Would Hague have fared better with a wig?
July 28th, 2005
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Can a bald leader beat one with hair?
If you aspire to the leadership of your party and are a bit thin on top one of the most depressing political facts is that in modern times a party led by a bald man has never beaten a party led by someone with hair in a UK general election.
The only time the country has had bald man at Number 10 was between 1940 and 1955 when first it was Churchill, then it was Atlee and then it was back to Churchill again. In the General Elections of 1945, 1950, and 1951 it was bald fighting bald.
Recent examples of bald leaders failing are Neil Kinnock in 1987 and 1992 and, of course, William Hague in 2001. Ian Duncan Smith did not stay in the Tory leadership long enough to fight an election.
Of course whoever was Tory leader in 2001 was going to find it a struggle but would the party have done better if Hague had not lost his hair or if he had had the foresight to acquire a hair-piece when he was starting to get a bit thin on top? His baldness became another thing that could be attacked and riduculed and Labour felt so confident about the public attitude to bald men in 2001 that they were happy to feature his lack of hair in a poster campaigns.
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Is it any wonder then that ambitious politicians who fear that they might be losing their hair seek a remedy. The Catch-22 is that they might get found out and not only are they seen to be bald but they appear vain as well.
In this the UK is unlike France which has had a number of bald presidents including Chirac, Germany which had Kohl and Italy with Berlesconi. In the US one of the hot tips for the Republican nomination is John McCain who is thinning on top.
Since this first came up in one of our discussions a week or so ago a number of PB.C users have emailed me privately to say that X or Y has a hair-piece. Leading figures in all three parties have been mentioned and we have been provided with interesting photographic evidence. I’m still trying to work out what to do with it.
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Mike Smithson
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Here’s the latest on the Karl Rove leak saga…
I’m not splitting hairs, but it seems as if this article was written about someone in particular.
Who could it be, I wonder, that has something to cover up?
Berlusconi goes on a diet and has a hair transplant before every election. His photographs and posters (like those of XXXXXXXX?) show him with more hair than he actually has.
Poor IDS …. if only …..
http://www.aref-adib.com/archives/000112.html
I see I have been censured. I should like to reassure readers that my comments did not refer to Gorgeous George.
2 - do you think someone has a price to pay for his cover-up?
Could this be the positive discrimination that helps Britain’s ambitious female politicians reach the top (given that women are less likely to go bald than men)?
I find it refreshing that irrational criticism over matters of appearance is not exclusively confined to the women, anyway.
The Tory grassroots are revolting , and I’m sure some of the Labour and Lib Dems ones are too . However we’re talking rebellion not the blue rinse taliban . There is , according to todays Times , much stirring in the shires about the grassroots being emasculated in the leadership contest :
http://www.timesonline.co.uk
Click Britain scroll to Full List of Articles and 15th article “Tory Activists Campaign for Grassroots Vote on Leadership”
4. Was that Bill Clinton? By the title thread, I think it’s fair to say we’ve entered silly season.
Since this first came up in one of our discussions a week or so ago a number of PB.C users have emailed me privately to say that X or Y has a hair-piece. Leading figures in all three parties have been mentioned and we have been provided with interesting photographic evidence. I’m still trying to work out what to do with it.
Mike - as a fellow member of the follically challenged brigade, I say publish and be damned. We, who are expert in hairline examination (due to personal circumstances
) can then draw our own conclusions.
Fabricant’s wig is looking particuarly amusing on pix on his personal website.
http://www.michael.fabricant.mp.co.uk/smfp57.jpg
12 - yes, it’s not a very good match is it? he could at least have used hair rather than fur! http://www.michael.fabricant.mp.co.uk/mfab5.html
7.”Could this be the positive discrimination that helps Britain’s ambitious female politicians reach the top (given that women are less likely to go bald than men)?”
Soon Labour will propose an all bald shortlist in Blaenau Gwent.
