Alistair Darling hasn't been seen or heard from for several days. Has Ed Balls got him trussed up in a dungeon somewhere, or has he been rendered mute? You'd have thought the Chancellor - sorry, Second Secretary of State - might have had something to say about the events of the last few days, wouldn't you?
He couldn't be ... no, that's silly ... I'd make myself look ridiculous by even suggesting it... I think.
Apparently he's resigned
ReplyDeleteIn a meeting with HMC&E
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised Woodward's expenses expose in the Times isn't receiving more attention.
ReplyDeleteHas the public "moved on" from expenses now ?
i think public over-kill on expenses--nothing surprises us anymore.
ReplyDeletethe ones that have still too be published are the lucky ones
most un-lucky was home secretary-jackie smith
Dorneywood
ReplyDeleteHe's taking a few days out to dye his eyebrows. Well...there's nothing else for him to do...is there?
ReplyDeleteBerchtesgaden?
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard a squeak from Harriet Harman either this weekend. Her nose must be more out of joint than that of La Flint. Is she a dark horse? Incidentally Iain, looked at the clip of your spat with Dame Michaela White. I thought that you and Eve Pollard did very well and White was very immature and truculent. Indeed a hissy fit!
ReplyDeletecroquet?
ReplyDeleteFantasizing about Darling possibly resigning is a deliciously fun pastime, rather like imagining what you would do if you won the Lottery.
ReplyDeleteI want to believe he's biding his time, waiting to see if anyone else does the dirty before 'reluctantly' concluding that, in good conscience, he can't continue to serve under a Prime Minister who no longer commands the support of the party or the country.
Such a scenario should kill Brown off, though if it didn't we could see violence in the streets!
He'll probably just make a brief statement tomorrow morning, pledging his support :/
Hopefully he is busy organising a mass revolt of the PLP to get Brown back for:
ReplyDelete1) His initial decision to sack him
2) His failure to back him at PMQs on Wednesday
3) His blatant lie at the press conf on Friday (incidentally why hasn't more been made of this?)
But, somehow I don't think he will be.
If he made any sort of public appearance he would have to make a decision. This way he can avoid supporting Brown or disowning him publically. After the results are out for the European elections he can decide which way to jump.
ReplyDeleteIain I don't know where Alistair is but aparently Kim Il Brown will be at the West Ham Town Hall in the socialist republic of Newham between 4pm and 6pm this afternoon for a public meeting, all's welcome I understand. It's a funny place for a meeting for Brown cos most real East Londoners I know want to string him up from the nearest lampost!
ReplyDeleteAs you are West Ham through and through till you die thought you might want to go too. Then you can ask him where Alistair is can't you? No joke Iain, he will be there this afternoon straight up!
Didn't a former C of Ex / F. Sec have a wisdom tooth operation in similar circumstances - or is my memory failing?
ReplyDeleteI also hear on the grape-vine that Darling will resign in the next day or so.
ReplyDeleteSorry Iain the meeting is now 3pm so most of the public can't turn up and it's going to be those people bullied by brown and his whipe to go there. No sorry I mean his loyal supporters
ReplyDeleteI reckon he's at home, reheasring his guest appearance at Glastonbury performing this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_0upUs6GYE
Brown in crisis! (again??)
ReplyDeleteFatty Falconer says he must go!
Read all abaht it!
word verification, I can not believe this: unwanted
Alistair Darling has resigned
ReplyDelete...
himself to his fate!
The last time I saw him he appeared to be giggling. I just assumed his latest expenses had been cleared.
ReplyDeleteI do hope Darling hangs on in there.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't care less about him. I just want to see Balls stymied and raging impotently forever.
Probably been gagged to demonstrate his loyalty.
ReplyDeleteSilence is golden, eh? To Brown.
No noise is no chance of criticism of his leadership. Or Darling putting his foot in it, à la budget forecast.
The Cabinet or what passes for it is a particularly spineless lot who no matter what the insult, no matter that they are briefed against, no matter that the PM doesnt like/has no confidence in them etc...they will sit there like the three wise monkeys and not a cheep will be heard from them until cyclops pulls their chain....
ReplyDeleteThe running is being done by the Blairites and therefore doomed to failure....
God I hope I`m wrong..please let me be wrong....
I'd like to think he was fingering his pearl-handled revolver - but New Labour banned them...
ReplyDeletesky news now meeting addressed by gordon brown...live..michael
ReplyDeletePerhaps he is waiting for the right moment to make a statement? After the results are all in...
ReplyDeleteWhat will he say?
Can't Brown just go ahead, let the mask slip, and appoint Mandelson to EVERY position in the Cabinet simultaneously?
ReplyDeleteAlistair is lying low because he and Gordon have just pulled off the most audacious of machiavellian acts.
ReplyDeleteDarling given his use of the "second home address flipping" to maximise personal profit to himself through avoidance of Capital Gains Tax and Stamp Duty should have been driven from the Cabinet or if he had any morality resigned from it.
Neither has happenened because Gordon put out the wildest thought that he was intent on replacing Alistair with Ed (so what) Balls, this caused such outright indignation that the Media begged him to keep the expenses fraudster Darling at the Treasury.
Mission accomplished.
I understand a big hole appeared on the M25 that needed lots of filler.
ReplyDeleteYou are all unkind. He's probably just tied up moving all those personal effects back into No 11 after having moved them out last week when Brown said he had full confidence in him.
ReplyDeleteWouldnt it be delicious to see him quote the Nuremberg Defence as he resigned
ReplyDelete" I was only obeying orders. It was the Fuhrer wot did it. He made me print all that money and debase the pound"
Balls. Dungeon. Trussed up.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the mental picture, Iain.