Is Labour ready to forgive the gang of four split?
June 28th, 2007
Will Shirley Williams be able to “re-rat”?
Winston Churchill famously coined the phrase “Anyone could “rat” but it took a certain ingenuity to “re-rat” after being elected as a Conservative MP, switching to the Liberal four years later, and then re-joining the Tories.
With the news that Gordon Brown has been in conversation with Shirley Williams the question arises - will she be able to pull off what Churchill did and “re-rat”.
For in 1981 Shirley, along with Roy Jenkins, David Owen and Bill Rogers famously split the Labour party by leaving in order to set up the SDP. They cited major differences over European and defence policies and were uncomfortable with what they saw as a sharp turn to the left under leader Michael Foot.
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To bring Shirl into the government, even if only in the advisory role being suggested, is a risk. What those four did in 1981 is still remembered by many within the Labour movement who might not be so ready to forgive.
Could reconciling Labour with the SDP split of 1981 be Gordon’s Clause 4 moment?
Mike Smithson
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Sky:
Culture: Purnell (I don’t like him)
Environment: Benn
As a Lib Dem I don’t see a problem, if she wants to do it. Seems similar to Ashdown chairing the NI Parades Commission and Alex Carlile advising on terrorism legislation. The block surely has to be, not unreasonably, on having a ministerial job in a Labour government (as opposed to a coalition government following a jointly agreed programme) while being a Lib Dem parliamentarian.
For info, Shirley Williams has just issued this statement via the Lib Dem press office -
STATEMENT FROM SHIRLEY WILLIAMS
“I met Gordon Brown at 6:30pm on Wednesday evening. We had a friendly and constructive discussion. I was not offered a Ministerial position and would not have accepted one.
“The Prime Minister and I talked briefly about the dangers of unsecured nuclear materials and nuclear proliferation, subjects I have worked on as a member of the Board of Directors of the Nuclear Threat Initiative in Washington DC.
“NTI is a private organisation established by Senator Sam Nunn of the Democratic Party, former chairman of the Senate Armed Service Committee, and Ted Turner, founder of CNN. Senator Richard Lugar of the Republican Party, former chairman and now ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is a Director.
“NTI, a public charity, is devoted to reducing the risk of use and preventing the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. It builds on the bipartisan Nunn-Lugar initiative after the end of the Cold War, which succeeded in de-activating over 6,000 nuclear weapons in the former Soviet Union.
“NTI has done a great deal to secure nuclear weapons and nuclear materials in the countries of the former Soviet Union, among them Russia itself. It is also concerned with the securing of chemical and biological weapons. I am the only Briton on the board.
“Mr Brown suggested that I might be able to advise his Government on these and related matters. I told him that I would discuss his suggestion with Menzies Campbell and Lord McNally, Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, as well as with NTI, and would then get back to him.”
After 2 refusals, it does seem that Gordon is just desperate to get a Lib Dem, no matter who.
I reckon I’m about 2364 on the list so I’m not leaving the phone for a while.
Judging by yesterday’s article, Simon Heffer is looking for a job with Gordon Brown.
I heard Shirley Williams interviewed recently, and she was specifically asked if she ever felt inclined to re-join Labour, and she gave several reasons why she would not. I suspect that she is going to be offered a seat on the National Jam Butty Quango or the Regional White Fish Quota Board or something; not a “Government position” as I understand it, but the sensible use of an Establishment figure in an Establishment role. it will smooth as many feathers as it ruffles, no damage will be done to either side, and political life will carry on as before.
A number of Labour activists I know hate Shirley with a passion. I don’t know whether that is a generally held position but cetainly they would not be impressed with her being one of the “talents”.
[3] I fear you’ve no chance… Our Genial Host wouldn’t turn Gordo down, would he?
Confirmed! Hain to keep Wales, but NI has left his clutches.
8
In other words Hain has a complete non job.
John Hutton to go to the DTI, according to BBC. What’s left of it.
Frankly if this is the best they can do they might as well dig up Roy Jenkins as well..at least he couldn’t turn GB down.
