political commentator * author * publisher * bookseller * radio presenter * blogger * Conservative candidate * former lobbyist * Jack Russell owner * West Ham United fanatic * Email iain AT iaindale DOT com
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Shirley Williams in Brown Reshuffle?
A mole in the Commons has just told me he has seen Shirley Williams go into Gordon Brown's office. What can it mean?
She's not very bright, especially not these days, but she's a dear old soul and wanted a nice cup of tea and someone to talk to. And Andrew Neil was unavailable.
re the druid and a National Govt - earlier on today the Number 10 website had a sidebar about R MacDonald and the 1931 national govt. It's gone now but what was the message being given out???
Not that long ago, Williams said on 'This Week' that she was glad the SDP had broken from Labour and that she didn't think a coalition between the two in 1997 would have been a good idea...
Looks like there is going to be a whole lot of room for al that new talent to make its way from junior ministerial positions into the Cabinet. But once Andy Burnham's been promoted, how are they going to fill the other jobs.
BTW have new admiration for Brown after the way he supremely shafted Harman post-election. "you've been elected to the position of Hazel Blears" - class!
I remember Shirley Williams in the Wilson Governmnent where she was Minister of Consumer Prices and decided to subsidise Danish Blue cheese but not Stilton on the grounds that Danish Blue was working-class and Stilton was bourgeois.......they were subsidising food to keep the RPI down and hoping to keep wage demands restrained by playing with the RPI
Browns "inclusivity" is all about stifling choice , a one party state , no matter who you vote for you get Brown. Genius. Get ready to show your papers at least twice a day.
The notion of Brown appointing people from across party's is utterly undemocratic.
Although we have a Parliamentary democracy, and the PM is (notionally) elected only by the good fortunes of being the leader of the largest party, the office of PM does at least have some democratic resonance.
But by bringing in people from other parties, he is trying to subvert democratic choice, effectively saying 'Vote Labour - get them all' (just as long as he is at the head of 'them all').
If people wanted Shirly Williams, Ming Campbell and Paddy Ashdown in the cabinet, they would have voted Liberal Democrat in sufficient numbers to elect them a majority of seats in the Commons.
The other more cynical view is that he is simply saying "we are already working in coalition with the LIb Dems' so that if there is a hung Parliament after the next election, he can govern either in coalition or with a minority government.
Either way, this is all about one thing - and one thing only - ensuring that the horrid, untrustworthy and disreputable Gordon Brown gets his hands on the levers of power - and not even the electorate can wrestle them back!
I fear for the future of democracy in this country. It gets farther and farther away from the populace on a daily basis.
Adrian Yalland ... the alternative is that he's a really nice bloke deep down and wants to change politics. Instead of party pettiness he wants to try and include talented and experienced people from across the spectrum.
We're about to go through a revolution: one of those seismic moments in British politics, and it's not surprising some people will find some of the moves very radical.
Democracy is unaffected. If you don't like it, vote against it next time.
"Instead of party pettiness he wants to try and include talented and experienced people from across the spectrum"
bollocks to all that.The Lib Dems are the mortal enemy up here, they court the Tory vote brazenly to 'keep Labour out'.We don't work our socks off at election time to return a Labour government just so Lib Dems can stroll invited into government by a Labour PM.
Brown is bringing two of his old flames and trusted lieutenants back in to Government: Nick Brown MP and Lord (Chris) Smith will be given senior positions.
shirley would only accept a job once she'd checked with imadinnerjacket to make sure that no-one in tehran would be offended by such a prominent liberal joining the british cabinet. she is a disgrace. david owen had the right idea with her.
The poor old cow has been offered an "advisory" role, just like ex-copper Lord Stevens. It's Brown's idea of drawing in "all of the talents." She'll be sitting at home, waiting for a call, like a sad old pensioner, hoping to hear from her errant son.
BTW, I've just been watching Andy Burnham on Newsnight. Is he a rising star in NuLab? Jesus. He's as thick as pigshit. I thought Paxo was going to slap his silly face.
Your avatar has disappeared along with any credibility you thought you had. Sorry, old friend, but you went out with the 80's.
