The withdrawal of Wee Dougie Alexander from Question Time tonight goes to the very heart of what is wrong with the Brown government. He has surrounded himself my pygmies. When a PM is in trouble he needs good strong people to come to his aid. Blair always had a Praetorian Guard of Reid, Falconer and their ilk. Brown has, er, no one. Not a peep has been heard from Ed Balls and Ed Miliband in the last fortnight. And no one trusted Wee Dougie to put in a good show on Question Time. His previous performances demonstrated a rabbit in headlights demeanour. he looked like a sixth former in a rather ill fitting suit. So while Blair would have led the charge over the top of the trenches and relied on his troops to follow him, Brown's instinctive reaction is to retreat into the bunker. Having ruled the Treasury like a tyrant, Brown's problem is that the Blairites no longer fear him. Expect them to exhume themselves from their collective tomb with increasing regularity.
Baroness Ashton (who she? you may well ask - she's Leader of the House of Lords) was put up after the BBC insisted that Alexander had to be replaced by a Cabinet Minister. I understand there were serious discussions in the higher echelons at the BBC about empty chairing Labour, but that would probably have led to what might be termed "consequences".
Finally, can we kill this preposterous spin that Baroness Ashton and others have come out with, that Wee Dougie had to attend to a family problem? He was pulled off the programme by none other than the top brass at Number Ten.
The last time this happened was about 18 months ago when Harriet Harman was replaced on Question Time on the night that her husband, Jack Dromey, revealed that he knew nothing about loans to the Labour Party. Now that really WAS a family problem...
And next week on Question Time... My Little Chipmunk! If Number Ten tried to ban her from going on I have every confidence she'd tell them were to go. Or at least gnaw at their nuts... If they had any.
32 comments:
Goodness you are a sharp today. I noticed by the way that for the first time I can remember the Question time audience asked question that the country wanted to ask and not what a few Liberal progressives in the BBC thought were appropriate. It was ...*gasp* a balanced audience , a useless panel really . You Mr. Dale would be much better and frankly so would I . Ken Clarke the only bright spot and he is a bit past it now
I have said before that irritating as I find the BBC it has moved a long way from the period of Polly Toybee as editor of social affairs and Peter Hitchens , who I know you admire , commented that the BBC have changed sides He reckoned it was because the feared a Conservative Government would exact a dreadful revenge if they carried on that way with which I agree. They have also reformed somewhat though in the current affairs slots at least. Hitchens also says it because Cameron and Blair are identical …but then he is a curates egg of a chap and that bit is rotten
I'm still terrified of Gordon Brown. Terrified of which liberties he'll decide to erode in the dying days of his premiership. Afraid of what draconian iron-fisted legislation he'll shackle us with next.
Big clunking fist, my arse.
A Swansea Blog
KS Rees
"He has surrounded himself my pygmies."
Yer know, even as a blogger, but especially if you are going to seek high office in the land, you really have to be a bit more careful with words. It's so easy to be misinterpreted.
"Baroness Ashton (who she? you may well ask - he's Leader of the House of Lords)"
Iain,
Just because she has homely looks and buys her clothes from Primark, I still think this is a rather bitchy comment.
But funny...
I watched Question Time, and I had exactly the same thoughts as you. People go on about Gordon Browns 'government of all the talents' not having 'big hitters'...that is certainly true, but it is a lot more than that...I cannot think of one cabinet member, bar maybe Jack Straw...and that’s stretching it, who I have seen on Question Time and has been in any way convincing. Call Ken Clarke past it, but he has a presence...and ability to inspire with his argument, he is very convincing. Heseltine, Hague, Osbourne, they all have the ability to do what surely politics is all about, put forward a convincing argument as to why their views are correct. Compare this to the New Labour pawns...well, there is no comparison. Their main interest seems to be so save their own backs, to tow the party line, create a good impression with the public, and then, maybe, just maybe, give their own opinions. Isn’t that what the party in power is meant to do?...to convince the public, to create interest in issues, rather than lining their own pockets/prospects of speaking tours after leaving Westminster. If you ask me, that’s Gordon's main problem, he, and all of his cabinet don't have the ability to connect with the public, they all just come over as a bunch of self-obsessed, lying snivelling idiots, who only listen to other views to *seem* as if they are listening, rather than actually being interested in what anyone else has to say. If the Conservatives can build a opinion in the country around an intelligent (because I honestly don't get the impression that a lot of Labour MP's have anything between the ears)group of politicians, who take on the publics hatred for subjects such as the pc culture etc etc, then Cameron will be on the way to number 10...am I naive? please tell me modern politics is more than spin...
