This morning's Independent carried a front page story with the headline BUSH IS CRAP SAYS PRESCOTT. It took Prescott's office several hours before issuing a denial that he had said any such thing. Even Labour MP Harry Cohen's appearance on the radio this morning (and just now on 5 Live) confirming he was at the "private" meeting at which Prescott made his remarks and heard him say it, didn't divert the Deputy PM from his vehement denials.
After a hard morning's travails running the country (well, sitting in Number Ten watching John Reid run the country and ringing up various political journalists on the Indy to berate them, I should have said) he repaired to the Terrace Cafeteria in the House of Commons for lunch. Sadly he made the mistake of sitting down near a couple of twitchy eared parliamentary researchers, one of whom has had the foresight to report to your humble servant what happened next...
"Prescott in shirtsleeves in Terrace Cafeteria with two male staff. Quite empty - plenty of free tables, but they sat at one within easy earshot of various other staff and spoke loudly (what if he were discussing state secrets?!). Conversation (with his mouth full - yuk) littered with plenty of swearing - then they got onto discussing today's headlines about his alleged remarks on President Bush.
Prescott: "All these people saying 'Prescott should be sacked' is rubbish - 80% of them agree with me"
Aide -"I haven't seen the polls, but I think you're right"
Prescott : "All this sh*t with the press…" [the rest indistinct, but something about meeting someone in a restaurant or a pub to avoid the media]
And, for someone "busy" (or "bizi" running the country, he had a leisurely time - they left lunch at around twenty to three!)
My source who witnessed the episode said:
"It was unbelieveable - he's publicly denied his comments about Bush, but today he was justifying them to his aides. And if he wanted to avoid being overheard, why did he choose one of the most gossipy places in Britain to talk about it loudly? Will he never learn? I was quite alarmed in the current climate to think he might talk about secret intelligence in the same careless way."
So it's quite clear that by him saying "All these people saying 'Prescott should be sacked' is rubbish - 80% of them agree with me", he is admitting that he did say 'Bush is crap'. Another day, another lie...
Iain, As I said on the other blog nothing will happen, this man is untouchable.
ReplyDeleteUnless we can get him robbing a bank! photographic evidence of having sex with a six year old and voting TORY he will stay in the job
Hmm..Good work Sherlock Dale, but
ReplyDeletenot sure you can leap to the conclusion he admits saying 'Bush is crap'. Although it seems odd that he should go within earshot of someone when saying all this - was it done deliberately ?
Sounds silly, but his stock could not be much lower with Blair, and shaking the tree may encourage a new leader to emerge, who may be more amenable to his old Labour ways. Anyone seen Alan Johnson..
This all sounds like proof Prescott is a twat, but he's a wily old bird, look closer and we see a devious game afoot. The days of Blair are now surely very numbered. Blair wants to stay but won't be allowed to; how long before the equivalent of the Grey Eminences of old tory days knock on the door of Number 10? Then Hain and Johnson can slug it out for the Unison vote. Out of ammunition. God save the Queen.
ReplyDeleteDon't let your imagination run away with you Iain. If this is your proof it is complete cobblers. He doesn't justify making any remarks about Bush in the bit you have quoted. I don't think 80% of the population agree with Prescott on ANYTHING... but you are scraping your gossip barrel near the bottom on this.
ReplyDeleteThe 80% Prescott allegedly mentions does sound like the figure the Telegraph quotes today as saying in a poll we should "Ditch US in terror War" - so it seems clear he IS referring to the Bush comment.
ReplyDeleteFatso is in charge of GB plc so he can do and say what he bloody well likes. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. I hopwe his boss in enjoying his holiday. It might be that last one a nu-labour PM gets for a while...
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone really think that the US President gives a monkey's shit what a failed ex ship's steward from Liverpool thinks of him?
ReplyDeleteAll this coverage/comment is only fuelling Fatboy's delusion that he is important.Just ignore the bloated oaf. That will really hurt him.
I find it profoundly depressing that John Prescott remains in his role as deputy prime minister. He is at the moment the acting head of the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Not withstanding the rights and wrongs of the views he expressed, it might be expected that such a figurehead would have some regard for his position when making comments about world leaders and world events. The crass and undiplomatic language that he chooses robs himself, the government and the people that the government represents of the dignity and respect with which they were once held.