Shirl the Pearl had a brief flurry of credibility when she won Crosby for the SDP and was promptly tossed out of power in the next General Election. Apart from odd appearances on Question Time, she's had little or not impact on British politics since then.
And this is an example of Gordon Brown's new ideas?
I do hope Brown enjoys giving his mates new jobs ,and enjoys being the PM ,because soon as signs that piece of paper from the EU ,we won't need him or his hangers on ,because we won't need a British Parliment , I wonder if Ken Livingstone will try to get elected for mayor of England.
Some bloke down the pub tells me that Rifkind's is the the man who has decided to join the sinking ship. Can this be true? Has he been pissed off by Chamberlain, I mean Hard hat and bicycle, I mean what's my compost heap doing, I mean Hot air balloons do more damage than Concorde, I mean Cameroon(lets applaud Blair - that will play well in Slough) Camerooon?
Shirley Williams was the Minister for Education in Harold Wilsons Goverment, that stripped our country of Grammar Schools and invented the so called "Comprehensive Schools". Which are now called " Academies of Sporting Execellence"! What a load of balderdash. She being a "Blue Stocking" What is wrong with these people ?How bloody they dare preach to us ! Hypocritcal smug gits !
Brown is quango crazy where England is concerned. He's going to split departments and invent new ones, so he can fit in all these non-people from other parties, just to confuse them all and upset their apple carts, putting them on the back foot and dithering, while he, a MP elected to a Scottish constituency, imposes his Scottish socialist polies onto us and you lot are still recovering from your confusion and are unable, or unwilling, to speak out in defence of our democratic rights.
Our stealth taxes are going to shoot up.
John Prescotts constituency - The council tried to save money, by getting rid of the drain cleaners 4 years ago. When some homes were in danger of flooding, a 28 year old man tried to clear one of the drains because the water wasn't going down. His foot got caught, due to the fast flowing water. He took 3 hours to die.
Won't someone speak out against this tragic death? What has John Prescott or Alan Johnson got to say about it and why aren't they in Hull, helping to sort his mess out? More floods are due at the weekend and no doubt, more deaths.
SO the reshuffle among journalists has started - no sooner is Tony cold than Mary Ann Sieghart announces she is leaving The Times......will be fascinating to see if Aaronovitch and others now move on too....
It is always interesting to observe the reshuffling of the journalist pack during regime change
The Proportional Representation Advocate seeing Brown can possibly mean he needs her support in introducing PR in a constitutional change. Perhaps he requires PR-- Permanent Rule for Labour with the support of the Liberal Democrats.
1. Ensuring democracy is subverted and ensuring he stays in power by hook or by crook (probably by dragging together a cabinet stuffed full of cronies, loyalists, hangers on or those dependent upon his patronage, with a few token 'talents' to give him something to spin to the media) 2. Ensuring as much power is centralised in his hands - either formally or informally 3. Banning morning dress at all weddings, funerals and state occasions 4. Making England like Scotland - dependent upon state activity to keep the economy afloat! 5. Bore us all with his endless dour and tiresome sermons about how he was shaped by his childhood, and how he wants us all to have 'opportunity' for betterment (i.e. he wants the English middle classes to pay more taxes for his social engineering rather than telling a small but over-fed, over-indulged and overly-indulged section of society to sort themselves out and stop waiting for others to come and do it for you).
I never thought I would say this, but after less than 24 hours - Tony, I miss you. Please come back!
- Shirl - child of the Proletariat (Vera Brittain) - champion of freedom - destroyer of Grammar Schools in the 1960s - heroine of the Grunwick Picket line .....
??? How do Labour MPs feel about being overlooked, while juicy profitable Ministries are offered to non-Labour politicians whose parties lost the 2005 Election
I've looked at that photo on the front of the Daily Telegraph and am happy to confirm that Gordon normally wears the same shade of nail varnish on his toes as Sarah is wearing.
