No word yet on the future of my old university sparring partner Caroline Flint. I can't see where she fits in to things as there don't appear to be any jobs left. Surely she can't have been sacked? Can she?
UPDATE: She takes over from Jim Murphy as Minister for Europe. She has been attending Cabinet as Housing Minister, but presumably that won't be happening any longer. Not sure if this could be regarded as a promotion or not.
And Tony McNulty becomes Minister or duffing up Boris.
She was appalling on the radio the other morning.
ReplyDeleteRehab?
ReplyDeleteShe's a miserable old moo.
With Murphy in Scotland, she could get the Europe job - high profile with the elections next year?
ReplyDeleteCabinet Office? No doubt they will have to get a bigger make up mirror in the ladies room.
ReplyDeleteBut is this not a strange way to conduct a reshuffle? It seems to have been winks and nods all the time.
Nothing 'official'.
"What has happened to Caroline Flint?"
ReplyDeleteNothing trivial, one hopes.
Having destroyed both pubs and working men`s clubs she deserves to be slapped
ReplyDelete( Although she is a sort, wasted on you Dale )
Iain, Iain, Iain - three words and a late night interview. Plus she was implicated in the Blairite putched.
ReplyDeleteIt's curtains for Caroline! Still her husband will see more of her!
Oh come on Ian she more (or moor?)has a reputation for being 'slapper No. 1' and for having a decent pair of jugs (ask PW) than for being HMG Cabinet material....
ReplyDeleteJ
This botched reshuffle, mark my words, will be the final nail in the coffin for this chaotic, disastrous Labour so-called "government".
ReplyDeleteWho gets what? Who's going where? Is this anyway to run one of the proudest nations on earth? It just goes to show Gordon so-called "Brown" has no more control over his parliamentary party than he does his left eye.
The English deserve better. They deserve a Prime Minister who knows exactly what he's doing, where he's going and who he's taking with him/ And with one of the most exceptionable groups of talented MPs of this or any other generation around him to choose from. Only such a man could give the British people their country back. But where could we find such a man?
Does the name David Cameron ring any bells?
Cabinet Office, I'd guess.
ReplyDeleteLiam Byrne has gone there, but only as a Minister of State attending Cabinet. That still leave Ed Miliband's old job of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster vacant. Caroline Flint could have filled it.
The more important question is what has happened to the Chipmunk? It is very strange that Beckett has been appointed as Housing Minister, notionally number two to Hazel. I am concerned by the silence about her fate!
Along with many other politicians she will be forgotten in 24 hours. And quite rightly so.
ReplyDeleteWhat was Caroline Flint like at UEA then Iain?
ReplyDeleteWould you have predicted then that she would end up in the Cabinet....or does she just have special permission to attend Cabinet?
Perhaps she doubles as a shorthand typist!
Minister For Europe apparently
ReplyDeleteFear not Iain - Caroline is Minister for Europe
ReplyDeleteDemotion. Presumably will no longer be able to attend Cabinet?
ReplyDeleteHave to say that I find this one bizarre... actually a whole lot of them bizarre!
Apparently Cruddas turned down housing...
shes going to be Minister for Europe
ReplyDeleteApparently McNulty also in DWP.
ReplyDeleteIt's like this. When you're an 18 year old bloke you think with you hormones and you know exactly how the world works and what women are for. Then you get to be about 28 and you get all serious and inclusive and falsley mature. That lasts for a bit until you get to be about 50 ish, usually married with kids, and you think, neyahh, sod it. I was right when I was 18 so cobblers to them all. And Caroline Flint and Hazel Blears (for example) are just pretty ladies to be flirted with. You have learned how to ignore the drivel they speak, as do a lot of ladies I find, and concentrate on simple flattery and such. It's just too boring to take it all seriously. So as far as La Flint is concerned I shall look forward to enjoying watching her with the sound off. Her decisive mouth movements. Her nice smile. Her lovely legs. Her twinkling eyes. And were I fortunate enough to meet her somewhere where booze was available I would happily engage her in the smallest of small talk knowing that as a middle aged dad, without ultimate horizontal refreshment designs on her, I am completely fireproof and un-put-downable. And what's more if the circumstance also presented itself I might even be pursuaded to cook for her.
