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
Friday, July 27, 2007
Boris is Replaced
Boris Johnson's replacement as Shadow Higher Education Minister is being formally announced today. It is Reading East MP, Rob Wilson, who has specialised in education matters since his election in 2005.
Same here ....iain it is more than ever vital that the Mayoral campaihgnn is used to reignite the COnservative Flame .Boris is closely associated with DC and a really good showing could really turn things around
Prediction: Spring election; Boris will have to resign his seat; he will then go on to lose the Mayoral contest; back at the Spectator full time, and out of front line politics for good.
Mr mania as your blog is as you say borng i didnt read about it (+;
Mr Sheppard , I dont think there is much of a market for thongs pre worn by comfortably upholstered middle aged gents , If there was i would have an empty underwear drawer
Iain I see you were effusive in your condemnation of people who felt the Rwanda trip .Now the Conservative Party is 9 % behind and there is talk in the Telegraph of Conservatism ceasing to be a force forever do you feel that the perception that this was a photo op to far perhaps had something to it . I was surprised to see your tone on Bel is Thinking
Excerts.
"God this makes me angry. If any of you people were actually here instead of pontificating about things you can know nothing about you would see that a lot of good is coming out of this trip..... ......It is to Cameron;s credit that he has come here. it’s a pity more politicians don’t do the same.
...... To call this trip a jolly is an insult to the 44 people who have paid close on £900 of their own money to come here to work on very worthy projects.
Even the hard-bitten lobby hacks have been impressed and had their initial cynicism destroyed. One of them has written in the papers tomorrow: “These people are the true face of the Conservative Party”. And he’s right. Those who carp front the sidelines and revel in finding fault are the ugly face of the Conservative Party and I want nothing to do with them.
This is a bit over the top isn’t it ? Any Conservative is bound to instinctively feel that the first duty of us all is to our own. I support David Cameron and always write in his support but this was a symbol and it was ill -timed and unlikely to play well at any time .This country comes first . Always.
"10 posts so far and not a single one praising or endorsing the appointment of Rob Wilson....says it all really."
Well let me be the first to endorse the decision. Rob has worked hard on the Education Select Committee and I am sure will bring a lot of energy to the role which will be scrutinised by thousands of students looking where to place their vote for the first time.
I'm with Dan (halfway) in that my first thought upon seeing Iain's post headline was that the Tories were finally getting a clue.
Should have known better!
NOW am asking meself the question millions of Britons (well, several dozens at any rate)are asking themselves today: who the heck is Rob Johnson?
THAT said, even if Mr. Johnson is a functional illiterate who flunked out of barber college, he's STILL an improvement as shadow Ed Sec over Borish . . . whose own credentials for the post appear to consist of mastery of the Wall Game . . . and ability to hire competent ghost writers a la the last mass media hoor picked to challenge Red Ken, the (ig)noble Lord Archer.
Actually, methinks I can see PART of the logic at Tory HQ for selecting a noted buffoon to fly the True Blue colors. OF COURSE any Tory candidate is going to lose an all-London election. BUT yer BJ does have a keen appeal to the British funny bone. SO he may well pull sizeable - but not significant - support away from KL but most especially from the LIB DEMS - from voters seeking comic relief rather than competence or even coherence.
BTW, haven't seen the schedule: what section of London is Borish insulting TODAY???
Am guessing that BJ MP will NOT have to give up his Henley-Now-Floating-on-Thames seat in order to run for London mayor, even if the elections are held the same day.
NOW if Borish was re-elected as MP AND elected as Mayor, he'd have to fish & cut bait. BUT he's got as much chance of beating Livingstone as Dick Whittington's dead cat.
I'm not sure he would be stopped from being both by Tory rules? But if he didn't resign Henley it would be looked on as weakness in the fight for London so, though destined to lose, he would probably either need to resign or convince both electorates that he fully intended to do both jobs (and his media work) and how he would manage ...
And Mr Wilson ... Reading "East" a fantasy novel ... should be just right for the Tory shadowlands.
BUT he's got as much chance of beating Livingstone as Dick Whittington's dead cat.
Should scrape home then.I wonder if Labour would endorse a dead cat if they thought he was going to win. The stench could be little worse than it is with Mr. IRA as their new friend
RE: the IRA, are you preparing to mount an equally heartfelt protest against that arch-appeaser . . . wait fer it . . . the Rev. Dr. Ian Paisley??? Including organizing the Mayfair Branch of the REAL DUP???
RE: BJ, I note that you did NOT challenge my assertion that he's got an ace squad of ghosters just like JA.
RE: yer previous comment about the Rwanda trip, while I think ye have a point about the OPTICS while Middle England is floating away, don't you think that YOU are a bit "over the top" yourself? The Rwandans may live in a strange land far away, but nonetheless they are our brothers and sisters . . . a fact that is becoming ever clearer the further we all go into the 3rd millenium.
Anyway, thanks again for critiquing me own rantings & ravings!
I'd be surprised if he hadn't been in touch with the two grammar schools, they are both in his constituency and it would be crazy not to - he also, along with John Redwood, represents Reading University
Marginal Reading East might be, but he has incumbency, which does a candidate big favours so long as they have put the work in, as I found out. Good luck to him. He got elected because of the deselection of the Labour MP (me) but he'll keep the seat on his own merits, and there are those in Reading Labour Party that this suits just fine
Boris Johnson's replacement as Shadow Higher Education Minister is being formally announced today. It is Reading East MP, Rob Wilson, who has specialised in education matters since his election in 2005.
your post headline made me spit my tea, i thought his mayor campaign was over.