ReplyDeleteTony Blair should be ashamed with his deputy, who speaks in his name. It is shocking that he allows his deputy to remain in office purely for his own needs, whilst ignoring the greater damage that Prescott is doing to the image of this once great country.
If Blair had any regard whatsoever for the needs of the country he would sack Prescott on his return from his holiday. To do otherwise shows that he himself is not fit for the job of prime minister.
Change the record, Iain, please.
ReplyDeleteHow about ‘I Predict A Diet’, the Kaiser Chiefs. Or ‘The Dinner Takes It All’, Abba.
Better stop there or I'll have Mr Linford after me. By the way, doesn't Bob Piper look well? He's 74 you know.
To be fair to small cock he said Bush's post Iraq invasion policy was crap , not that either Bush or his Government are crap ( although they are)
ReplyDeleteIain you can do better.
What do you think of my new hair colour?
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ReplyDeleteLeave my Cuddles alone. 'e's an 'ero to me and that geezer 'e told me 'e saved from the river. Ter be 'onest, right, at the end of the day, e's the Deputy Prime Minister of the country, innni, know what I mean?
ReplyDeleteCould he now go the way of the Straw man, who didn't show the necessary reverance for Dubbya's policies?
ReplyDeleteNo; for all your huffing and puffing Iain, the fat one is here to stay for the time being.
But take heart; ITV are doing a 90 minute docu-drama on Prezza and Tracey to be shown in a few weeks time.
Prescott lingers, but so does the damaging cancer of NuLaour sleaze.
John Prescott had better watch his mouth or Iain Dale will hand him a Yellow Card!
ReplyDeleteSeems the researchers can't have been busy either if they were able to stay beyond twenty to three to know that Prezza left then!
ReplyDeleteI do wonder if this is all a ploy you know. Let Jabba shoot his mouth off for a week (or month) or so while Blair is away on holiday, then Blair can come back, see the mess Prezza has made for himself (again), and finally remove all his responsibilities in a public manner. Tough on fat idiots; tough on the causes of fat idiots...
ReplyDeleteNo surprise. How can Prezza run the country when he clearly has a full time job running that awful mouth of his? The presence of political losers such as Prezza and Caravan a'Becket in high office is merely a symptom of how low this once great country has sunk. Grim.
ReplyDeleteNo surprise. How can Prezza run the country when he clearly has a full time job running that awful mouth of his? The presence of political losers such as Prezza and Caravan a'Becket in high office is merely a symptom of how low this once great country has sunk. Grim.
ReplyDeleteI know that JP is a fat useless tosser but he got this right.
ReplyDeleteBet it was only the law of averages though,ths feller thinks with his dick, so it;s unlikeky it was something he actually worked out.
He is right that 80% of us agree with him, it's the same 80% that want to see him and Blair gone
Still say that R4 'PM' have made the best call on this. Prezza has been caught out, but he knows the public are on side with him. So bluff it out in the commons' tea rooms, walls have ears and before you know it, he's the saviour of the Labour party rank & file..
ReplyDeleteThe big question is, is George Bush worried about some fat old tosser who is a laughing stock of the whole UK, and who does sod all but sit on his whopping great arse and pretend to run the country in the PMs absence, whilst John Reid actually does!
ReplyDeleteActually - does Bush actually know who John Prescott is? Have they actually ever met?
As for the cowboy comment - whose the one who forgot to declare his stetson?
Yihaaa!
And, for someone "busy" (or "bizi") running the country, he had a leisurely time - they left lunch at around twenty to three!
ReplyDeleteWell, be fair now Iain, the guy has to fill his days now somehow , doesn't he?
Besides, I've always had the strange feeling that he's not a "quick sandwich at my desk" kind of guy. Can't think why...
Enough's enough. What does it take to stop such people from representing me to the world? He presents himself as an uneducated labourer seemingly untouched in almost 6 decades from any attempt to better himself as the badge of a working class hero. Nothing sums it up better than Collins's "I have to say that the prospect of John Prescott running the country in the absence of Tony Blair is a prospect that fills me with horror."
ReplyDeleteIt struck me as the height of arrpgance and contempt for the GOP to hoist Bush as their champion rather than anyone deserving of high leadership, and here we have no ability to have any say in getting rid of a man who can't even pronounce Kosovo.
Well in fairness, Bush is crap and at least 80% of people do agree on that.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, he's lame duck crap; the only one who's still listening to him is Tony Blair. At this point it's almost like a public service, the nice British boy visiting the shut-in.