Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Labour Minister Endorses This Blog as "Excellent"

Always delighted when a Labour Minister admits a liking for this blog. Home Officer Minister Tony McNulty was always a good customer at Politico's and is a throughly nice bloke. And what's more a West Ham fan as well. Almost enough to make you vote Labour, isn't it? Here's what he posted last night on my other blog. Top man.

FROM: TONY MCNULTY - Not only do I thoroughly enjoy the political blog - but now I must be in heaven . A thoughtful and erudite blog all about West Ham. I have been a West ham fan for 40 years or more. I am a geographic cheat - in the sense that I am a West London boy through and through and should be Chelsea or QPR , but as I grew up in the 60s around Notting Hill/Ladbroke Grove I got heartily fed up with the non-stop spin about how clever, successful and oh-so-swinging sixties these teams were supposed to be (alright I know I was only 8 years old!) So, as I tell friends with relish, once West Ham won the World Cup in 1966 it was the only team for me and has been ever since. Currently, when constituency business allows, you will find me at as many home games as I can and the occasional away game - Dr.Martens Stand Upper Tier season ticket holder. The very best of luck with 'West Ham Till I Die.' The political blog is excellent - once I ignore the 'blue tilt'.

Just had to add that last bit, didn't he? Now, if he could just sort out the dog's breakfast at the Home Office, we'd all be happy...

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tony M. has always struck me as a good bloke trapped in a duff party. He almost always talks sense, is more direct than his colleagues and a rare breed amongst politicioans.

Now if only he were a Spurs supporter!

Anonymous said...

He might be a nice bloke but he is an utterly useless minister. Not particularly honest either.

Anonymous said...

Hope you wont be pulling punches on the absolute fiasco that is the Home Office just because he is a Hammer.

Anonymous said...

He's only being sweet because he's a Hammers fan and wants to get into the directors box with you. Given your performance this season it looks like you'll both be going down together (ooh er).

Iain Dale said...

Javelin, it may surprise you to know that I have never been in the director's box. And nor would I wish to. I enjoy watching from my seat just behind Curbishley's dugout! I can then tell him exactly what I think...

Anonymous said...

Have watched this man on T.V. he is very arrogant and always talks down to people.


I do not rate this blustering man at all. He is typical Labour. All spin and never answers a question about anything and is always insulting the opposition.

He is not a nice man. No wonder we have no opposition in this country!!

Anonymous said...

He may be a really nice bloke, buy his round etc. He may even actually talk sense.

I'm actually much more interested in how well he does his job - after all, I'm paying his salary, expenses, pension and any other number of 'benefits'. I'm certainly not paying for him to be an all round good egg.

As to his football predelictions - best keep that one quiet, eh?

Iain Dale said...

Ken at 11.45. I agree with you that he comes over the way on TV, but that doesn't negate my point. I have met him and you have not. In my experience, on a personal level, he is extremely likeable. Just because you are in opposite political parties it doesn;t mean you have to hate everyone in other parties on a personal level, even if you hate what they do and what they stand for.

Anonymous said...

Its a pity he is not 'Excellent' at his job

Anonymous said...

Iain

just because you like someone does not mean he is good at his job.

Do you like what he stands for. ?

Its no wonder we are so concerned about the Tory party.

Its gone all soft and fluffy.

Anonymous said...

He says "I'm in heaven" Is that where you two met? I believe it's un Charing Cross station!!

Anonymous said...

A friend of mine told me this story over Christmas. It goes back to the 50s.

His mother was a prominent Conservative in Birmingham and every time local wards went Conservative she would gloat for days; but when Labour won, she would sulk for days. Labour was the enemy.

One day she went with some friends to the House of Commons as the guest of her MP. She saw a Tory and a Labour MP slug it out on the floor of the chamber, spitting vitriol everywhere. Then she saw the same two sitting together, laughing with each other in the Commons' tea room. My friend said she never got over it.

Anonymous said...

There's no fool like an old fool.

Anonymous said...

From what ITV and also BBC's Michael Crick, Mr McNulty has got a bit of explaining to do about the contents of a certain letter from the Association of Chief Police Officers..

Anonymous said...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=428003&in_page_id=1770&ico=Homepage&icl=TabModule&icc=NEWS&ct=5

"Police chiefs revealed that they alerted Police Minister Tony McNulty and his deputy Joan Ryan months ago to the fact that paedophiles and murderers convicted abroad could be working undetected in British schools."

Maybe he had his mind on West Ham's poor run in the cup.

Anonymous said...

He calls himself a geographic cheat, so appropriate then that he supports West Ham who play in ..... East Ham.