I remember Shirley Williams in the Wilson Governmnent where she was Minister of Consumer Prices and decided to subsidise Danish Blue cheese but not Stilton on the grounds that Danish Blue was working-class and Stilton was bourgeois.......they were subsidising food to keep the RPI down and hoping to keep wage demands restrained by playing with the RPI
Its a good job Brown doesn't gave to resort to such tactics now we have the ONS and the 'independent' Bank Of England to move the inflation goalposts
Brilliant move. Shirley Williams et al broke away from Labour because Labour then became too looney left. When Mr Blair became PM, he almost immediately invited Shirley Williams to come back to New Labour. Lady Williams returning to Government is also a signal to Lib Dems -- the party is not sustainable, they'll never be elected to power, they shouldn't sit on the political sidelines as professional, perpetual opposition winers, but participate, either in coalition or choosing a side. Lady Williams is a very bright, honest, clear thinking politician. With the lack of talent in the Commons, I'm happy Mr Brown is reaching to the Lords and outside his party for official advice, perspective and experience.
83 comments:
Gordon's told her that the Germans are going to invade and he's hoping that she'll flee to the USA like she did in 1940.
Hi Iain
I just saw Margaret Thatcher go into to No 10. What do you think?
Bizarre.
t's grab a granny night?
Patten, Williams etc? Is this the government of "all the talents" Brown is promising?
With all these rumours floating about I can see a National Government being formed. A sort of reverse 1930's with the Tories as opposition.
well considering the Labour talent pool, it's probably his best option.
Is it true that he is due to appoint Rupert Murdoch as his new Director of Communications?!!!
Baroness Amos is to become the "EU's ambassador to Africa".
Noses, troughs. More troughs, more noses thanks to the non-constitution treaty.
No wonder our political glitterati love the EU.
Is the job of the EU's ambassador to Africa in the gift of the prime minister of the UK?
Landale on the BBC is reporting the Shirley Williams thing as though it is a done deal - but there's many a slip...
She's not very bright, especially not these days, but she's a dear old soul and wanted a nice cup of tea and someone to talk to. And Andrew Neil was unavailable.
Intriguingly is this going to be a government run predominantly from the Lords?
James said...
"Intriguingly is this going to be a government run predominantly from the Lords?"
More likely it will be run from Broown's broom cupboard - he'll be using the same one that Major used every time he had a "wobble"
what a load of c@*p said...
"Rupert Murdoch as his new Director of Communications?!!! "
Bernie Ecclestone Minister of Transport?
Adam Boulton Minister of talking B@@@@@@ks?
Leader of the Lords.
Snappy dresser, that Lady Williams! Perhaps she's our new leader's style guru.
They go the same hairdressers...
But if Beckett's hubby was around to help with the Foreign Office gig, he might want a few oldsters to keep the average age up...
re the druid and a National Govt - earlier on today the Number 10 website had a sidebar about R MacDonald and the 1931 national govt. It's gone now but what was the message being given out???
The best one is 'Hewitt has resigned for 'personal reasons'. Like fuck !!
Er, the 'personal reason' that she was about to be fired so far from Government that she would need a jet to get back to London..
Yeah, right...
Not that long ago, Williams said on 'This Week' that she was glad the SDP had broken from Labour and that she didn't think a coalition between the two in 1997 would have been a good idea...
Looks like there is going to be a whole lot of room for al that new talent to make its way from junior ministerial positions into the Cabinet. But once Andy Burnham's been promoted, how are they going to fill the other jobs.
BTW have new admiration for Brown after the way he supremely shafted Harman post-election. "you've been elected to the position of Hazel Blears" - class!
But we just got rid of Hewitt and Jowell, why do we need another shrill voice of patronising schoolmarmishness?
If we have to have literally ALL the talents, we'd better put a call in to Jeffrey Archer too...
Cup of sugar? Or is she a go-between for Ming?
I remember Shirley Williams in the Wilson Governmnent where she was Minister of Consumer Prices and decided to subsidise Danish Blue cheese but not Stilton on the grounds that Danish Blue was working-class and Stilton was bourgeois.......they were subsidising food to keep the RPI down and hoping to keep wage demands restrained by playing with the RPI
Has Lord Birt been sent back to Skaro ?
Browns "inclusivity" is all about stifling choice , a one party state , no matter who you vote for you get Brown.
Genius.
Get ready to show your papers at least twice a day.
The notion of Brown appointing people from across party's is utterly undemocratic.