ReplyDeleteBut worry about what she does or does not do in politics...yawn.
Now, Margaret Thatcher is another matter........oooooo I do so love strong women.
She's got Europe.
ReplyDeleteSurely Beckett has been appointed lack of Housing Minister?
ReplyDeleteOtherwise known as Minister for Caravans.
Given the precipice we are about to fall off we will all be trailer trash this time next year.
Still it will be nice to see both Flint and Beckett gurning away trying to be the sexiest minister on TV - my money goes on the peregrinating one.
I must say that the Chipmunk does it for me..is there something wrong? Should I see someone?
ReplyDeleteHaving just watched BRown's press conference in which he announced this new twice weekly meeting of the best people to deal with the major problems etc etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteThen he said that the way of governing has to change, because of the new circumstances! then supported Mandleson as the best Trade Commissioner the EU have had and his expertise is needed by the country etc etc.
Not one hack asked the question. IF THIS IS A NEW WAY OF GOVERNING WHY HAVE YOU NOT BROUGHT THE BEST OF ALL THE POLITICAL PARTIES TO RUN A GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY?
I have said before how I fear that this man will put off the general election. This is his National Emergency and perhaps he will play that card!I fear communism is here!
strapworld
ReplyDeleteNo one thought to ask Brown if, since it's a UK crisis, the heads of administrations in Scotland, Wales and NI would be invited to join the discussions. If not, why not?
Re the reshuffle---Des Browne replaced by Jim Murphy as Scottish Secretary. The West of Scotland Catholic/Labour mafia triumphs again. Murphy rose to prominence in Labour circles on the back of his rumbustious student politics. Watch out for some of his then words/actions coming back to haunt him.
Minister for duffing up Boris, or Minister for duffing up Kit Malthouse?
ReplyDeleteFor the life of me, I just can not envisage Brown having the bottle to invoke the Civil Contingencies Act.
ReplyDeleteThere'd be such riots on the streets that the police couldn't control them...and I very much doubt if they'd want to.
As to the army...they'd probably be inciting the riots
Perhaps she's gone for a career change as a pole dancer? Hopefully dancing around the South Pole with a bit of luck.
ReplyDeleteI love Richard Littlejohn's attack on her a few weeks back. It was excellent.
I'd consider being let off the housing brief as a promotion - Cabinet seat or no Cabinet seat.
ReplyDeleteHousing Minister is like the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or Agriculture - utterly thankless.
Our gain, is Europe's loss.
ReplyDeletecaroline flint would look great defrocked but as a politician she is nithing!
ReplyDeleteLabour are doomed - DOOMED!
Actually Caroline Flint has been hard working and effective in all her government jobs. Whether or not you agree with government policy on such things as the smoking issue, they can't really be held against a single minister as the majority of the British public supported it. That's democracy for you. The other problem with democracy of course is that people who still judge attractive women to be nothing more than vain, decorative and sporting a good pair of jugs still have the right to vote.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair I think she's a minger with a snot attitude, and yes I do have the right to vote
ReplyDeleteReaders of this blog may find this of interest. "blue eyes" 3.27 certain will.
ReplyDelete"Having destroyed both pubs and working men`s clubs she deserves to be slapped"
ReplyDeleteNewmania has it right on the button.
And Mary ... "That's democracy for you" ??? Labour wouldn't know democracy if it came up and blew the clouds from a fine Cuban in their face. The law should NOT have even been tabled as it wasn't part of the Labour manifesto. The Lisbon Treaty referendum WAS and that has mysteriously disappeared from the Labour agenda.
This Government dumps on democracy from a great height. The majority, seeing as you brought it up, are not in favour of Iraq, so will we be seeing the troops recalled immediately?
That's Labour democracy for ya.
On a side-note, how many people voted for Mandelson to be part of the Government in our wonderful Labour democracy, Mary?
I think she looks fit by the way, but I wouldn't vote for her as she's a complete idiot. She may work hard but so effing what? There are eminently more astute people within the Labour PLP who haven't got a Cabinet post ... your sexism accusations should be directed at those who think this woman should be in Government just because she looks good.
