Taking Sides: Gladstone v. Disraeli

Gladstone = Brown
Disraeli = Blair

Gladstone wins hands down

indubitably, although it is of little consequense to me nor is it of consequense to the company I keep. Here in Rangoon with a thousand tons of rubber to get abord dousens of identical ships .I have little time to invest in the affairs of that far off green island. I dream of course of my return to London, dream of the
Jeruselem tavern in the Clerkenwell, dream of the ladies of Limehouse, but these are the fancies of a boy.

Gladstone sounds like a euphemism for something filthy.
Disraeli was named after a Cream album.

This is a tough choice.

Did Gladstone ever write romantic novels? (And did Disraeli ever wander around talking to prostitutes?)

Good points:

Disraeli for the 1867 reform.
Gladstone for evolving from High Church Tory to Liberal and for trying to rescue all those ladies of easy leisure.

Bad Points:

Have you tied to read Dizzy?
Gladstone sure liked to chop shit up, didn't he.

The Gladstone bag - classic.

disraeli = the original dizzee rascal (and therefore wins)

Gladstone for having a shifty hotel named after him which is currently a space in style.

Obviously, they were both pretty interesting guys, but if I had to choose (and I think I must) it would be Disraeli. Both were instrumental in parliamentary reform, especilly the extension of voting rights, but Gladstone couldn't get the reforms passed - it took Disraeli to pass the 1867 reform act (damaging his relationship with members of his own party) and for this he is classic. Also, for furthering the Trade Union movement, establishing the rights to peaceful picketing of employers and generally improving the rights of working people in Britain, Disraeli is a man to be admired. "rights of labour were as sacred as the rights of property" is a pretty good thing to say. On foreign matters he's a bit more muddy, quite imperialist - his main reason for being Queen Victoria's favourite. Gladstone gets props for trying to get home rule for Ireland, but he didn't manage, so never mind. And Disraeli being jewish must be a plus too (okay, a christian convert - but he still had to endure a fair amount of anti-semitism). So, Disraeli wins.