3 - If Gordon is that desperate have Mark Senior or Dan had a phone call? We should be told!!!
8. Let shope so.
5. Be a bit of a boring spread of sandwiches at the National Jam Butty Quango meetings….there’s raspberry jam…strawberry….er blackcurrant…
On a more serious note, perhaps our esteemed PB.com host could advise Gordon on internet democracy!
9 the Beeb are saying Hain has got work and pensions which is definitely not a non job more like a hot potato
9.”In other words Hain has a complete non job”
He has Work and Pensions too.
re 3, Mike Sole, “After 2 refusals, it does seem that Gordon is just desperate to get a Lib Dem, no matter who.
I reckon I’m about 2364 on the list so I’m not leaving the phone for a while. ”
Let me know how you get on!
Yvette Cooper hasn’t been mentioned for a job yet. I thought that she was supposed to be a rising star AND would help the gender balance in the cabinet.
What will happen to Blears? Has she been tipped for anything this morning? Cabinet jobs will soon finish…
Iain Dale has Blears down as Party Chairman..I thought that was Harman’s job?
Alan Johnson to Health, thats the real hot potato if true.
3 Mike - If he does ring, don’t accept until you have discussed it with us first.
This is still taking rather a long time, especially regarding the top jobs. News management or behind-the-scenes wrangling?
******BREAKING NEWS ************
I’ve had a call from Gordon Brown’s office. He’s offered me a job.
That’s Mr Gordon Brown from Cambridge, you know, the IT Consultant chap.
And I thought I was going to get Foreign Sec…
20.”Iain Dale has Blears down as Party Chairman..I thought that was Harman’s job?”
yes, Gordon said the Deputy Leader would become Party Chairman.
Yawn, yawn, yawn.
Just what I expected.
Come on Gordon, give it some welly. This is what you always wanted, the job you’ve been yearning for all these years. Do something interesting, exciting, surprising…
Yvette Cooper is going to get the housing job…
re by-election timing. I see that for by elections that the returning officer can bring forward the election forward by up to 2 days. Normally with an issue of a writ today the election would be on Mon 23rd (the 17th day), but it can be brought forward to the 15th day. This means that nomination papers will have to be deliveredby Friday next week. Bit of a rush for those parties without candidates in place - which is I presume Labour in both cases.
18. Well maybe she’ll get Ruth’s job - after all YC made a great job of the HIPs introduction.
14. I don’t think either the Internet or democracy are things that interest Broon to any great degree.
2 - Sorry, but working with a government without any formal coalition deal is beyond acceptability. Ming said no and anyone accepting should either resign from the party or be kicked out.
How anyone could imagine working with this most iliberal of governments I don’t know. You cannot be taken seriously as a separate party if people see this sort of collaboration and I wouldn’t expect it with any other party either. If they need advice then they should share power officially.
re 21. I’ve had my phone on all day and I’m still waiting for the offer.
Hazel Blears at Communities and LG. Wah!
Blears got Ruth’s job and Ruth goes to Transport
31. So is Tim Montgomerie, no doubt!
26. What is she, a roofer or a plumber?
re 30 no it shouldn’t be. What you’re saying is a recipe for disaster with the heads of every quango, national audit office, information commissioner, committee on standards in public life, ambassador to UN etc being fully paid-up party members.
What about the big one - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster?
6 million Lancastrians await the news eagerly…
I thought it might be Blears. Hutton perhaps?
What are the positions still free with no-one tipped to get them? NI and Duchy of Lancaster?
I’m waiting to be offered Solicitor General.
Is Tessa out at this point?
37.”I thought it might be Blears. Hutton perhaps? ”
Blears should get the Kelly’s thing. Hutton is tipped for Industry Dep
Who the hell is Jacqui Smith?
Never heard of her, but she’s Home Sec!
Is she a Lib Dem defector?
No sign of Caroline Flint it seems. I’d have defected to Labour myself if she’d been given the nod…
38. NI could be an existing NI junior minister already there or a Lord.
So the new Home Secretary can seriously risk to lose her seat at next GE
But where is the big defector? Will there be no substance to these rumours?