Boris Johnson gave Kate Hoey a job, but she's been strangely overlooked by Gordon Brown in his reshuffle despite her vast experience.
ReplyDeleteFlint's bitterness and hatreds show in her face. Are we to be proud of such people in government?
ReplyDeleteAnd remember her indiscretion or deliberate default in showing cabinet papers in the street? We deserve better.
I would do Caroline Flint. Up the bottom given half a chance. Arf!
ReplyDeleteThe No 10 official announcement says she will continue to be "in attendance" at the cabinet - so no change in status either way.
ReplyDeleteIn view of the excitement she clearly gives some of us middle aged men, perhaps she is being sent to Europe to charm Sarkozy and Berlesconi
The Europe Minister does attend cabinet, where something relevant to the portfolio comes up. so your friend Caroline should still be able to attend!
ReplyDeleteProbably a mild sort of punishment Iain. Hazey must have escaped similar by the skin of her teeth.
ReplyDeleteC Flint is as common as ---- and twice as nasty.
ReplyDeleteMind you, Dave, as posh as he is, now seems to be infected with the glottal stop.
What - no Minister for England? Are we stuck with that Scottish English Fist Minister? (not a Freudian slip, either)
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time in the DWP she was actually one of the better ministers labour have had... she didn't need briefings on 1 piece of paper in dayglo words of one syllable (Margaret Hodge), she didn't ask the same question every few weeks & not remember the answer (present incumbent, at least until yesterday)and she wasn't PC - she was even quite sensible at times. Perhaps that's why they've demoted her.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the BBC news it was ED Balls who did not want Mandy back. Methinks Balls can see the end of his hopes to be Labour leader.
ReplyDeleteCameron is well stuffed. Only Days after stupidly promising to support Gordon and all that Gordon legislates for the economy, Gordon announces his twice weekly economy war cabinet. There is no mention of Dave or Boy George being offered a role in this plan, all they can do now is honour their promise and rubber stamp all that it produces.
ReplyDeleteCameron YOU ARE AN IDIOT!!! You have let Gordon walk all over you and now you are pledged to Kowtow to lord Peter Mandelson
anon 9.51 - bit of a non-sequiter - me no comprende? And Sebastian - you stated that she was one of the better ministers becauseshe could err.... read & remember stuff? Shit - guess that sums it up. As Piers Morgan said "if I knew the bar was so low, i'd have had a crack at it". Only good thing Moron's ever uttered.
ReplyDeleteIt is a demotion Ian. If she had any balls she would resign but she probably enjoys the wages too much.
ReplyDeleteShe has the right to attend Cabinet when European issues are discussed. It must be very embarrassing to shuffle into the room when Europe is mentioned only to be promptly ejected so that the cabinet can move on to the next item.
Not sure if 'sparring partner' implies she was a friend of yours Iain. If so, sorry for the offence, because I think she's a bad joke.
ReplyDeleteAs she is now losing her looks there's less to distract you from what she actually says. In her case this is a fatal turn of events.
I once saw a program designed to produce crap poetry. It would randomly select silly nouns from a list, and then select equally silly verbs, adjectives etc. and assemble them in the correct grammatical order to create a sentence.
The result would be something like: 'O my beloved Gerkhin, thine eyes doth speak of the sweetest morning creosote upon the gentle coleslaw'.
Similarly, when interviewed Flint is only capable of stitching together NuLab buzzwords and clichés in a bastard semblance of English.
Her mindless outpourings suggest an unusually complete form of brainwashing. Any capacity for commonsense or original thinking was rinsed away along with the surfactant.
Out like Flint.
A bit of rough has gone to the Europe job eh? That'll keep Sarko happy! Not sure Angela will be so pleased.
ReplyDeleteOT
ReplyDeleteThe return of the Mandelson: Was this as a result of Alistar Campbell demanding him back if Campbell was to help bail out Gordo's terrible image?
I would say Flint is probably the worst, least convincing of all the female Labour MPs. And that really is saying something.
ReplyDeleteI thought she was lost in the 'Thetford Forest'...
ReplyDelete