Obvious really. No one from Labour wants to face the public wrath at their incompetence. They are hoping their normal trick (say as little as possible and hope the public forget) will work once again.
Slight problem though. The electorate has wised up.
Thought Clarke was brilliant tonight. Makes you have confidence in politicians once gain to hear such a capable and sensible voice amid the unmitigated embarassment of the 'New' Labour voices spouting the garbage they have been fed.
Also particularly liked the point raised that i myself have been thinking - how can Labour sit there campaigning for changes to laws on donations when the whole point is that they have broken the law. what's to stop them breaking (and getting away with) the new laws that they want to pass? bring these criminals to justice so that the electorate can see that those who make the law abide by it.
On a related topic, I feel that This Week, usually right on the button, has collectively missed the entire donations issue. They spent tonight's segment on the issue talking about Ashcroft and nothing about Harman, Alexander etc.
I like this programme but do feel it could have done better,
But Douglas Alexander DOES have a family problem to attend to. His sister's going to jail! :)
Aha - so now Peter Hitchens thinks the BBC has a pro-Tory bias does he, newmania?
What guff. Of course the BBC hasn't "changed sides". But the Tories are making the running at present. And that's what the BBC is reflecting.
(For what it's worth, Labour have stiffed the Beeb with the latest licence fee settlement. I have no doubt that the Tories will do much the same when they are next in power. But that's something for BBC bosses to worry about, not BBC journalists)
It is not a question of big hitters. I can't think of any cabinet minister at the moment who would rise higher than deputy regional head of personnel or senior procurement manager in any real-world organisation.
The Law Officers' briefing a couple of weeks ago is another major indication that ministers have no fear of Gordon, I reckon.
Collapsing leaders hidden in bunkers have a habit of demanding huge sacrifices from everyone else while they struggle to save their skins. Until neutralised, they're dangerous. While Bin Laden's at large, Al Quaeda lives on.
So too is society still threatened while former big beast Brown remains as the Ghost Of New Labour in Number 10. His shadow can be seen scurrying around desperately trying to stem the leaks, and arrest the rot, wondering why ill fortune assaults him at every turn.
It is all theatre now, as the Brown tragedy descends to claim its inevitable victim.
Sir,
How dare you traduce pygmies, a fine and noble people struggling to come to terms with the modern world.
The correct term for the Browns****s is "lickspittles and timeservers"!
You wi;; also notice that Beanie Brown has replaced himself with Baroness Amos at the forthcoming EU-Africa summit (He certainly has been putting all these Baronessses to work lately). Another example of Beanie Brown bottling it when it comes to confronting Mugarbe.Doesn't he realize the only way to stand up to these bullying dictators is to confront them- not hide behind a female's skirt?
I've been very impressed with Dominic Grieve on the broadcast media recently - I know he has considerable respect from many of his colleagues, and his calm, clear analysis of whatever the subject under discussion is just what the doctor ordered.
Gordon flaming Bennett Iain! The last thing I needed after breakfast was the image of Hazel Blears chowing down on Gordon's nuts; or anyone else's for that matter! Have a heart man!
Remember also that Ed Balls ducked out of Question Time at the last minute, many months back.
bj said...
"Of course the BBC hasn't "changed sides"."
Very true. But they have started let a little truth get out. Usually they never mention the great global warming scam without saying how all 'scientists' agree blah blah. A few days ago they let on that it's only 'some scientists'. They must be scared.