42 - Or maybe Gord reckons that you lot can just get on with it without any interferance…
Sounds like the Dawn Primarolo rumour (of a cabinet job) was false…thank god!
36 - No, not at all, just that they shouldn’t be representatives of another party in the Commons, Lords, other assemblies etc.
You can’t have people voting for one party and then the government turns out to be made up of people that they didn’t vote for, the parties are seen as too similar as it is. If Brown’s attempt to paint everyone as being similar to him succeeds then democracy itself is sullied.
The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Sir Philip Mawer is to resign early…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6248914.stm
Any connection with the events over the last few days? Job done, or too much ahead of himif he stayed?
Shirley Williams has just said on BBC she will not take the Labour Whip and is not defecting !
49. Well she might as well wait until after the GE when the Lib Dems will be joining Labour in a formal coalition.
30: So governments should quite explicitly restrict appointments of any kind to members of the governing party?
Then again I don’t what advice can be given about nuclear proliferation. It’s going to happen, and states who do have nuclear weapons can have no influence, short of direct threat, over states who don’t.
Is the Education Department going to be split, right?
Tony Blair has been questioned again over cash for honours!! Police have confirmed!
PA say BLAIR questioned for a third time by Police over cash for honours….
Beeb reporting that Tony Blair has been questioned for a third on Cash for honours.
As I have said before, i don’t think that there will be any more defections over the next few weeks. But supposing (just supposing) there was going to be one today - what’s the best way to handle it to get maximum media exposure? Bring him (or her, or it) out at lunchtime for the live media news broadcasts, or mid afternoon for the print media, or save it for News at Ten and Newsnight?
Has this news been released today in the hope it is over shadowed by the Brown cabinet announcements, or will it be the other way around?
53. Hence the diplomatic appointment…as was cleverly pointed out on this site yesterday. After fawning all over many crooked businessmen like Berlusconi over the years, Blair now gets his chance to join them.
Given the stories that Blair would resign if treated as a suspect for the 2nd round of questioning, can we assume that he was treated as a suspect for this lastest questioning?
53 Yes Rik. Maybe the predictions that the Prime Minister will be led away in handcuffs will finally come true - about a year late but never mind.
Hang on, he’s not PM anymore….
51 - Non govermental appointments such as quangos and committees fine, ministers and government advisors not fine.
56 - Mid afternoon, the momentum would take it right through until the end of the day and into the papers tomorrow.
LibDem Alex Carlile has accepted in principle the post of Attorney General…
56. With Buff being appointed Chief Whip, that leaves a vacancy for Europe Minister.
I would announce Ken Clarke’s appointment at 8.30 this evening. Six O’clock viewers not interested, Ten and NNight viewers very interested. And just in time to allow the press to get him onto the front pages for Friday’s splash.
As a Labour Party member/ supporter all my life, who is also just old enough to remember 1981, I hold no grudge at all against Shirley Williams. It is Tony Benn, whom I hold responsible - and it still baffles me as to why anyone takes him seriously at all.
62 - no he hasn’t. Baroness Scotland has been unveiled as AG, according to the BBC!
62. Iain Dale was right! Bad news for Bling…
36
‘re 30 no it shouldn’t be. What you’re saying is a recipe for disaster with the heads of every quango, national audit office, information commissioner, committee on standards in public life, ambassador to UN etc being fully paid-up party members.’
That’s exactly as it is now and if anyone steps out of line e.g the chairman of the committe of standards their job is not renewed or they are sacked.
Re 53, Rikw, “Tony Blair has been questioned again over cash for honours!! Police have confirmed!”
I asked if they would yesterday on my blog! Do we know if it was under caution? Got a link?
68. “I asked if they would yesterday on my blog”
Benedict - that’s all very well, but not much use if you don’t tell anyone that you have a blog.
67. Spot on. Even the head of the Met police is a Labour toady. Toeing the ruling party line is an essential precondition of career progress in almost all top public sector jobs.
