The Big Names’ Predictions
The Penguin asked a number of leading figures from the LSE Community to give us their views on what the year 2012 will hold. Here are a few of the highlights;
“It is wrong to have predictions about the year when January is still going on. At this moment in time, such predictions are wrong. I personally feel that it is wrong to have predictions about the year. As January is still going on, I do not think that it is appropriate to have predictions about the year, they are wrong.”
The Rt. Hon. Redward Miliband
Leader of the Labour Party
“I don’t expect to have any recollections of the year’s events.”
Shimmy Chakrabarti
Former Member, LSE Council
“By mid-July, Durham Castle should be able to withstand siege conditions lasting upwards of eighteen months.”
Prof. David Hold
Master, University College Durham
“I will have another drawn-out argument in the London Review of Books with someone who actually knows what he is talking about.”
Prof. Niell ‘Ferguson’ F***uson
Former Philippe Roman Chair in History and International Affairs
“The Department will have a report out detailing a preliminary hypothesis by the end of 2014.”
Prof. Christopher Pissarides
2010 Noble Laureate in Economics
“I have pencilled in a heart attack during the conference to present Second Quarter’s Inflation Report.”
Sir Mervyn Queen
Governor, Bank of England
“Personally, if the government could fall apart before the end of May, I would be free to serve as Foreign Secretary for the summer recess.”
Prof. Simon Hix
Professor of European and Comparative Politics
“I really hope I can arrange for an extended holiday in the Netherlands.”
Saif al-Umnus Gaddafi
PhD (2008)
“The imminent failure of the capitalist system which, err, has oppressed all students, err, since the end of the Iron Age err, Cameron will continue to fall to unprecedented lows of popularity, err, the government will declare martial law, (is this enough?)”
Mike Cushion
Information and Communications Manager, Department of Management
“Werrrllll itttsss rreeeallly veeeerrrry interrresting. All you’ll neeeed is a rrrreaaallly grrrreat recipe for paaaasssstaaaa sauce.”
Lloyd Grossman
Celebrity Housing Enthusiast
“I expect that the Japanese government will stabilise over the next year, it seems unlikely that the LDP will be able to force early elections in the lower house unless Ozawa-san is able to engineer a formal split within the, look, why are your even asking me? It is obvious that you are just going down the list of former students on the LSE Wikipedia pa-“
Taro Aso
Former Prime Minister of Japan
“Ms. Booth will offer monthly predictions for £2500 each, for the entire year, she will offer a discounted rate of £29 999.”
James Magnums
On behalf of the Office of Cherie Blair