In his long Today Programme interview just now, John Prescott was asked the question: "Have you had any other affairs?" He was asked it eight times. He dodged the question each time, launching an attack on me for what I said on Newsnight. He said that I had said on Newsnight I had no evidence for the allegations I have supposedly made. Psychologically, this is known as "deflecting an attack onto someone else". First of all, I said no such thing, but let's not get deflected ourselves here. It was a simple question which required a simple answer. Yes or No. Even John Prescott could not get those two words muddled up. He was asked the question repeatedly but did not answer. The listeners of the Today Programme (and no doubt the Sunday newspaper lobby) will have drawn their own conclusions. I don't need to help them.Nick Robinson then came on the programme. He reckons Prescott is out of the woods on Anschutz - quite an astonishing assertion given today's papers - but is still in trouble on the "other" issue. He said that it was interesting that Prescott was not getting any support from his senior colleagues who were watching and waiting (like vultures?) to see what happened next. He said they were contemplating a Deputy Leadership election and the consequences thereof. And we all know what they are...
PS It is slightly unnerving to know Prescott was watching Newsnight. I have this image in my mind of him kicking my image on the television. Delicious.
25 comments:
Looks like Nick R now accepts that it is a story after all. Something of a U turn methinks.
Thank God Humphries did the interview and not that wet lettuce Nick R! Its obvious he would never have asked the affairs question once never mind eight times!
One of the more interesting things said in Prescott's interview was his contention that if he resigns the deputy leadership an election would not be triggered. Can anyone speak with authority on the Labour Party constitution on this point? It would be a peculiar state of affairs for the deputy leadership to be dormant.
Could this finally be a replacement for "Did you threaten to overrule him?" as the "classic" example of a politician not answering a question?
This was by far one of the best interviews I have ever heard on Today. Two Shags was very obviously worked up. You could actually hear him banging his fists onto whatever was infront of him for the last 5 minutes, with each and every word he spat out.
Anon, above...
It would be a peculiar state of affairs for the deputy leadership to be dormant.
Isn't this simply an admission by Prezza that he's in a non-job?
Here's a link to the 2 Prescott pieces on the Today programme:
Nick Robinson On Prezza.
and
The Oaf in person.
Prescott's slippery grasp - bleurgh! - of English has rubbed off on Newsnight: its graphic (which can be seen at around 2:30 and 7:00 in the online version) spelt the white elephant as the "Millenium Dome".
Is it me or is the Dome becoming a better and better metaphor for New Labour?
Does the fact that this interview was done by Humphrys mean that the BBC is beginning to get the message? Interviews with NuLab heavyweights have tended to be rather gentle affairs carried out by the useless James "we" Naughtie.
Andrew Woodman said...
I have an absolute hatred of Prescott and his cronies. Watching this is as good as when Derby got promoted to the premiership.
You must have an amazing memory Andrew!
An anonymous upthread who asked about the Labour rules - this is the relevant paragraph:
4B.2e:(iii) When the party is in government and the deputy leader, for whatever reason, becomes permanently unavailable, the Cabinet may, in consultation with the NEC, appoint one of its members to serve as deputy leader until the next party conference. The Cabinet may alternatively, in consultation with the NEC, leave the post vacant until the next party conference.
So yep, Prescott is right to a degree. If he resigned there wouldn't have to be an election, the cabinet could appoint a temporary deputy leader or the post could be left vacant...but only until the party conference when there would have to be an election.
Oh dear you're a Tory! Aren't bloggers allowed a political life then or is that reserved for the dead wood alone?
Keep going, keep digging, you're doing fine!
357f, I think you may find that sound was John Humphries banging his head on the desk at Prezza's refusal to answer a very simple question; his attempts at obsvucation by incomprehensible verbosity; his inability to understand conflicts of interest and his sleezey pro-US businessmen behaviour (blaming New Labour minister's favorite taget - their Civil Servants) and his utter f**cking arrogance throughout. It was just semantics and lies.
Does this man really think he's not a laughing stock to Labour members(I am one) as well as to everyone else?
Andrew Neil is doing a great mullering to one of John Prescott's very few friends prepared to look over the paraphet - Clive bumbling Betts on the Daily Politics right now.
anonymous said: "... his inability to understand conflicts of interest and his sleezey pro-US businessmen behaviour."
Hello? If you're pro-business and it's in the United States, that's sleazy? Why do you people - I'm guessing anonymous has never been to the US - hate America so?
Prescott is certainly sleazy (spelled thusly). I know nothing about Mr Anshutz or the tens of millions of "US businessmen".
Tony Blair will not fire him, but will not have to. His wife will kill him.
Do we know if the assertion he made that "the Labour party does not have to have a deputy leadership election if is resign" is true or not. It seems bloody funny!
I think it was just a typo when Anonymous wrote…
"It would be a peculiar state of affairs for the deputy leadership to be dormant".
I think what he was really trying to say was…
"It would be a preferred state of affairs for the deputy leadership to be dormat".
You know? This whole sorry saga is a bit like watching those old grainy newsreels of the sinking of the Bismark.
You know she's doomed; she's dead in the water, no working guns and aflame from stem to stern. Yet no matter how many rounds and torpedoes the Navy fire into her she just will not sink.
You kind of end up hoping that it will take just one last shell to put her out of her misery.
Fatty Boy's equally screwed. Every day seems to bring out more stories of him glad handing businessmen who have suspiciously close ties to matters that do, or did, have some connection to his department. Every day there's hints of yet more female unfortunates who succumbed to the Prezza "Charm".
I can only think The Great Leader is keeping him on because he's taking flak at might otherwise be pointed at him, or someone closer to him.
Either that or Johnny has an insurance plan. I wonder if his lawyers have recieved instructions to release certain little black books in the vent of his unexpected demise?
RM
Anything which annoys Prescott is fine with me! More power to your annoyer!!
But come on, Iain - fancy expecting any politician to answer any question Yes or No. Just wait 'til you're an MP!!!!
BTW Iain, with all this going on, the Tories under the Boy King/Francis Maude administration are still only 1% ahead in the polls. Can't you find something on Francis Maude to force his resignation? For instance, that underneath all the NuTory crap FM is actually a Conservative
To precis...
Humphries: Why did you go to the billionaire's ranch? Surely a conflict of interest?
Prescott: There you go again, John, you keep asking these questions.
Humphries: That's why I get paid, you useless, corrupt, bloated, arrogant sack of ****.
Prescott: It's a media conspiracy. Let's wait and see what the people say, shall we.
Humphries: The people clearly despise you even more than I do.
By the way, have you been dipping your tiny, shrivelled, misbegotten wick in the underlings again?
Prescott: I'm not listening. La la la la! I've got a job to do and I'm getting on and doing it.
Humphries: John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister. Thank you.
Isn't this just akin to the Cameron cocaine question?
I was horrified by the way JP implied that the American businessman had regenerated the Greenwich Dome locale with all his largesse. I thought we GAVE it to him after the British Taxpayer had spent 600 millions on it....
Anyone wh would like o play a free computer Prescott game should go to www.dustbingateparty.co.uk an see Prescott and Blair as you have never seen them before.
According to The Times newspaper, this game was banned in government offices because it would up John Prescott
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