"I have no doubt that the Tories will do much the same when they are next in power."
If the tories really want to change this country they are going to have to get rid of Al-beeb entirely.
If there is a lesson from Question Time last night, it's that Ken Clarke is still a top operator and should be found a place in the next Tory Cabinet. Leader of the Commons perhaps?
I liked the way Dimbleby basically called Wee Dougie a "chicken" last night. His point was to insinuate, he backed out, and the Govt are chickens and sent us this twit. That Baroness Ashton what a waste of space.
I liked that girl who said, its all very well you saying, you are angry and very sorry but we have heard that all before from you lot, so why should we believe it now. The guy with his "casino economy" was cool
Jacqui Smith on Newsnight was more worrying.
Simple test of any politician. The number of times they "address the issues" and "deliver strategies" is in inverse proportion to the size of the brain.
Question Time has outlived itself. It is an absolute bore of a programme.
The BBC should look at the format. It is tired. Why on earth MUST we have politicians each week with one or two 'guest' comedians or interesting people.
I would far rather have a panel made up of people who are interesting, have views and are willing to express them.
Instead of @we are in wales so we must have Welsh nonentities or Ireland or Scotland or in England the same old faces every week.
Iain, come on use this medium to create a far better Question Time (Just like it was when it started!) NO POLITICIANS.
Then, perhaps, politicians might become aware of the feeling within the country on certain subjects.
Dimbleby is far too autocratic and opinionated. We need someone to control the discussion orderly, thats all.
Brown's dependence on loyalty rather than competence in his choice of appointments will eventually finish him and I think that it may be entertaining to watch.
Dear K S Rees:
May I caution you in using the expressions 1-'Gordon Brown', 2-'clunking fist' and 3-'my arse' in the same blog posting.
This could quite likely lead to a most uncomfortable experience, whereby 1's number 2 enjoys far too intimate contact with number 3 than you would wish.
Regards,
A concerned fellow commenter
"The withdrawal of Wee Dougie Alexander from Question Time tonight goes to the very heart of what is wrong with the Brown government. He has surrounded himself my [sic] pygmies."
Brown is King Pygmy.
An illusion of prudence. An illusion of competance. Spunking good money after bad to get headlines and not results. Flouncing at the despatch box. Hiding from the media. An arch narcissist, handing his own book out to foreign children.
Being the guiding hand of domestic policies for a decade, if this country is really in the shit the blame rests with him. Brown is fiddling with himself while Rome burns.
When the "baroness" said Alexander was absent because of a "family" "problem", NOBODY laughed. That is how feeble Question Time is.
"May I caution you in using the expressions 1-'Gordon Brown', 2-'clunking fist' and 3-'my arse' in the same blog posting.
This could quite likely lead to a most uncomfortable experience, whereby 1's number 2 enjoys far too intimate contact with number 3 than you would wish."
That would make Gordon the Fisting Clunk
Any news on Your Little Chipmunk and the Anthony Bailey problem she had with Andrew Neill?
On reading this he may try to court cerain hard-hitters back into government before it's too late for him.
Anonymouse at 12.26: to change the subject altogether is to toe the line, not tow. In the old days of the wooden-walled navy, wheh sailors lined up for parade their guiding-lines were the planks: to keep in a straight line, they made sure their toes were lined-up with the edge of the plank. Lots of our phrases come from the Navy: swing a cat - not an unfortunate moggie, but a cat o' nine tails; man overboard; haul the mainbrace; three points to larboard etc
Isn't it about time our Monarch stood up, screamed off with their heads, and had the entire government's heads placed on poles at traitor's gate?
Then, we really do need to recolonise America, and rule them with an iron fist. Both America, and this government, are the best advertisement for restoring the absolute power of the monarch that there has ever been.
And as for Christianity, that has weakened us. Traitors who grovel to a middle eastern god? Rule Britannia, the Goddess who always led us to victory and who promised that we should never be slaves.
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