our pain we know what it will be:
More taxes
More intrusion of the state into ordinary lives
More civil servants doing useless work
More destruction of the lives of ordinary people.

Richard Crompton, Baden, Switzerland

Good going, Gordon, "I feel your pain", slogan from former President Clinton. Like we say it here, a day late and a dollar short.

Jonah Rawal, Louisville, USA

Gordon, in case you have not noticed, people do not want you to try harder, they want you to go!
Nobody elected you as PM. You forced your way into power in an undemocratic manner. The People have now spoken. Time to go!

Peter, London,

Why all the stealth taxes?? Not proud ot what you are??

ronnie, uk, uk

He does understand and he feels our pain, GB says. So this 10p tax that takes from the poor and gives to the rich was done deliberately, he knew it would do this to us and intended to hurt the poor.
Thank you, Times, now we know for sure.

Sue Doughty, Twyford, UK

The audacity of the man is stunning.

Nigel Miller, Valencia, Spain

Whilst a 'review' of the 2p increase in fuel duty leading to its removal would be welcome, fuel is going up 2p A MONTH. What about the vast amount Gordon takes from the fuel price in tax?

As for 'listening and learning', he's still trying to tell us that inflation is only 2.5%.

mnairb, Hove, U.K.

When will the "real" inflation figures be released, after this tacit admission of very high inflation?

I wonder how long it will take Gordo to mouth the "inflation is low" nonsense?

This guy speaks from both sides of his mouth at the same time.

Wayne, Cheltenham, UK

GB should confer with Tony Benn for a sincere appraisal of New Labour. Whilst the electorate may not want "out with the New, in with the Old", it certainly does want rid of all that is rotten in New Labour. Even if not vox populi, Benn is at least totally sincere - and he knows what's really wrong.

Mike L, Chippenham, Wilts

Your expenses and free car will I am sure ease your pain.
You should try living on a state pension and pay for fuel which by your actions has increased beyond reason.
Worry about the country and not the rest of the world.


Derek, Norwich

Derek Armes, Norwich, England

Two more years of moving deck chairs on the Titanic,presumably!

Peter, Bath,

"I feel the hurt they feel " yuk. please stop with the soundbites and actually deliver. you have had 11 years!

rich, london,