68 - No I dont but it was live on BBC News 24
Sound less a government of all the talents, more like a government of licorish allsorts….
Where’s Cruddas? I thought he was going to get a cabinet position.
69 - Julian H, I hope you said that in a tongue-in-cheek manner. Otherwise you’re the only person on this site who does’nt know about Benedicts Blog!
Re 69, JulianH,
Did anyone really want to know
“What those four did in 1981 is still remembered by many within the Labour movement who might not be so ready to forgive.” Don’t agree. Maybe 1 or 2 per cent of old-timers would be upset, most others would be pleased. There was a lot of resentment at Blair trying to bring in Lib Dems in 97, but that was because there was a huge Labour majority, and anyway we are 10 years further on now. Whether the idea would appeal to the Lib Dem leadership is entirely another matter - I guess they’re getting cold feet now.
73. Secretary of State for Grassroots Yadda Yadda Zzzzzzzz
73. “Where’s Cruddas? I thought he was going to get a cabinet position.”, I would have thought his showing in the DL contest would have meant that he would be included? I thought he came across really well in the media as well.
74. I’m not quite that obtuse, Galloglass. Furthermore, myself and Benedict enjoy a, ahem, “special relationship”…
http://aconservatives.blogspot.com/2007/03/massive-hat-tip-to-julian.html
One could have considerable fun impersonating the number 10 switchboard and asking the backbench Labour MP’s to attend Brown’s common office to MP’s commons offices at the moment!!!
:lol:
Don’t worry i have to much on and i would not waste the money but still good sport. It would not surprise me if Rory Bremner or some other comic genuis did this today and tommorow!
They could be offered the ministry of the long stand or the glass hammer!!!
Andy Burnham replaces Stephen Timms at the Treasury.
64 John B ABSOLUTELY RIGHT - I was there. I’ve got the t shirt scars etc
re 80, Martin,
Jacqui who??
What about Ed Miliband, Stephen Timms, Dawn Primarolo, Nick Brown & Co?
84. She has a face for radio.
I think Andy Burnham was on newsnight last night?
It was funny because he got a bit of a bashing off paxo and Teresa May. I was surprised
:lol: Not half as surprised as him getting a post today for after a lammentable performance!!!
I was watching the thing on ITV4 and channel hopping between that and newsnight - In some ways it was really quite a similar piece of television: One witnessed the mandateless manipulator Brown being as flawed as the shape shifting “thing” in the film. It fooled nobody and should be described as a commedy not a drama!!!!
:lol: 
:lol: Maybe i am the thing now my sides just ripped open!!!!
86.
You might say that…….. 
85. Oh, I see Ed Miliband has been announced as Cabinet Office Minister.
According to the BBC’s World at One Tony was NOT questioned under caution. (more bizarrely on my blog, which I obviously try hard to keep a secret
)
Seriously though if Brown appoints so many relatives and spouses to the cabinet is this not just asking for factionalism and nepotism?
How could Brown sack Balls wife or for that mater miliband’s brother (assuming they join the cabinet?!)
Nick P please see comment on the other page about defections - I was joking!!!
you are right i have done that before. I like to have the fun as well as you! 
86 Jamie - Brilliant!! I must remember that one. Thanks.
I presume the tories will have a minor reshuffle at least with the departmental changes, but assuming the main roles stay broadly the same, what do we think of the head to head match-ups. Also, there’s bound to be a first minster to go market. Any favourites so far?
Shaun Woodward to NI…
Shaun Woodward NI Sec
I just realized that Baroness Ashton and Baroness Scotland of of Asthal are 2 different people. I was getting confused with all those Baronesses around
Martin Day: I completely agree. Having relatives in the same team is always trouble in the long term. Anyone who has witnessed Councils (which are often littered with husband-wife combos) will know this is the case.
82. Just remembereing - IIRC - Shirley W.’s response to some ludicrous first 100 days plan for creating a socialist arcadia written by Benn - ‘even God too a break on the sabbath!’.
94/95 - so one defector prospers!