[2] Well, at the risk of being scalped, my headline reaction was that it might be Ann Widdicombe…
Although D**** D****** has a slightly knotted quality and I have some suspicions about G***** B****, and even R*** K****,
As for Fabricant- it is all part of his cunning plan to turn himself into a Belisha beacon.
The next Labour leader will be:
Kali Mountford from Colne Valley
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/405000/images/_405078_kali_mountford150.jpg
She stole the Sun King’s wig.
Can I be cheeky and suggest that it’s a pity that the spellchecker wasn’t applied to the main story as well as the comments - Attlee.
Baldness in its natural state, does not seem to viscerally equate with virility and virility is directly connected to youthfulness, energy and valour. I am sure this comes from the time leaders were fighting mastodons for the polity.
Sorry Mike, but I bet if you put on a bsaseball cap you look years younger? As did William Hague. But for him with a baby face it took him down to teenager, and that is an age associated with recklessness and rebellion. Mind you in a trilby he would have looked as if he had stolen his dad’s hat for the school panto.
There is an interesting difference between bald and shaven headed. Yul Bynner and Telly Savalas were shaven and seen as sexy but ugly, Roy Jenkins was natural and was simply ugly. I notice William H now has his hair so short it looks as if he has none at all.
Why are all fictional wonder-boffins (evil and good) portrayed as bald? This is why Cleese cannot ever be Q, as he is filmed with hair.
[18] At the risk of being a pedant, Cleese was not “Q” he was “R” - at least in his first outing, he was…
The problem was not so much Hague’s baby face, but the fact that he looked like Dr. Evil at a time when Austin Powers was at his height (or make that depth…) and unlike Austin he never got his (Evil) mojo back after the Notting Hill Carnival/Alton Towers nonsense made him a laughing stock. I suppose that IDS was a bit like Scott Evil… but I digress. I submit that it was not the lack of hair per se, that was the problem- it was the fact that he made himself look a prat (not to mention all the other baggage, including certain rumours concerning certain rustlings in a well known public park…). So baldies- lighten up, hang loose on the politics, but use plenty of powder to avoid cranial gleam dazzling oncoming motorists..
Q before John Cleese wasn’t bald.
I don’t think there is really a link it’s just the hands that the baldies have been dealt. Kinnock with hair still wouldn’t have won an election because of what came out of his mouth. If Blair was bald and Hague had hair, are you telling me the tories would have won the 2001 election. This story comes out every silly season.
P.S Does Howard qualify as a baldie or not?
20 Woody Not exactly un-follically challenged I think. http://www.klast.net/bond/q.html
A… D…..?
19 James O “James Bond character Q (a.k.a. R)
Gender Male
Age 60
Affiliation MI6
Current status Active
Portrayed by John Cleese
In The World Is Not Enough an assistant to Major Boothroyd (Q) was introduced, teasingly called “R” by Bond and played by John Cleese. His real name has yet to be revealed, but he is initially credited as R in The World is Not Enough stemming from a joke in which Bond asks the elder Q: “If you’re Q does that make him R?” (Cleese’s character responds, “Ah yes, the legendary 007 wit. Or at least, half of it”). The character continued to be referred to as “R” in videogames produced between 1999 and the release of Die Another Day in 2002″
http://www.answers.com/topic/q-james-bond
Sorry, but I am into a trivia rush. I will take a walk.
22. If “A… D…..” is the “A… D…..” I’m thinking about, I don’t think he’s wearing a wig.
If so, I should revise my ranking!
21. I saw You only live twice the other day and he had a full head of hair when he bought over little nellie.
23 - The other silly season story is beards / moustaches - should Dobson shave his beard, should Mandelson regrow his tache etc. Personally I’d like to see more beards in the Cabinet.
25 That’s what you get playing around with nellies: you loose your hair, shirt and role in Bond films.
He is indeed a person who might be of some interest to you, Andrea. It is only a guess though. Have a look at some pictures.
26. Melv, who do you prefer? Gerry Adams as North Ireland Secretary or Jeremy Corbyn as Foreign Secretary Secretary?
You still have David Blunkett in the real Cabinet.
