Okay – to be clear what Damian McBride did was plain wrong as well as stupid. He fell on his “sword” (or scribe, pen, QWERTY board – whatever media advisers fall upon) pretty swiftly and resigned. The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown sent out handwritten letters of deep regret and has now “finally” according to last nights 6pm BBC News “apologised”. Cue to picture of Osborne saying “it’s a bit late”.Now all week we have been subjected to various Tories pontificating at length about this and that. I thought that this was all just a little rich. I am not a Westminster village insider, but anyone who doesn’t think that senior Tory officials have not had similar emails exchanges or meetings about slurring Labour Politician’s as those between McBride and Draper are living in cloud cuckoo land. I would have thought that maybe some recognition that “there but the grace of God” humility by the Tories would have been appropriate if they really want to “clean up” the body politics.
By co-incidence I’ve been away recently and it was only last night that I caught up with and read last weeks Sunday papers. This extract from Paddy Ashdown’s autobiography in the Sunday Times review I think is apt. “...we discovered after the election that that some Tories had imported a group of US activists called “the Nerds” whose job was to spread malign rumours and make unfounded personal accusations against senior opposition MPs...after the election Kelvin MacKenzie then editor of The Sun, revealed that at least one cabinet-level Tory minister had approached him seeking to retail scurrilous and untrue allegations against a number of senior opposition MPs.”
Nuff said?
UPDATE: No there is more -Leftygirl tells it as it is here
UPDATE 2: The plot thickens - check out today's Sunday Mirror
21 comments:
It's typical of this blog that it seeks to make light of the actions of the Government of the day in this way..what an appalling indictment of the Government and of the Labour Party that they would deliberately seek to spread rumours about senior members of the opposition relating to sexually transmitted diseases and extra marital affairs in this way. Is this the level you truly aspire to? I should think Tony Benn and many other serious Socialits politicians are aghast. Why doesn't Labour concentrate on dealing with the problems the country faces? It only serves to demonstrate that this Governments time is up.
And all this who slagged off the Tory at the Royal Docks election because you didnt like the picture used. You just dont get it do you?
i put it down to him being a public school boy
sick just like those ex public school tories and trots
Well researched John. The Tory Nerds (as described in Ashdowns biography) remind me very much of the ulta left militants (militant tendency I think they call themselves in Lambeth)these small groups of no hopers always try to infiltrate where they detect a weakness and start bullying mainstream activists/members to force them out. The only visible ones so far are the group of 2 or 3 in Lambeth who opnenly call their group 'militants'. Shouldn't natinal be doing something about these lot? The most encouraging thing about them is that they are constantly fighting each other...
Concerned
I see the Tories have now announced they will be cutting ALL school bedgets
another reason to vote Tory
keep them thick
anonymous 1 - erm I think both the Labour Party and the Govt are concentrating on the real problems - it's the Tories that are treating this like dogs with a very over chewed bone. It is perhaps an appalling indictment of the complete lack of any credible Tories that leads them to make such a meal of this. Some overpaid adviser indulged in scurrilous gossip and thought about publishing it. He doesn't and he gets sacked immediately. Repeat after me This Is Not A Story. Or even remotely important
leftygirl - dont forget the Prime Minister overpaid the adviser.
What gets me is: who's reading Number 10's emails?
As this was never anything more than a conspiracy I thought it odd that Brown should apologise at all. The whole affair is an obvious attempt by the Tories to make Labour look bad - cause they sure as hell can't make themselves look good!
Charlie - The Tories dont need to try to make Labour look bad , It has managed to do it all by themselves. How many weeks is it since porngate lol
John
I am a solid Labour Party member, all parties smear each other regularly, the right wing press do it constantly against all sorts of people including Public Sector Workers, the Daily Torygraph is a smear comic!This crap that politics is an honourable game is laughable, the buggers would say and do anything to get elected. The sight of tories crying that they are victims and are decent etc is a joke!They got caught they resigned they wont be the last in any party!
Instead of digging up some pathetic link with Ashdown's memoirs and seeking to link the current Laboutr scandal with something from the dim and distant past, why don't you try instead to justify or defend the Labour Party's recent actions? Only labour could harp on about the Tories who were last in Government over ten years ago? "Yah boo someone else did it ten years ago"? Its a bit of a pathetic justification for the current scandal. What happened to all your high principles?? The problem is that the Labour Government are made up of fairly mediocre politicians who themselves have very low standards - look at all the cabinet members and the partisan Labour Speaker fiddling their home allowances, or charging Porn films to their expenses. Shouldn't we be able to expect that they concentrate on sorting out the economic plight of the country and the ruinous state of public finances that they have seriously aggravated. Wouldn't this be a better use of their time? Who was it that expanded the number and the role of these "political advisors"? Oh yes - labour.
Sorry I don't agree that everyone does this and therefore its OK? Please publish the evidence to show that Conservative Governments have spread smear stories about sexually transmitted disease and extra marital affairs amongst the opposition. Lets see the evidence of this? The problem is that absolute power corrupts, and this Government has demeaned and debased itself in may ways - the Home secretary who is supposed to be heading up Law and Order fiddling her allowances, numerous other members of the cabinet fiddling, even the speaker making full use of charging rent for a flat he is also claiming an allowance on whilst at the same time living in a grace and favour apartment, his dubious travel expenses...Porn gate, the list is endless. This is why they will lose the next elction. This Government is running out of time and they know it. Out of desperation they have resorted to the gutter - is this the same party of Benn, Healy, Callaghan? It's a great shame that the best you can do to justify this is to try to make out that other Governments have done this. Mind you it's no surprise - Labour are the Party of the fiddled ballot boxes - you make it up as you are going along.
