The News of the World has a story on its new Politics Blog alleging that David Cameron will insist that any member of his Shadow Cabinet must give up all their outside business interests by the end of the year so they can concentrate their entire efforts on taking the fight to Labour. Good. I hope it's true. If any of them don't like it, there are plenty of others who would happily take their places. In the 18 months before an election those who are leading the Tory campaign need to have their sights set on one target - and that's winning the election.
The other part of the NOTW story concerns a leaked memo about recycling old initiatives. The only trouble is I am sure I have read this somewhere before. Perhaps a recycled story? :)
Sorry Iain, but No, No, No.
ReplyDelete(ht Lady T.)
Please can we have honourable, part time politicians with the independence to represent their constituents rather than their own careers. Otherwise - "Dave Spart Rules" (on both sides of the House) and that's most certainly not OK.
I am guessing that would be farewell to William Hague then...
ReplyDeleteWe need politicians with experience beyond Westminster. What is needed is care that outside interests do not lead to another diversion from the real news, e.g. meeting sinister oligarchs on luxury yachts and getting tangled up in discussions about donations.
ReplyDeleteMore interesting is that the Murdoch press is moving back towards Labour. It is time to dump Letwin (it is difficult for Cameron to dump Osborne or even to switch him with Hague) and appoint his "shadow" economics team to mirror Brown's. That would be a good way to get expert advice without looking lost at sea.
I don't think Cameron is lost at sea on the recession, but he and Osborne need to identfy 2 or 3 points and to repeat them endelessly.
Oh great so are going to have a shadow cabinet made up of those without any business experience as we enter a recession.
ReplyDeleteThe report says that labour in 1997 had no ministers with outside interests. That surely explains why they have constantly failed at managing any major national project. Professional politicians can only manage to cover their backs.
Why did you buy the News of the World? Its crap you know. Poisonous crap.
ReplyDeleteYour shadow Cabinet earn millions over their parliamentary salaries between them, so it's about time.
ReplyDeleteHow strange that only 'the leaked email' part of the article made the 'Review of the Papers' on Radio 4 at 8.10 - and that there was no mention of a cabinet minister leaving his papers on a train.
ReplyDeleteIain,
ReplyDeleteHaving watched the Andrew Marr programme, and his interview with the BBC Director General (and what an over promoted individual he is!).
Marr asked him about the story in the Sunday telegraph about the Conservatives going to reduce the Licence Fee!! The DG said that he had received a telephone call last evening from a member of the shadow cabinet, who assured him that the story was not Conservative Party Policy!
My question is WHY NOT? this is an open goal!
But does it not show the lack of guts and lack of understanding of the concerns of the people, that this cabal of rich people, totally removed from the worries of the ordinary population, can dismiss this one story that would delight almost everyone.
David Cameron must have chosen Roy Orbison's RUNNING SCARED for his Desert island Discs!!!
Mr. Cameron get some steel in your backbone, get some fighters around you and just consider that most people do not have a healthy bank balance like yourself and your shadow cabinet chums!
Might we not lose William Hague with this proposal? Some of the Shadow Cabinet I would not miss but Hague is a rare talent. To my mind his "failure" as leader was more to do with timing - i.e., immediately after a massive defeat at the hands of New Labour.
ReplyDeletePerhaps, Tony Sharp and anon, Cameron has said this to remove Hague?
ReplyDeleteHague is extremely popular both within and outside the Tory Party. He is a man people listen to.
Cameron can see that and, like all 'leaders', although I use that term loosly in Cameron's case. is paranoid about thos that may chop him!
I cannot see any other reason for this. That his colleagues carry out other work counters the 'professional politician' tag that most labour politicians have!
So, I see this as a direct threat to Mr Hague.
PC rubbish - there is too much incestuous Westminster thinking at present - we need representatives who can draw on experience beyond Parliment.
ReplyDeleteThose who move and shake not only in the cloisters of Westminster but also in the wider business and scientific world.
We need clever, educated, able, successful people who have a wide world vision.
There are too many lawyers. journalists, and party hacks with no real experience or ability at present, and it shows.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Hague already give up his various speaking and outside interests when he became Shadow FS?
ReplyDeletestrapworld said...
ReplyDelete"But does it not show the lack of guts and lack of understanding of the concerns of the people, that this cabal of rich people, totally removed from the worries of the ordinary population, can dismiss this one story that would delight almost everyone."
Yes.
The liblabcons are all the same - looking after themselves and dumping on everyone else.
Francis Maude is a gonner.
ReplyDelete1. Remunerated directorships
Benfield Group Limited, from 2 May 2002 (non-executive deputy chairman from March 2003); reinsurance brokerage.
Prestbury Holdings PLC (chairman) from 1 August 2002; non-investment financial services.
Globalink International Ltd. (non-executive chairman from January 2004-23 November 2007); provider of telecommunications services.
Globalink International Telecommunications PLC (non-executive director from 6 September 2006-23 November 2007); provider of telecommunications services.
Mediasurface (non-executive director from 26 August 2004); a web management software provider.
The Mission Marketing Group (non-executive chairman from 1 February 2006); an advertising group.
UTEK Corporation Inc (non-executive); a technology transfer company based in the US and listed on the Alternative Investment Market in London.
2. Remunerated employment, office, profession etc
Member of Barclays' Asia-Pacific Advisory Committee.
Would neatly skewer the absurd suggestion of bringing back that Europhile muppet Clarke too...
ReplyDeleteyes, Iain, you're right the NoW story about announcements is very definitely recycled - and not sure the outside interests story is anywhere near true, according to Tories I know.
ReplyDeleteSee that BBC Mark Thompson was also quick to point out that "someone in the Shadow Cabinet" had been on swiftly to reassure him that the Sunday Telegraph splash about a future Tory Government being ready to clip the BBC's wings was utter rubbish too!
I can see why it looks good from a PR point of view, but surely its a positive for MPs to have some connection with the real world. Too many professional politicians is one of the reasons we're in the mess we're in. It can't be too difficult for Cameron instead to spin this (as inevitably everything is spun) as the difference between politicians who live and work in the real world, and the Lab front bench.
ReplyDelete