Blue2win 27. If I put on a baseball cap I just look ridiculous. My summer garb to keep the sun off is a fine panama.
30 - do you have a linen suit as well? I think the look would work quite well.
30 - Mike, bald men have more fun … http://i.imdb.com/mptv1.gif
Try again … http://uk.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0120601/Ss/0120601/jmck1.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Malkovich,%20John
Regarding the IRA announcement, has TB come out with any soundbites which he forgot to leave at home?
30, 32, 33 - conversely, this is a very good syrup!
http://uk.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0117002/1-5.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Malkovich,%20John&seq=11
Connery has had some good syrups
28. I’m not very good in this field. I’ll let our host Mike Smithson to judge.
26.should Mandelson regrow his tache
He wasn’t not very different with his mustaches.
http://www.npg.org.uk/live/OC_Data/images/weblg/9/2/mw18792.jpg
30. If I put on a baseball cap I just look ridiculous
Hague looked riduculous too.
36 - yes the one in Red October is particularly good. And so’s this from “The Rock”
http://uk.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0117500/Ss/0117500/fcs_lt_0133-2.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Connery,%20Sean
re 31 - Yes I do have a crumpled linen suit.
re 32 - If bald men have more fun then life must be pretty miserable for those with hair.
It is, Mike.
39 - I imagine you look quite presidential:
http://www.statesocieties.org/images/ALL/59153181.jpg
42 - and you go to nice places … http://www.timeslicefilms.com/graphics/project_pics/del_monte.jpg
I’ve just tried to post a great pic three times but its thrown the link out
30.”My summer garb to keep the sun off is a fine panama.”
I could suggest you a bandana to cover your head (especially if the high venerable Tony is coming).
http://www.repubblica.it/2003/e/gallerie/politica/villacert/lapresse51728061608214921_big.jpg
43 - Andrea: http://www.ez-entertainment.net/zoneseye/piratescar_3.jpg
39 , Mike Smithson . The panama hat cloning experiment of Mike Smithson gets out of hand !!
http://www.lukemastin.com/diary/photos_ecuador/cuenca_hats.jpg
This made me laugh (from a BBC Report):
Tonga’s finances have been hit by mismanagement and scandals.
In 2001, two cabinet ministers were forced to quit because about $26m disappeared after it was invested in a company by the king’s official court jester.
Since then, other money has been lost in ill-fated overseas investments and the national airline has collapsed.
“king’s official court jester” - is that the Tonga equivalent of John Prescott?
48 - Sophia, we are not amused … http://www.planet-tonga.com/ikaletahi/king_tupou2.jpg
49 - The similarity is uncanny.
49 - You know this is exactly how I imagine Jack W.
51 - well, Prezza is (verbally) dyslexic with an aversion to Lib Dems … could you be claiming your £5?
Mike Smithson I can’t do panamas, all that rubbing the vegeable matter up young ladies thighs to get it smooth(or is that cigars?)
I go for an Akubra Cattleman myself. Being Australian it doesn’t show the beer stains and can take a good hiding.
51/52 , John O & Tabman . Any resemblance to the King of Tonga and myself is purely commensal !! I think you’ll find that this is more moi :
http://www.pralston.com/scottishchiefs.html
Any news on how the re-runs of the ward elections in Birmingham are going?
Personally I’d have expected the LDs, and the Peoples Justice Party should do well… or has the PJP given way to “Respect” these days? I seem to remember that the PJP was heavily involved in the respect campaign of Selma Yaqoob and others in the city at the general election, has that trickled down to the local level, or is one party giving way to the other in these elections or are they both contesting them.
Best Labour can probably hope for is 1-2 councillors, but I’m not holding my breath, low turnout and the fact that both wards are three member could help though… well we’ll see.
55.”or has the PJP given way to “Respect” these days?”
Respect is not contesting these by-elections.
Breaking News: Birmingham polls closed
Turnout: 199,8% in Aston and 213.4% in Bordesley Green
First reactions:
Gorgeous George: “TB’s hands full of blood are deeply involved in this fraud. I’ll sue the Telegraph”.