95. God what a dire appointment. Bad luck for the Ulstermen to get such a pathetic nonentity.
94/95 Rod/Philip. Old Tory defector into the Cabinet !!
Hmmm…just checking in to see the latest, I hadn’t realised that Jacqui Smith had massively impressed. Does anyone know much about where she stands on anything in such a pivotal role?
Shaun Woodward finally makes cabinet, if it’s about 10 years for a defector that’ll be Quentin Davies in 2017 then!
I’ve got a sneaky admiration for Stephen Timms, shame not to see his name so far, and also waiting to see Caroline Flint for different reasons
I think that we should have a new secretary of state for the Minstry of ‘all the talents’ with a full time job of whipping up defection speculation. Rik W must surely be a key candidate!
99 Rik W. Pour encourge les autres !!
101 What about a new one in the junior ranks. What time did story in relation to QD break?
Denham for Innovation, Universities and Skills?
103. Jack W - surely correct; nothing else can explain the promotion of a talentless clown like Woodward.
The Alex Carlile offer of Attorney-General is inspired - responds to all the criticism of the AG being a party appointment, yet precisely because it’s a law officer and not a partisan job probably avoids the Curse of Ming. Carlile has done a really good job as a LibDem taking an independent view of the operation of the terrorism legislation.
Also perfectly happy to have Shirley Williams on board in any capacity - she was the one of the Gang of Four whom nobody disliked. (I draw the line at David Owen.)
And of course I’m delighted Peter Hain has confounded media expectations and got a promotion.
91: Yes, Martin, don’t worry, knew you were joking!
78. Junior Housing?
102.”I hadn’t realised that Jacqui Smith had massively impressed. Does anyone know much about where she stands on anything in such a pivotal role?”
IIRC after boundary changes Jacuie Smith has a majority of just 5% in her constituency. So she can seriously risk to lose her seat next time if Labour don’t win.
As for her career, she was junior minister for Women and Equality when Civil Partnership went through the Commons. Then she was moved to Education when Twigg lost his seat in 2005 GE. Then she was promoted to Chief Whip position. The first thing she did was to introduce Yellow Cards to suspend rebel MPs from the PLP. She reprimaned Alan Simpson for something he has said and his CLP practically told her to make her business. She did a better job than Armstrong in that role though (serial rebels still rebelled, but at least she didn’t send MPs in Scotland on the eve of a crucial vote).
94/95 He’s been there before.
102: Jacqui Smith was hugely popular among MPs as Chief Whip - traditionally the job is held by stern-faced types who only see you if you’ve asked to talk to them or have got in trouble. Jacqui’s reached out very successfully - she’s tough but friendly.
I’ll say one thing for Shaun Woodward - his defection gave David Cameron a cushy seat in Parliament.
Who knows how things might have turned out otherwise - he might have given Stafford another go?
Major Breaking News!!!
The Spice Girls are to re-form
Nick - everyone drew the line at David Owen!
Lance Price’s (badly-writted and characteristically insipid) diaries originally talk up Shaun Woodward’s talents but then gradually dismiss him as being rather emotionally fragile, confused, egotistical and generally a bit odd.
I don’t think this is the kind of person NI needs right now.
Lance Price’s (badly-written and characteristically insipid) diaries originally talk up Shaun Woodward’s talents but then gradually dismiss him as being rather emotionally fragile, confused, egotistical and generally a bit odd.
I don’t think this is the kind of person NI needs right now.
94&95. One defection which definitely had a silver lining for the Conservatives, it gave David Cameron his seat.
109. She must be an excellent choice for ‘first minister to resign or be sacked’ if that market comes up again, given the mess at the Home Office.
Gosh,looks what happens when you have a Thai siesta. I score some zzz and wake up just a couple of hours later to find two amazing developments.
1. Tony Blair has been questioned a THIRD time under cash for honours, surely indicating that prosecutions are imminent… unprecedented Labour scandal just the day after he leaves number 10.
and, even more incredibly..
2. Shirley Williams, a pleasantly flustered old biddy who used to be in Labour, has been asked by Labour to POSSIBLY help out with a
COMMITTEE, who are going to CHAT with OTHER PEOPLE about the BIPARTISAN NUNN LUGAR INITIATIVE!
