Belgium: a noxious nexus

Bad economic decisions don’t always spoil political careers. When Gordon Brown was UK chancellor of the Exchequer, he should have been appalled by house price inflation and committed to a fiscal surplus. But as prime minister, Brown managed a bold response to the crisis he helped create –greatly enhancing his popularity. Brown is exceptional, however. The financial crisis is a political minefield. The latest victim is the prime minster of Belgium. Yves Leterme, once described as a political «bo...