Clare Short:”I’ve no doubt that it’s all linked to the Iraq war”
Jenny Tonge: “If I had been born in Birmingham, I would have rigged an election too”
The tories from Cheadle: “the Libdem candidate isn’t local: he lives a meter outside the ward”
Jacques Chirac: “we’re better in rigging elections!”
Helen Clark: “I’ll defect to the People’s Justice Party”
57.”he lives a meter outside the ward”
ops, a foot.
Excellent, Andrea! Are you sure that you are Italian? I´ve heard that Labour have fought these elections very hard and are expecting to win.
Did you investigate A… D…..?
59. I don’t have old photos of AD to investigate.
Speaking of real by-elections, the Libdmes held the by-election for a district councillor in Whitehill (East Hampshire) which took place on 26th July 2005. Libdmes: 292 votes; tories:134 votes. Turnout 24.2%.
Speaking of Birmingham, with the new proposals Yardley could become safer for the Libdems.
Lynne Jones (Selly Oak) Steve McCabe (Hall Green) and Roger Godsiff (Sparkbrook and Small Heath) will have to fight against each other for 2 seats. The third will be abolished.
http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_objectid=15781236&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=three-into-two-won-t-go-for-mps-name_page.html
56 - Andrea
What happened to Gisella Stewart? Did she retire?
63. She’s still the MP for Birmingham Edgbaston.
53 - Blue, an Akubra looks like a Sheila’s hat mate: http://www.diggerhistory.info/images/uniforms/hat-slouch-female.jpg
You need a proper slouch hat: http://www.diggerhistory.info/images/uniforms/hat-slouch-binns.jpg
65 That, sirrah, is not an Akubra let alone a Cattleman. Do you impugn my honour suggesting I would wear a (I can hardly bring myself to let the word pass my lips) a slouch hat?
But this is…… http://www.bootsonline.com.au/default1.htm
33 - Well, I never knew that Norman Tebbit could be such a s*x symbol. There’s hope for us all.
The akubra is traditionally made from 7 rabbit skins - it was good way of getting rid of them. Funnily enough, in my 2 years in the outback, I found that it was only those posing as farmers who wore akubras. Real Aussie farmers tended to stay in the pub / on their verandas with a few cold one when sunny - working in the hours 6-10 in the morning and 4-8 in the evening, often with no hats at all.
They did all wear Blundstone boots though.
Graham, Welcome back. Totally Weird, I was just thinking that you were one of bp.c’s former reliable regulars who appeared to have bu**ered orf in search of fame and fortune….
Thanks John. To be fair I have been watching, but considering there is little polling out there I feel there is less I can contribute to(also the internet blocker thingy at work blocks pb.c so I can only come on the site in the evenings). I do enjoy interesting side issues - such as Akubra hats and the like
Basically I am saving my fingers for 2008/9 when I am sure there will be plenty for me to say one way or another.
Sounds good. And G’Night!
Someone enquired about the re-run elections in Birmingham. The Lib Dems picked up all three seats in the Aston ward from Labour. In Bordesley Green the PJP gained two seats with Labour hanging on to the remaining one.
but it was a close run thing with the last LD in Aston getting in by 9 votes. Anyone know how the postal voting went this time round?
Basically, Respect act at the national level and the PJP at the local level. This enables Respect to look nice and left-wing nationally, whilst having an embarrasing group of social conservatives locally. It is believed that the PJP councillors may formally join Respect in the next month or so.
Just got back from the Bordesley Green count, PJP came in 1st and 3rd, Labour came in 2nd with a large number of single postal votes for that Labour candidate. There was one fracas outside a polling station and 20+ police and the helicopter at the count. Turnout in Bordesley Green was just a smidge over 30% which considering the extreme weather in Birmingham today isn’t too bad.
I understand the majority between 3rd and 4th in Aston was 9.
72 - Dean
Better than i would have expected, i was think Labour where likely to lose all our seats in the wards… not without thoroughly disserving it, I might add.