Although we have a Parliamentary democracy, and the PM is (notionally) elected only by the good fortunes of being the leader of the largest party, the office of PM does at least have some democratic resonance.
But by bringing in people from other parties, he is trying to subvert democratic choice, effectively saying 'Vote Labour - get them all' (just as long as he is at the head of 'them all').
If people wanted Shirly Williams, Ming Campbell and Paddy Ashdown in the cabinet, they would have voted Liberal Democrat in sufficient numbers to elect them a majority of seats in the Commons.
The other more cynical view is that he is simply saying "we are already working in coalition with the LIb Dems' so that if there is a hung Parliament after the next election, he can govern either in coalition or with a minority government.
Either way, this is all about one thing - and one thing only - ensuring that the horrid, untrustworthy and disreputable Gordon Brown gets his hands on the levers of power - and not even the electorate can wrestle them back!
I fear for the future of democracy in this country. It gets farther and farther away from the populace on a daily basis.
Brown has sacked Blair's old cleaner?
Adrian Yalland ... the alternative is that he's a really nice bloke deep down and wants to change politics. Instead of party pettiness he wants to try and include talented and experienced people from across the spectrum.
We're about to go through a revolution: one of those seismic moments in British politics, and it's not surprising some people will find some of the moves very radical.
Democracy is unaffected. If you don't like it, vote against it next time.
The notion of Brown appointing people from across party's is utterly undemocratic.
Ministry of All The Talents 1806
Earlier this afternoon I spotted Gordon disappearing into the gents lavatory with his old mucker Nick Brown.
Do you think Nick's been offered a place back in the Cabinet?
Stan Odgen seen going in to number 10... new minister for alternative weekly collection
"Instead of party pettiness he wants to try and include talented and experienced people from across the spectrum"
bollocks to all that.The Lib Dems are the mortal enemy up here, they court the Tory vote brazenly to 'keep Labour out'.We don't work our socks off at election time to return a Labour government just so Lib Dems can stroll invited into government by a Labour PM.
Yozzer:
It's people like you who voted this lot in.
Don't bitch about it now they're here.
Shame about the increase in road tax on the Cayenne, isn't it?
Brown is bringing two of his old flames and trusted lieutenants back in to Government: Nick Brown MP and Lord (Chris) Smith will be given senior positions.
You heard it here first.
It means he really is desperate; and the trouble hasn't even started yet.
Yozzer:
It's people like you who voted this lot in.
Err, but I didn't vote Shirley Williams in.In fact I've done everything possible to encourage people to vote her lot out..
Lord (Chris) Smith will be given senior.......Chairman of The Advertising Standards Authority
How appropriate !
Frankly, they’re welcome to Baroness Williams after her disgraceful remarks about Salman Rushdie on Question Time last week.
Rumour around Westminster is that Brown is overwhelmed and is hiding in his bunker having repeated panic attacks.
How long before he cracks up?
Shirley is moonlighting as a cleaner?
"Laurence Boyce said...
Frankly, they’re welcome to Baroness Williams after her disgraceful remarks about Salman Rushdie on Question Time last week. "
ffs Christopher and Peter Hitchens on the same bill and I missed it...
Chris Smith would be a good call. He's good. Though I once caught him with his sense of humour awol he quickly recovered his grin.
Unlike Yozzer I don't mind the odd Westminster Lib Dem getting a sniff of a job.
They are not all the unprincipled, lying, thieving, hoaxing scumbags we have in the NW. There are a couple that are OK.
And what's more it will destroy them.
yozzer:
Watch QT here on the beeb site:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/question_time/
Better be quick though!
Andy Burnham getting a kicking from Paxo, and Paxo asking someone from the Lib Dems if the 'leader is safe'
"Oh yes.."
Less than re-assuring coming from a man whose surname rhymes with pegg..
cheers Druid, got it, watching it
shirley would only accept a job once she'd checked with imadinnerjacket to make sure that no-one in tehran would be offended by such a prominent liberal joining the british cabinet. she is a disgrace. david owen had the right idea with her.
Owenite rump, Gordon wants to know if you'd like a job in his cabinet?
Newsnight have Williams as just an advisor on foreign and environmental affairs.
