It was revealed today that John Prescott spent
taxpayers' money on branded carrier bags with the Deputy Minister's crest plastered all over them. This comes on top of money spent by him on pens and notepads advertising himself. In total £5,095 of taxpayers' money on branded goods. One wonders what the carrier bags were used for. Putting over his head at, ahem, certain times, perhaps?
Iain.Do you think that a 'Labour Sleazeometer' might be in order?One of the problems with media impartiality is that they will not criticise without ABSOLUTE proof.As we all know and as Iraq showed once more,sleaze is carried out by word of mouth.There won't be any proof--hence no criticism.The Labour Party use this to their advantage.They allow perhaps 2 weeks for the story to die down (during which period Blair often goes abroad to be statesmanlike).He then returns and makes a speech about the 'path ahead' and many Labour initiatives are launched,the vast majority of which are soon thereafter dropped.I believe this is at the root of the 'Teflon Tony' myth.As the vast majority of us aren't interested in politics until election time.Labour's wrongdoings fall from the memory like sh#t from a shovel.Unless the man in the street is told by what he believes to be an authoritative source that Blair/Labour has done wrong,it will be disregarded.Perhaps you and 4? others could form a 'sleaze panel'!?.People who know how politics is 'done' and can make a judgement as to the credibility of the government's 'excuse/reasoning' for their action not being sleazy--A 'credibility index'.You could have the Current Labour Sleazeometer and the Cumulative Labour Sleazeometer.The panel would give their weighting to the severity of the sleaze episode through their knowledge of politics and the cover(up) story by the credibility index.Place these surveys freely on any website that wants them and you've got a memory aid that I think would be very usefull.
ReplyDeleteHe is one of the untouchables, £5k of plastic bags is small beer compared to the billions lost and homes not built, on his watch over the planning system, he is old Labour ok, long on the spiel, short on performance and loves all the trappings of power.
ReplyDeletePresumably for filling up with branded booty plundered from the stationery cupboards?
ReplyDeleteNo, no. They're used for carrying the cash for peerages. So much classier than old Fayed's brown envelopes - and you can get a lot more into them, of course.
ReplyDeleteYou have to wonder where it all ends. Are there, for instance, ODPM branded condoms out there somewhere?
ReplyDeleteIs that the best you can do?!
ReplyDeleteAre there, for instance, ODPM branded condoms out there somewhere?
ReplyDeleteWould you trust them?????
On second thoughts, poor David Blunkett couldn't read the brand.....
This is because the BBC does not go after Labour as it does the Tories. I dislike the BBC more and more and they should be ashamed of what they have done.
ReplyDeleteHave you noticed that there is never a minister to comment on some problem they are having and the BBS just lets it pass. If it was the Tories they would be atacked for what they let Labour get away with.
I actually worked for HMSO buying what was called "specials" from 88 to privatisation;& indeed for a further four years after that.Mostly under a Conservative government,which,to be honest,as as prone to ordering such items as Prescott;we had to buy a number of specially made cardboard cartons when Heseltine was deputy PM for his office.
ReplyDeleteBoth parties do it,you know!
You have to wonder whether you could get a branded bin-liner over most New Labour Minister's head - including the lardy John Prescott.
ReplyDeleteTheir arrogance only reflects their belief that they can get away with anything - not that they can achieve anything.
First I thought it was tragic that people were even asking these sorts of questions, but obviously the fact that so important are these details that they are worthy of wasting even more time being blogged about (and then commented on...)
ReplyDeleteWhat about ODPM branded chipolatas? Perhaps he hands out the ballpoint pens to women in nightclubs? A post-modern version of Prezza waz 'ere
ReplyDeleteI remember that his office had a stand at the Ideal Home expedition in 2005.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember it was manned by some very bored looking Cival Servants (the press day freebies were over) promoting the fitting of smoke alarms.
There were some very small leaflets and some very large carrier bags with his logo - not "working smoke alarms save lives" you notice.
I took a couple because I was angree about it at the time but can't find them anywhere now.
Kafka 'condoms'? Probably one size only - chipolata.
ReplyDeleteIdiots, they're his condoms! He's a BIGGGGG boy, gets them through customs duty free!!
ReplyDeleteIain, Aren't you worried about being sued if someone suffocates while putting one of his plastic bags of their head while indulging in some extramarital rumpy-pumpy?
ReplyDeleteHave this handy disclaimer,gratis.
WARNING - Putting your head up one of John Prescott's old bags while sexually aroused is very dangerous.
Would you find a bag big enough to fit over Prescott's head?
ReplyDeleteI have an ODPM carrier bag.... IIRC they were used by (several thousand) delegates to carry away the "loot" (i.e. agenda papers. policy consultation papers, brochures etc) at the ODPM Sustainable Communities Summit in Manchester in 2005.
ReplyDeleteGuthrum said...
ReplyDeletehe is old Labour ok, long on the spiel, short on performance and loves all the trappings of power.
Old Labour, NuLabour?
What if the difference?
Maybe I'm old fashioned but I think if you belong to the Government you should be careful with the tax payers money.
And as for the trappings of power you should be far too busy working to enjoy them.
Surely the brand consultants who came up with this grand idea (at great public expense) should have pointed out that you should only use a brand if it has a strong positive image in the market.
ReplyDeleteThe last thing this government should do is give Prescott a higher profile by say, for example, sending him on an important diplomatic mission overseas ! Oops !