That said I’m very pleased we came second in Bordesley Green and came so close to winning a second seat in Aston Ward… very respectable showing under the circumstances.
66, 68 - I must qualify as a poser then, with a pair of RM Williams boots.
Full results of the Brum By-elections are at http://www.birmingham.gov.uk (panel on the right) they were very close!
Does anyone know the previous results of those wards (both the rigged election and the previous “real election”)?
77 - just when you thought the days of sterotypes were over, along comes someone like Williams-Masinda, David Cecil Winston
Conservative Party Candidate to bite you on the bum!
The Conservatives held Hammersmith, Ravenscourt Park, by 300 votes last night. That is a very good result, as the ward split 2:1 to Labour in 2002. If that result were to be repeated next May, the Conservatives would win Hammersmith very comfortably.
80. Any other by-election yesterday?
80 - Sean, which other councils look likely to change hands in May. And am I right in thinking their is one council (newham I think) where Labour hold all but 1 of the seats!
Tabman [79] - With that name I’d guess he’s of (at last partially) African descent…
83 - after looking more closely (I only saw the hyphen to start with) you’re probably correct
Headingly Ward in Leeds very comfortably held by Lib Dems on extremely low turnout.
Bruce McCleod
85 - is that in the Leeds NW seat?
Max, I expect us to gain Hammersmith and Bexley for certain, probably Harrow, Croydon, and Merton, and we’re in with a chance in Hillingdon. I think we will gain strongly in Sutton, but I imagine the Lib Dem majority is too big to overcome in one go.
I think we’ll lose Richmond to the Lib Dems.
As well as the boroughs already mentioned, I think Labour will lose Brent, Camden, and Tower Hamlets to No Overall Control. WRT Newham, Labour will retain control, but probably lose several seats to Respect.
Re 86
yes. It was Greg Mulhollands Council seat. Mulholland is the new MP for Leeds NW
86. yes
http://www.gregmulholland.org/leedsnw/constituency.htm
88,89 - thanks.
Also last night , Conservatives held a seat in Kettering but Lib Dems gained Hoxne Ward from Conservatives on Mid Suffolk Council .
Sean Fear - what are the feelings about Hillingdon? IIRC the Tories pulled off a massive swing in 1998 to come within a whisker but when everyone felt it was a certain Con Gain in 2002, they blew it and remianed in charge but NOC?
91. Conservatives gained from the Libdems the Halsdon Ward in Exmouth. Tories:681 votes, Libdems: 485, Labour: 80.
78 - In the “rigged election” the lowest Labour majority in Aston was 500 votes, and Bordesley Green 400. In 2003 the Lib Dem majority in Aston was 600. I don´t have the Bordesley Green results. I hear that Labour are very disappointed.
There is a report on Birmingham on the Guardian Website
The Exmouth result is for a town council seat. All in all (and including the election held earlier in the week) these seem t
A little local colour on the Aston contest
http://www.livejournal.com/users/frightened/358063.html
Hillingdon the Conservatives have been hit by the Lib Dem making progress (IIRC) the party went from 0 to 4 when the Tories should have taken control in 1998 and 4 to 7 or 8 in 2002.
The Hammersmith result was a 7% swing Labour to Conservative since the council elections of 2002.
Con 44% (+8%)
Lab 31% (-6%)
Lib 24% (-3%)
The final result of the night was a Conservative hold in East Herts. DC.
Tabman - 79 - “just when you thought the days of sterotypes were over”…quite apt.
Latest council by-election results from PA
East Hertfordshire - Walkern: C 308, Lab 89, Lib Dem 65, Green 20. (May 2003 - C 523, Lab 263). C hold. Swing 6.2% Lab to C.
Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough - Ravenscourt Park: C 1069, Lab 757, Lib Dem 585. (May 2002 - Three seats Lab 1177, C 1131, Lab 1128, C 1107, Lab 1102, C 1087, Lib Dem 838, 832, 828). C hold. Swing 6.9% Lab to C.