OK, make that one amazing development.
Gordon Brown hits the ground running. Not.
Argh, excuse the double-post and absurdly embarrassing “badly-writted” (!)
I have a vague memory that Jacqui Smith had a bit of a falling out with Andrew Neil on the Daily Politics show, or am I thinking of someone else?
The Duchy of Lancaster still awaits its Chancellor I see…
113: Rik, when I heard that they were doing a press conference this morning, just for a second I wondered about Sports Minister, Children’s Minister, Ginger Minister, Scaremongering Minister and Posh Minister…
From They Work for You:
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/quentin_davies/grantham_and_stamford
How Quentin Davies voted on key issues since 2001:
Has never voted on a transparent Parliament.
Moderately for introducing a smoking ban.
Moderately against introducing ID cards.
Moderately against introducing foundation hospitals.
Strongly against introducing student top-up fees.
Moderately against Labour’s anti-terrorism laws.
Very strongly for the Iraq war.
Moderately for investigating the Iraq war.
Has never voted on replacing Trident.
Moderately against the fox hunting ban.
Strongly against equal gay rights.
113. Thanks Rik, at last some ‘meat’!
122 Ed Balls has taken the post to go with his cabinet office role.
caroline flint more like caroline FIT
123. ’scaremongering minister’
John Reid has left the government, no?
119 - Sean, you missed the major defection news we’d all been waiting for. It was Shaun Woodward - ok, it was 8 years ago and he’s been elected twice since as a Labour MP, but GB has got his ex-Tory in the Cabinet.
Well done, Gordon. Well done…
Thanks to Nick and Andrea for filling me in on Jacqui Smith…will be interesting to see if she is as well-rated as Home Sec
I think Smith was nicknamed Mme Dominatrix when she introduced the Yellow Cards thing after Diane Abbott labelled her in that way in a Times piece.
Children and youth justice: Beverley Hughes
is she in the Cabinet?
124 Strongly against equal gay rights.
goodbye and good riddance - not sure this will make him too popular in the Labour Party though.
Africa, Asia and UN: Lord Malloch Brown
Home secretary - Jacqui Smith
Chancellor of the Exchequer - Alistair Darling
Foreign Secretary - David Miliband
Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor - Jack Straw
Health secretary - Alan Johnson
Defence secretary - Des Browne
Secretary for business, enterprise and regulatory reform - John Hutton
Secretary for children, schools and families - Ed Balls
Secretary for innovation, universities and skills - John Denham
Environment secretary - Hilary Benn
International development secretary - Douglas Alexander
Work and pensions secretary - Peter Hain
Welsh secretary - Peter Hain
Transport secretary - Ruth Kelly
Secretary for communities and local government - Hazel Blears
Culture, media and sport secretary - James Purnell
Northern Ireland secretary - Shaun Woodward
Chief whip - Geoff Hoon
Secretary for the cabinet office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster - Ed Miliband
Chief secretary to the Treasury - Andy Burnham
Leader of the Lords - Baroness Ashton
133. Somewhat against animal rights too….
Minister for the Olympics and London and South East
The Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP
Lords Chief Whip and Captain of the Gentlemen at Arms
The Rt Hon the Lord Grocott
Parliamentary Private Secretaries to the Prime Minister
Ian Austin MP
Angela E Smith MP
ahaha, Woodward is unpaid according to Downing Street website
News on Ealing Southall - Iain Dale is reporting that Tony Lit, Director of Sunrise Radio, has been selected as the Tory candidate. Lit’s father, Avtar Lit, the chairman of Sunrise, stood as an independent at the 2001 general election as an Independent and got 12% of the vote, pushing the Lib Dems into 4th place.
This could actually be interesting!
Who’s the Attorney General? Carlile or Scotland?
Time to collect on young Darling.
Thank god for predictability.
I’m sure someone will attempt to play up the Woodward thing. Consdiering he has been a junior minister in NI in 05/06 then its not exactly arse kickingly new.