How can you accuse the Tories of being the "do-nothing" party, when the governing party's own definition of "doing something" is to tell lies about senior Conservatives' medical histories and sexual proclivities? Trust and dignity are two of the essential ingredients of successful governance, especially in times of crisis: the cost of the McBride Affair is that both are now in the gutter. This scandal has nothing to do with the role of Cabinet special advisers in general, or naughty spin doctors. It has to do with the existence of a dirty tricks campaign at the very heart of No 10, in which Mr McBride, a senior member of HM Government, whose comfortable salary was paid for by the taxpayer, used a Downing Street email address to send his vile smears to Mr Draper. This Labour Cabinet think they are very impressive, with their fancy jobs, and long speeches about "fairness", and their ministerial cars, and motorcades, and G20 summits, and smear campaigns, and threats to destroy anyone who dares to stand in their way. But nobody takes them seriously any more, not at all. As poor Mr Darling will discover this week, you can't really govern when you are the object of ridicule. The voters aren't quaking with fear. They are shaking with laughter.
Its ok for the Tories to smear then gloat - typical!
http://city-hall.blogspot.com/2009/04/climate-change-taliban-decision-notice.html
I read your irrelevent link to Tory smears?..I think the points made by anon above describing the reprehensible nature of this Government campaign says it all. Many serious Labour supporters are ashamed. There is no part for tax payer paid political appointees running false smear campaigns of this nature against anyone - it's totally against our collective public interest and you should stop seeking to apologise for this behaviour.
Yep, all politicians are at it all the time... lets all vote in some independents - I'm all for that.
I have no doubt that, should the current crop of Tory MPs get voted into government, they'll be just as bad as the current Labour Lot if they remain in power for more than eight years.
However, we do have a Labour government that:
Has increased the number of days one can be held without charge;
Is keen to introduce ID cards;
Has introduced ASBOs.. etc. etc.
Those of us on the 'real left' should pray for the defeat of the new Labour party. This is the only way to regain control of the 'real left' eradicate the Labourites and start a new 'real left' party! The time is right! Lets organise in all the unions.
John,
Why no posting on the fact that Lyn Brown claimed £15,899.00 for the 2007 to 2008 session for being away from her main residence?
Are you not just a little intrigued as to why she feels she needs to rent a share in a flat in the City to get to and from the Commons?
To my reckoning, if she's sharing with just one other person her share of the rent is £1324.92 per month (that makes a total rent for the flat of £2649.84 per month).
The Commons sat for 165 days during the session in question. Lyn claimed £96.35 for each of those days. It costs around £70.00 for a return fare in a black cab from Newham to Westminster and back again. That's £26.37 less per day. Over the 165 days Lyn could have made a saving of £4351.05 - that's £83.67 per week for a full year.
I agree the expense system has brought Parliamentarians into disrepute - but why do you always seek to find an equivalent villian of the opposite political persuasion, as though this somehow justifies Labours actions? Why don't you start by condemning the hypocrisy rather than seeking to justify it through some pathetic comparison. Can't you get the fact that the Home Secretary - one of the greatest offices of the State -needs to be a bit above fiddling her rent allowance and claiming for Porn films. What example does it set hardworking local Government workers if the Govt Ministers set such a low moral standard? The personal behaviour of these Government Ministers is frankly appalling, and a bit of humility is required not some pathetic justification for the indefensible. I don't remeber Benn, Callaghan, Healey etc fiddling their allowances.
I encourage people to read the recent article by Rod Liddle in the Spectator regarding Ministers fiddling their expenses. What is even more pathetic than Jacquie Smith claiming for a sink plug (eighty pence), and claiming for Porn films is the fact that it was her husband being paid 40 grand of our money knocking one out on a settee paid for by the taxpayer, in a house paid for by us - whilst she claimed a box room in her sisters house was her main residence! Brilliant! You couldn't make this stuff up!
At least there is one hoourable MP - Not a labour one though!
http://city-hall.blogspot.com/
I Was Wrong - And I Apologise
Since the weekend, I have received a large number of comments taking me to task for my remarks on Sunday. Anne-Marie Griffin from Fight The Flights has also contacted me by email. Behind the anger were some shocking stories from people who had to live close to the airport for years. I see now that coming on top of everything they have endured, my infamous 'Taliban' comment must have seemed like the last straw.
It was a throwaway line, intended to liven up my report of Peoples' Question Time in March, but to some it looked unbelievably callous. I think I understand now, so:
I am very sorry for the hurt that my ill considered words caused to local residents, including the people who made official complaints. It was unintentional but I realise that is no excuse. I also deeply regret the time it has taken for me to grasp the reality of this situation. I was wrong and I hope they can accept my apology.
In 20 years of political experience I have never reached a view based on pique - despite my reactions on Sunday afternoon. By training I am a scientist and a lawyer, and I'm usually too dispassionate, if anything. Some comments suggested I am in the pocket of the airport, but that is not the case.
I have sought to keep my options open on this issue because I'm not sure if my constituents are winners or losers overall. There are those who work at the airport, rely on it for business, or use it to travel, and the view of economic development advisors is that it provides a boost for East London. I want to protect peoples' livelihoods particularly in a recession.
On the other hand, there are residents who are disturbed by noise and who have a right to a calm environment. So far the complaints in my postbag are few, but they have the potential to increase and I have noticed more overflying recently. It is a delicate balance to strike, with far reaching consequences.
So I have asked Anne-Marie if she would be willing to meet me to put her case and share her experiences. To ensure balance I will also be seeking a meeting with the airport management. And I would be interested in other views too - your comments are invited.
Post a Comment