Kettering Borough - Latimer: C 278, Lab 152, Ind 133, Lib Dem 47. (May 2003 - Two seats Ind 440, C 326, 272, Ind 260, Lab 111, 76). C hold. Swing 3.7% C to Lab.
Leeds City - Headingley: Lib Dem 903, Lab 433, Green 100, C 77, Alliance for Green Socialism 37. (May 2002 - Three seats Lib Dem 1948, 1762, C 1685, Green 853, Lab 834, 604, 544, C 403, 397, 387, AGS 329). Lib Dem hold. Swing 1.1% Lab to Lib Dem.
Mid Suffolk District - Hoxne: Lib Dem 308, C 295, Lab 54. (May 2003 - C 463, Lib Dem 275). Lib Dem gain from C. Swing 13.7% C to Lib Dem.
Tuesday July 26:
East Hampshire District - Whitehill Hogmoor: Lib Dem 292, C 134. (May 2003 - Lib Dem 349, C 130). Lib Dem hold. Swing 4.3% Lib Dem to C.
Re-run 2004 results:
Birmingham City - Aston: Lib Dem 2081, 2044, 1905, Lab 1896, 1843, 1578, C 282, Green 182, C 166, 148. (June 2004 - Three seats Lab 3794, 3606, 3548, Lib Dem 3034, 2885, 2844, Ind 685, C 392, Green 386, C 331, 238, Ind 230, Ind 229). Lib Dem win three.
Birmingham City - Bordesley Green: Peoples Justice Party 2241, Lab 2183, PJP 2065, 2041, Lab 2009, 1875, Lib Dem 1372, 1117, 1058, Green 314, C 251, 154, 153. (June 2004 - Three seats Lab 4432, 4150, 3976, PJP 3535, 3492, 3164, Lib Dem 1596, 1438, 1398, Ind 958, C 668, Green 645, C 397, 360). PJP win two, Lab win one.
end
Council by-elections; Lib-Dems took all 3 seats in Headingley ward, Leeds, in 2004. Letter ‘C’ should not be there. Last results date says May 2002, should be 2004.
Re-run 2004 results:
Birmingham City - Aston: Lib Dem 2081, 2044, 1905, Lab 1896, 1843, 1578, C 282, Green 182, C 166, 148. (June 2004 - Three seats Lab 3794, 3606, 3548, Lib Dem 3034, 2885, 2844, Ind 685, C 392, Green 386, C 331, 238, Ind 230, Ind 229). Lib Dem win three.
Bit of a whirlwind performance there?
75 - Ben
I wouldn’t disagree. These are wards where almost any result is possible depending on the circumstances of the time.
So far as Birmingham is concerned,I still haven’t quite worked out why the anti-war/anti-Blair Claire Short received the biggest anti-Labour swing - more than 20% - in the country (barring the exceptional circumstances of Blaenau Gwent) on Election night.
103 - she may not have been anti-war and anti-Blair enough. Her indecision over resigning may have been costly.
Where is Sean? Something significant is happening in Notting Hill and he is nowhere to be seen.
105 - Don’t tease. You might just get what you wish for!
Indeed - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4727975.stm
103,104 - Probably the fact that she was in such a safe seat helped too - people could register there disapproval with Labour, whilst still getting a Labour MP. (Even with 20% swing away she still secured over 50% of the vote)
103.”So far as Birmingham is concerned,I still haven’t quite worked out why the anti-war/anti-Blair Claire Short received the biggest anti-Labour swing - ”
It wasn’t the biggest anti-labour swing. Roger Godsiff in B. Sparkbrook and Small Heath got a 24.4% swing to Respect. Clare Short had a 20.1% swing to the Libdems and in Birmingham Hodge Hill there was a 18.3% swing to the Libdems .
Those seats have a strong Muslim population.
94.Thanks.
What is the effect of the results of these by-elections on the balance of the parties on Birmingham CC?
Something apparently is going on at Liverpool St - Broadgate Circle has been cordoned off.