My guess at Post 42 that it may be a Lord or a current NI junior proved not quite on the market by about a year……
138. He doesn’t need the money - indeed it must be rather a long while since he earned his own living.
139. Good choice!
Ed Balls MP, Andy Burnham MP, Ed Miliband MP, James Purnell MP, and Shaun Woodward MP join the Privy Council
140. Scotland
Denahm as Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
Harriet Harman is also Minister for Women
Is Angela E. Smith the Basildon one or the Sheffield one?
Crivens, but that Cabinet is like political Rohypnol. You’ve just got to read the names and you start nodding off. Hain. Hoon. Kelly. Someone stick a fork in my thigh. Straw. Blears. Johnson. Please, someone, anyone, help. Smith. Darling. Hain. Hoon. Cuthbert. Dibble. Grub. ZZZZZZZZ
I think even a neutral would admit this is not quite the fireworks we were expecting. What happened to the Amazing Gordo and His Hundred Days of Excitement??
lol
Has Des Browne got defence AND Scotland ?
140. A whole town or country gets to be Attorney General?
Now thats democracy!
147 Yes. It’s so that Salmond’s Scotland can be suitably threatened with invasion if he tries to refuse the English/British military permission to house New Trident at Holy Loch.
Yes Scotland is the main portfolio, 80% of his time will be spent arguing with Salmond. Defence clearly not important any more.
re 138. I’d have thought that a lot of them were unpaid. IIRC is the limit something like 22? The Beeb have 27 listed on their website.
149. Oh dear - bit of a blunder - we are involved in two wars with squaddies being lost every week (inc 3 today) and Gordo doesn’t think defense is a full time job ?
146: I tend to agree. The most exciting thing to happen to Labour in the last few weeks is beginning to look like Quentin Davies.
I wonder was young Carlile dissuaded very late in the day?
We have unveiled our candidate for Ealing Southall.
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/goldlist/2007/06/asian-radio-ent.html
He looks like a really good guy and is “joining the party because of David Cameron”. Seems like a good trade for Quentin Davies!!
150 But wait until Quentin D gets a junior ministry, in order to do the work!
Poor Queen, having to put up with a snobby worm like Woodward.
I find it spectacularly inexplicable that Brown has kept Hoon in the Cabinet. Geoff Whom. The man with the personality of a two-slice toaster. A man forever tainted by Iraq. WTF?
Maybe Brown’s keeping Hoon in so that, by comparison, Brown himself will appear witty and personable. Ahem. But keeping in anyone closely associated with Iraq is a mistake, surely.
155. Yes but what about bar charts ? Can’t win without em ..
158. It’s Fuhrerpartei, as I said - a leader surrounded by sychophants, nonentities, sinecures and nepotistic appointments (note some individuals will be represented in more than one of these categories).
Oh for Robin Cook.
Good to see John Denham in, but I can’t say it was all that surprising. Sadly, today has been something of a damp squib…
Ladbrokes trying to cash in on the defections market now!
How many more Tory MP’s will defect to the Labour Party before the end of 2007?
None 2.50
One 3.00
Two 3.50
Three or more 7.00
160. Yeah, I think that’s it. Gordo’s one of those girls so insecure in her looks she only hangs out with absolute mingers, so she won’t suffer by comparison.
As for the long-awaited defection, perhaps when Ed Balls said ‘wait and see what Gordon’s got arranged for Thursday’ he actually meant Tony Blair’s questioning by police.
re Jacqui Smith (Nick 111). Is she the ones who seems to quite often lose it at PMQs screaming at the opposition (the Tory opposition).
Her record as chief whip isn’t particularly good though, she has misread a number of rebellions - made the Government look daft(not that that is difficult).
Perhaps the new Home Office Lite is not like the old Home Office where storms suddenly appear out of a clear blue sky.
O/T - SMOKING BAN
On Weds I wrote about a Herefordshire landlord threatening to defy the ban.