Guido has Graham Norton, Dale Winton, Michael Barrymore, and a rent boy from Liverpool as Ministers without Portfolio.
The poor old cow has been offered an "advisory" role, just like ex-copper Lord Stevens. It's Brown's idea of drawing in "all of the talents."
She'll be sitting at home, waiting for a call, like a sad old pensioner, hoping to hear from her errant son.
BTW, I've just been watching Andy Burnham on Newsnight. Is he a rising star in NuLab? Jesus. He's as thick as pigshit. I thought Paxo was going to slap his silly face.
Paxman is being very cruel to Andy Burnham on NEWSNIGHT.
Definitely a 'rabbit caught in the headlights' minute for Andy 'change in the nhs' Burnham...
And to think he is meant to be doing something important with ID Cards..
Yozzer:
Your avatar has disappeared along with any credibility you thought you had. Sorry, old friend, but you went out with the 80's.
Shirl the Pearl had a brief flurry of credibility when she won Crosby for the SDP and was promptly tossed out of power in the next General Election. Apart from odd appearances on Question Time, she's had little or not impact on British politics since then.
And this is an example of Gordon Brown's new ideas?
Jesus! Where did I go wrong?
I do hope Brown enjoys giving his mates new jobs ,and enjoys being the PM ,because soon as signs that piece of paper from the EU ,we won't need him or his hangers on ,because we won't need a British Parliment , I wonder if Ken Livingstone will try to get elected for mayor of England.
Some bloke down the pub tells me that Rifkind's is the the man who has decided to join the sinking ship.
Can this be true?
Has he been pissed off by Chamberlain, I mean Hard hat and bicycle, I mean what's my compost heap doing, I mean Hot air balloons do more damage than Concorde, I mean Cameroon(lets applaud Blair - that will play well in Slough) Camerooon?
Shirley Williams was the Minister for Education in Harold Wilsons Goverment, that stripped our country of Grammar Schools and invented the so called "Comprehensive Schools". Which are now called " Academies of Sporting Execellence"! What a load of balderdash. She being a "Blue Stocking" What is wrong with these people ?How bloody they dare preach to us ! Hypocritcal smug gits !
I've got the horn.
I hear "Humphrey the Cat" has been seen entering No 10 via the back door.
Chris Paul said:
"I've got the horn"
Yes but I'd be careful with that because I think that Adam Bolton wants it back to sell sweets at his tuck shop to raise funds for Africa.
What the Fuck does that actually mean
Did George Jones {political editor of The Telegraph) go over to the other side years ago?
How did that happen?
True Blue:
I had the great pleasure of being part of Malcolm Thornton's team (in Crosby) who consigned Shirley Williams to the dustbin of 80's politics.
Remind me please, what the hell has this useless hag been doing since then?
Word verification: moblz - sounds like "mobilise". Spooky!
So Broon's only policy is "change"
- endorsed with a headline from that great Conservative paper The Telegraph.
What a load of bollocks -he doesn't want to make his first policy "improvement" just "change" for change's sake. No spin there then.
If Cameroon said his first priority was "change" he be ripped appart by the MSM. Broon on the other hand is taken seriously. No bias there then.
the defections and coalition rubbish will only harm Labour and the other party in the long run.
Brown cannot hide his true nature now. And I don't trust anybody who was once a communist.
Brown is quango crazy where England is concerned. He's going to split departments and invent new ones, so he can fit in all these non-people from other parties, just to confuse them all and upset their apple carts, putting them on the back foot and dithering, while he, a MP elected to a Scottish constituency, imposes his Scottish socialist polies onto us and you lot are still recovering from your confusion and are unable, or unwilling, to speak out in defence of our democratic rights.
Our stealth taxes are going to shoot up.
John Prescotts constituency - The council tried to save money, by getting rid of the drain cleaners 4 years ago. When some homes were in danger of flooding, a 28 year old man tried to clear one of the drains because the water wasn't going down. His foot got caught, due to the fast flowing water. He took 3 hours to die.
Won't someone speak out against this tragic death? What has John Prescott or Alan Johnson got to say about it and why aren't they in Hull, helping to sort his mess out? More floods are due at the weekend and no doubt, more deaths.