BBC reporting two arrests at Liverpool Street. Sky claim two of the 21/7 bomb botchers have been arrested.
110. Now Labour has 46 seats, the tories 39 and the Libdems 31. The conservatives-Libdem coalition will continue to rule the council.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4727975.stm
There are also the PJP - who had this to say:
“Two of the three Bordesley Green seats were won by the People’s Justice Party who claimed they had been robbed at the 2004 polls.
“Following his victory Justice leader and newly elected councillor Shaukat Ali Khan vowed to support the Liberal Democrats against Labour, who he branded as ‘cheats’ and “rogues”.”
http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/news/tm_objectid=15795244%26method=full%26siteid=50002%26headline=lib%2ddem%2djoy%2dafter%2dvote-name_page.html
Kilroy has resigned as Leader of Veritas!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4728941.stm
116 , Rik . Now’s your chance ?!?!?!
Drats Jack, you beat me to it.
Welcome back, Rik.
It is the end of an era. We shall not look upon his like again…politics will never be the same.
He was an unmitigated disaster during his time in office and after. He did nothing good for the country or the party IMHO!
Tabman! Have you started the italics going again?
Indeed. He will not be missed.
Obviously not.
Your words are oddly familiar. Were they used at the Callaghan memorial service?
“Mr Kilroy-Silk said Veritas’ acting chairman, Patrick Eston, would lead the party until a vote in the autumn.
[…]
Mr Eston said he wished Mr Kilroy-Silk well and said the Veritas leadership election result would be announced on 18 September. ”
No doubt Mike Smithson is on the phone to Betfair even as I write, persuading them to open a market.
Actually, how many of us PBers would it take to join Veritas and elect Mike as leader?
“Actually, how many of us PBers would it take to join Veritas and elect Mike as leader? ”
Hmmm, that is highly tempting…
121 - I use them in homage to Andrea.
120 , Tabman . Hang on Tabbers , he’s not enroute to Salisbury Cathedral yet ! You should be ashamed of yourself , launching a scathing attack on the man whose political body is not yet cold !! Liberal Democrats will be appalled too . Think of all those wonderful morning shows and that fetching tan , how could the man have done more to serve his country !! Shame on you !!
On further reflection, I think Mike is still a Lib Dem member, so he might not be allowed.
Printz should be eligible, however. How about it, your Royal Highnetz?
The Panama hat and crumpled linen suit will give a new direction to the party. And politics needs a wigless leader.
127 - Jack, not my words … not my sentiment. I merely report those of others.
“I merely report those of others” - but whose views of our suntanned idol are you reporting? I am going to write a letter to Charles Kennedy, asking that you are expelled from the party forthwith.
128/129 , book value/Peter . I’m being inundated by the Scottish gay wing of my Jacobite Party to absorb Veritus . Here we see the entire Veritus membership being enrolled :
http://www.men-in-kilts.com/rugs.html
Sophia - don´t encourage him. He’s already started a website seeking to attract radical Disraelians to join him a new political formation: the Primrose Party.
132 - That looks a bit like one of Veritas deputy leader Damian Hockney’s election leaflets:
http://www.geocities.com/byelections99/kensington99/hocken993a.jpg
I should point out that I will repost this picture on the thinnest of excuses, much like Private Eye with their photo of Andrew Neil in a vest with a young lady.
131 , Sophia . Absolutely . Make sure your letter of complaint gets to Charles Kennedy’s new home address :
http://www.glengoyne.com
115. So, the Libdems are attracting new fans. When will Gorgeous George join too?
Why so many ribbons on the Libdem candidate?
132. Jack W, what is this? A Chris Bryant’s leaflet?
137 , Sophia . No this is the new Chris Bryant leaflet :
http://www.debralingerie.com/hidden_secrets/mens_9.html
138. I’m not turned into Sophia (yet).
103. Another thing about Clare Short’s seat that could explain the swing: her seat is the one with the highest unemployment rate.
139 - I don´t think swing is the best measure (if it is two-party swing) as this depends on whether all the lost Labour votes went to one clear alternative (swing looks high) or several (swing looks lower). It is better to look simply at the decline in the Labour vote.
