Frank Field Offers Himself as a Minister to Cameron

Frank Field's interview yesterday, in which he said he would be happy to serve in a Conservative government, has predictably set the left alight with castigations of his motives and even calls for his deselction. Twitter queen, Bevanite Ellie is, as ever, leading the online charge...



Frank Field is a great parliamentarian. He's an original thinker. He may not share my politics, but he commands huge respect from people all over the political spectrum. BevaniteEllie and her ilk are not fit to tie his shoelaces.

I cannot say I am a fan of appointing politicians from other parties in to ministerial office, but if David Cameron chose to offer Frank Field a job, I suspect there wouldn't be many of us who would demur.

Labour MPs Start to Get Edgy

Labour MPs are starting to rebel against the 'no apology' line. Another Labour MP has spoken out. Parmjit Dhanda has some strong words for Gordon Brown. He, like Tom Harris, was sacked in the last reshuffle for no apparent reason.

The more I read about these e-mails, targeting not just politicians but their families, the more I can only conclude this is one of the most sordid and damaging things that have ever been produced by ‘allies’ of a Prime Minister, certainly in my lifetime.

So what happens now? Firstly, don’t underestimate the damage this will do to the body-politic in this country, so the clearer and louder the apology, the better. But beyond that, things have got to change. I know current ministers and ex-ministers who have been briefed against or ’smeared’ by people who have then been allowed to just carry on in their posts, encouraged and rewarded even.

Journalists have informed me that at the last reshuffle I got a dose of the ‘briefing’ treatment by one or two who I thought knew better too. And this is from people who are meant to be on our side! But when they brief people, they always think they’ll never get found out. They’re wrong.

Pity there aren' t more like Parmit and Tom. Oh yes, I forgot. Frank Field has a few choice words too.

Frank Field: What's the Point of Being a Labour MP?

I have just been reading Frank Field's column in this week's Spectator in which he reckons that the abolition of the 10 tax rate shattered the contract on which New Labour was based. This sentence jumped out at me...

What is the point of us being Labour MPs if we cannot protect the poorest?

Interpret that how you like.

Brown Questions Frank Field's Integrity

ADAM BOULTON: You would accept that Frank Field is a man of integrity?
GORDON BROWN: I would accept he is an expert in this field.

Expect Mr Field to react badly. Very badly.

UPDATE 10.48: Oh, God forgive me. The "I get up in the morning" line has resurfaced after being rested for a few days. It's also very interesting that he derides David Cameron's team for being "good salesmen". In business, that would be considered a compliment rather than an insult.

UPDATE 10.55: Incredible. A Sky Producer pressed a button to cut to adverts cutting off Gordon Brown in full flow. It was as if the producer thought people couldn't take any more of it!

Frank Field's Political Journey

I've just been reading Fraser Nelson's column in this week's Spectator. Except, I haven't. I got to the end and thought to myself: "Good old Fraser, talking sense as usual." And then I looked at the byline which said Frank Field is Labour MP for Birkenhead. Admittedly, as I was reading it I thought it was a bit more academic than Fraser's normal style, but is there more to this than meets the eye? There has been a lot of talk about Frank Field's political journey. This article demonstrates to me that there is only one destination he can reach. But the question is, will tribal loyalty prevent him getting there?

Frnk Feidl Speaka Da Engleesh

From Michael Quinion's weekly newsletter on English words and Usage.

We shouldn't hurry to make fun of a typing error made in the rushto meet a
deadline. However, it's particularly unfortunate, not to say relevant to this
newsletter, that the British MP Frank Fieldsent out a press release on Wednesday
welcoming the proposal that immigrants to the UK should learn English before they
arrive. It began "Endlsigh For Immigrants Is Common Sense".