SO the reshuffle among journalists has started - no sooner is Tony cold than Mary Ann Sieghart announces she is leaving The Times......will be fascinating to see if Aaronovitch and others now move on too....
It is always interesting to observe the reshuffling of the journalist pack during regime change
The Proportional Representation Advocate seeing Brown can possibly mean he needs her support in introducing PR in a constitutional change.
Perhaps he requires PR-- Permanent Rule for Labour with the support of the Liberal Democrats.
Brown's priorities will probably include:
1. Ensuring democracy is subverted and ensuring he stays in power by hook or by crook (probably by dragging together a cabinet stuffed full of cronies, loyalists, hangers on or those dependent upon his patronage, with a few token 'talents' to give him something to spin to the media)
2. Ensuring as much power is centralised in his hands - either formally or informally
3. Banning morning dress at all weddings, funerals and state occasions
4. Making England like Scotland - dependent upon state activity to keep the economy afloat!
5. Bore us all with his endless dour and tiresome sermons about how he was shaped by his childhood, and how he wants us all to have 'opportunity' for betterment (i.e. he wants the English middle classes to pay more taxes for his social engineering rather than telling a small but over-fed, over-indulged and overly-indulged section of society to sort themselves out and stop waiting for others to come and do it for you).
I never thought I would say this, but after less than 24 hours - Tony, I miss you. Please come back!
PS - whatever Brown proposes, whatever policy he comes up with, whatever new QUANGO, body or initiative he announces - CHECK THE SMALL PRINT!
This guy is a cross between a timeshare salesman and a quack snake-oil doctor!
Front page of the Telegraph today....
Just look at Gordon Brown's shoes!
When do you think the scruffy bastard last polished them?
Shirley needs to be hired just for the satisfaction of being able to promptly fire the mutton-headed delusional old cow.
p.s. Didn't Stalin have a "government of all the talents"?
- Shirl - child of the Proletariat (Vera Brittain) - champion of freedom - destroyer of Grammar Schools in the 1960s - heroine of the Grunwick Picket line .....
??? How do Labour MPs feel about being overlooked, while juicy profitable Ministries are offered to non-Labour politicians whose parties lost the 2005 Election
I've looked at that photo on the front of the Daily Telegraph and am happy to confirm that Gordon normally wears the same shade of nail varnish on his toes as Sarah is wearing.
has he sacked that total crook Jowell yet?
We in Stoke-on-Trent have been doing this 'many talents' thing for about seven weeks now.
We, Labour,(biggest party but not in control) invited an offshoot of Tories and independants (sex offenders register etc..) to run the City.
The outcome?
Much anger by labour traditionalist die hards who have walked out in protest and intend to take no part in politics until they are removed.
So..let's not be too complacent about the outcome of a Government of 'many talents'.
It is seen as 'jobs for the boys'and is a red rag to a bull.
I remember Shirley Williams in the Wilson Governmnent where she was Minister of Consumer Prices and decided to subsidise Danish Blue cheese but not Stilton on the grounds that Danish Blue was working-class and Stilton was bourgeois.......they were subsidising food to keep the RPI down and hoping to keep wage demands restrained by playing with the RPI
Its a good job Brown doesn't gave to resort to such tactics now we have the ONS and the 'independent' Bank Of England to move the inflation goalposts
That wasn't Shirley Williams, that was one of the cleaners. Easy mistake to make, though...
"My first priority is change"
Wasn't that a quote from Chairman Mao?
Shirley Williams in Brown Reshuffle
Or as the Americans would say... shovelling shit
At least Brown hasn't had Roy Jenkins disinterred...or John Smith
Brilliant move. Shirley Williams et al broke away from Labour because Labour then became too looney left. When Mr Blair became PM, he almost immediately invited Shirley Williams to come back to New Labour. Lady Williams returning to Government is also a signal to Lib Dems -- the party is not sustainable, they'll never be elected to power, they shouldn't sit on the political sidelines as professional, perpetual opposition winers, but participate, either in coalition or choosing a side. Lady Williams is a very bright, honest, clear thinking politician. With the lack of talent in the Commons, I'm happy Mr Brown is reaching to the Lords and outside his party for official advice, perspective and experience.
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