Incidentally, I think Short’s opponent was one of last night’s victors.
140. Infact, you’re right (I wanted to say it, but I didn’t know how to write it in a clear way). Respect was not standing against Short and so all the voters who left Labour went to the Libdems (UKIP gained a lot too).Short lost 17%. In other seats LAbour lost more than her: West Ham (18.7%), East Ham (19.2%), Birmingham Sparkbrook & Small Heath (21.4%). So at the end she wasn’t the worst of the night.
139 , Andrea . Sorry about that !! It was the sight of all those Welsh Labour MP’s that addled my brain !
BTW on Clare Short it’s ironic that for all here anti-war and anti-Blair stance she suffered one of the worst swings at the GE . Was she chastened , was she ….. cigared !
Some of the other “suspects” also got “Clared” - Dobbo and Glenda to name but two !!
O/T . Amazing , exclusive film from ITV News of the capture of two of the alleged bombers ! I’m sure they’ll repeat the scenes on the ITV News channel throughout the evening and later on the main news at 10:30 pm. The Beeb and Sky will be spitting mad !!
142.The decline in Glenda’s vote (-8.6%)was in line with Labour’s decline in London (-8.4%)
Being anti-war or anti-Blair didn’t save any candidates. Some leftwinged MPs did well (Dennis Skinner), some not (Short) like some loyalists did well (Bryant) and some not (Roche).
109 and others
Thanks Andrea. You are quite right.
144 , Andrea . Thanks . That’s what is great about our elections - they’re so quirky and unpredictable !! Good news for bold punters too .
145. we could also take in consideration that maybe her voters don’t think she’s all that good as a constituency MP.
144. Jack, Dobbo could say that he did better than Stephen Twigg, Barbara Roche or Emily Thornberry. The Campaign Group commenting Abbott and Corbyn’s results said that they lost votes, but you should look at Islington South and Hornsey & Wood Green results.
Southgate and Hornsey were two of the real surprises of the election, as (for different reasons) were Enfield North and Finchley.
Iraq must have been a *very* big issue in Hornsey. A friend of mine was telling with Barbara Roche in a local by-election a few months previously and recalls one trendy leftie telling another “don’t give her your number; she’s a murderer!”
The irony is that both Stephen Twigg and Barbara Roche were, at one stage, very popular in their constituencies. Twigg lost because Southgate (in common with several posh London seats) reverted to type, and Roche lost because of her association with a war most of her constituents hated.
148. Maybe in Finchley they have still memories of the Iron Lady.
Re. 148 Sean I think the fact that it was thought Twigg was fairly safe encouraged Labour defections to the LD’s and the Greens as you say in Enfield North the Labour vote held up better.
150. In Enfield Southgate there were defections to the tories too (they gained 6%).
I felt sorry for Twiggy. He was almost in tears!
Does someone know the reaction of Barbara Roche at the count? I don’t remember to have seen the declaration live (but maybe I surfing the net when the results was declared).
Glenda’s comment after the declaration: “I’m grateful my majority was as big as it was.”
Bald or not, I think Hague would have won a 2002 General Election had the fuel crisis gone on for twenty four hours longer (unless, possibly, the electorate had been impressed by Blair’s ‘good man to have in charge in a crisis’ credentials in the aftermath of September 11th, and Hague had been as maladroit in his reaction to the event as he was to the death of Princess Diana, in which case Blair might have called an Autumn 01 General Election seeking ‘a renewed mandate in an uncertain world’).
Re. 151, I don’t remember seeing the Hornsey and Wood Green declaration live on BBC1 (and I stayed up until 6am on May 6th). Having watched the ITV1 coverage on video (with the exception of seeing the Westmorland and Lonsdale declaration live, I don’t know why I bothered) I don’t remember seeing it on their coverage either.
re 94. Clare Short also has huge numbers of students in her constiturncy as well, but there again that doesn’t explain Gisela Stuart holding on.
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