Someone emailed me a link to a karaoke “fun” bar in Blackpool where the loony landlord has set up a political party (he ran in the locals) to oppose the ban. He too is planning to break the law. There are some great quotes from this guy. See here:
http://stonch.blogspot.com/2007/06/defying-smoking-ban-in-blackpool.html
“The smoking ban is a “government incited hate crime” apparently !
Have we really got two competing ministers for children? And both of them are scary enough to be in fairy tales.
Blinky Balls who can’t tell the truth on pensions his boss has raided is to be in charge of children? will he be the one to teach honesty and manners?
But he is only one of the ministers in charge of children.
In the red corner we have Bev economical-with-the-truth-and-I-am-innocent-but-I-resign-anyway Hughes as youth justice and children?
And of course they will both have a junior minister in charge of children so the have someone to blame.
What will the coming generation be like with this lot on their backs?
152. That’s why we’re getting a mininstry and minister… of Attack
167 - “What will the coming generation be like with this lot on their backs?”
I grew up with Margaret Thatcher on the telly every day.
She haunts my dreams.
Still O/T went to Admiral Coddrington on way back from London- used to be a good pub but everyone seemed to be smoking and packets of fags everywhere. Cant wait until 1st July when smokers will be castrated (have I got that right?).
145 basildon one
167.”In the red corner we have Bev economical-with-the-truth-and-I-am-innocent-but-I-resign-anyway Hughes as youth justice and children?”
BBC reports her appointment, but she isn’t listed on Downing Street website
171. thanks jgc
Do Ministers for Children have to be police checked? Should delay things for a few weeks.
169. Too much beer, much too young.
107.
“I draw the line at David Owen.”
through his neck, perhaps?
163.
“How many more Tory MP’s will defect to the Labour Party ”
Is there a ‘three for two’ deal? With Cashback?
167, I think Hughes is going to be a minister of state in Ed Ball’s new department.
135. Smith must be the hot favourite in the sack race from that lot. Difficult brief combined with very limited intellectual and political firepower…
177. At Tescobets.com…..
Is it possible to have a Lord Chancellor (Jack Straw) who is not in the Lords?
Who is Purnell? - the fall guy for the 2012 fiasco?
181. nah sure Tessa Jowell has the title Minister for the Olympics..theres your target
181 - he isn’t Lord Chancellor, he’s justice minister. Presumably someone else (perhaps Charlie F, even) will be Lord Chancellor.
175 - yep, I was driven to drink by a hard-faced harridan hectoring from every TV screen.
This Blair thing is weird.
I’m not normally one for the BBC-is-a-nest-of-lefty-hyenas conspiracy theories. I know too many people who work for the BBC - yes they are all Guardian readers but their liberal bias is more instinctive and reflexive than malicious and deliberate. They genuinely think they are being balanced even when they are patently not. They are nice but a bit unselfaware, that’s all.
Moreover I think they have now realised that eventually a Tory government might get back into power, and if they don’t clean up their act the License Fee could be halved. So they’re trying to change.
THAT SAID, the hiding of this story of Blair’s third questioning by police is bizarre, bordering on suspicious. Ir’s not on the front page of the website. It’s not even on the main news page. You have to click several times to find it hidden away in other news.
Now, call me Grassy Knoll Esquire, but I think if Margaret Thatcher was questioned for a third time by police, in reference to serious corruption in her office and amongst her immediate aides, THE DAY AFTER SHE LEFT NUMBER 10, it might just have made front page news for the Beeb.
No?
183.”he isn’t Lord Chancellor, he’s justice minister”
Tell it to Downing Street website that lists him as “Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor”
Jack Straw is Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice - they changed the constitutional requirements a couple of years ago - and he is the first non Lord to be appointed since the 1700s I think.
Weird thing is that the Lord Chancellor is higher in the order of precedence than the Prime Minister - so wonder if Jack Straw will be listed under his lesser title Secretary of State
185 Sean, are they saying that he was interviewed today, or was it some time ago?
Great to see John Denham, an early Iraq resigner, back in the cabinet at last.
New thread - “Has Jack Straw been sold short?”
187 doesnt the lord chancellor get paid more than the pm?