Originally Posted by
ND76
I remember not so long ago when PM Tony Blair had his pretty face on TV ads here in the US urging Americans to come visit Britain. I guess Gordon Brown doesn't share the same sentiment, or he is just another jerk who is out to set up a tourist trap. Sadly, he is just another socialist moron. And if you don't like that assessment, too bad.
The British Tourist Authority has the role of encouraging tourism, and borrowing the PM for 30mins to film a slot seems normal. As noted above, US tourism at best represents .3% of GDP.
The Chancellor's role is look at the economy as a whole, and while has had made some very questionable decisions (e.g pensions) I don't see APD as one of the bigger mistakes (save for the daft environmental window dressing).
He is a long way from socialist:
Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community
"Socialism" Encyclopędia Britannica. 2006. Encyclopędia Britannica Online