ReplyDelete..
dont.
Same here ....iain it is more than ever vital that the Mayoral campaihgnn is used to reignite the COnservative Flame .Boris is closely associated with DC and a really good showing could really turn things around
ReplyDeleteYawwwwn..
ReplyDeletePrediction: Spring election; Boris will have to resign his seat; he will then go on to lose the Mayoral contest; back at the Spectator full time, and out of front line politics for good.
JIM 2.15 PM
ReplyDeleteBoris doesn't need to resign as an MP before standing for Mayor.
If the General Election and Mayoral election is on the same day....he will have to give up his MP seat
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt seems somebody has beat me to it and set up a website flogging Boris boxer shorts and T shirts.
ReplyDeleteBoris is said to be "perplexed"
And thongs Hitch which I featured in my boring blog last week.
ReplyDeleteBoris will be a magnificent Mayor and a magnificent anagram of biros .
There is no end to his talents
Funny - no one has bought any of the thongs I put online....
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cafepress.com/toryradio
Mr mania as your blog is as you say borng i didnt read about it (+;
ReplyDeleteMr Sheppard , I dont think there is much of a market for thongs pre worn by comfortably upholstered middle aged gents , If there was i would have an empty underwear drawer
10 posts so far and not a single one praising or endorsing the appointment of Rob Wilson....says it all really.
ReplyDeleteI thought Boris was irreplaceable....
ReplyDeleteOFF TOPIC
ReplyDeleteIain I see you were effusive in your condemnation of people who felt the Rwanda trip .Now the Conservative Party is 9 % behind and there is talk in the Telegraph of Conservatism ceasing to be a force forever do you feel that the perception that this was a photo op to far perhaps had something to it . I was surprised to see your tone on Bel is Thinking
Excerts.
"God this makes me angry. If any of you people were actually here instead of pontificating about things you can know nothing about you would see that a lot of good is coming out of this trip.....
......It is to Cameron;s credit that he has come here. it’s a pity more politicians don’t do the same.
...... To call this trip a jolly is an insult to the 44 people who have paid close on £900 of their own money to come here to work on very worthy projects.
Even the hard-bitten lobby hacks have been impressed and had their initial cynicism destroyed. One of them has written in the papers tomorrow: “These people are the true face of the Conservative Party”. And he’s right. Those who carp front the sidelines and revel in finding fault are the ugly face of the Conservative Party and I want nothing to do with them.
This is a bit over the top isn’t it ? Any Conservative is bound to instinctively feel that the first duty of us all is to our own. I support David Cameron and always write in his support but this was a symbol and it was ill -timed and unlikely to play well at any time .This country comes first . Always.
Do you stand by those comments ?
That thong idea of Mr Sheppard's in uncannily similar (read: the same) as Boriswatch's thong:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.printshop.co.uk/product.asp?siteid=92&prodcatid=167
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, of course...
If the General Election and Mayoral election is on the same day....he will have to give up his MP seat
ReplyDeleteIs that a fact?
jim 4:01pm says
ReplyDelete"10 posts so far and not a single one praising or endorsing the appointment of Rob Wilson....says it all really."
Well let me be the first to endorse the decision. Rob has worked hard on the Education Select Committee and I am sure will bring a lot of energy to the role which will be scrutinised by thousands of students looking where to place their vote for the first time.
I'm with Dan (halfway) in that my first thought upon seeing Iain's post headline was that the Tories were finally getting a clue.
ReplyDeleteShould have known better!
NOW am asking meself the question millions of Britons (well, several dozens at any rate)are asking themselves today: who the heck is Rob Johnson?
THAT said, even if Mr. Johnson is a functional illiterate who flunked out of barber college, he's STILL an improvement as shadow Ed Sec over Borish . . . whose own credentials for the post appear to consist of mastery of the Wall Game . . . and ability to hire competent ghost writers a la the last mass media hoor picked to challenge Red Ken, the (ig)noble Lord Archer.
Actually, methinks I can see PART of the logic at Tory HQ for selecting a noted buffoon to fly the True Blue colors. OF COURSE any Tory candidate is going to lose an all-London election. BUT yer BJ does have a keen appeal to the British funny bone. SO he may well pull sizeable - but not significant - support away from KL but most especially from the LIB DEMS - from voters seeking comic relief rather than competence or even coherence.
BTW, haven't seen the schedule: what section of London is Borish insulting TODAY???
Am guessing that BJ MP will NOT have to give up his Henley-Now-Floating-on-Thames seat in order to run for London mayor, even if the elections are held the same day.
ReplyDeleteNOW if Borish was re-elected as MP AND elected as Mayor, he'd have to fish & cut bait. BUT he's got as much chance of beating Livingstone as Dick Whittington's dead cat.
I'm not sure he would be stopped from being both by Tory rules? But if he didn't resign Henley it would be looked on as weakness in the fight for London so, though destined to lose, he would probably either need to resign or convince both electorates that he fully intended to do both jobs (and his media work) and how he would manage ...
ReplyDeleteAnd Mr Wilson ... Reading "East" a fantasy novel ... should be just right for the Tory shadowlands.
Rob Wilson is likely to be around only until the next election. His majority in 2005 was only 475.
ReplyDeleteThere was considerable disenchantment amongst previous Labour voters because the sitting Labour MP had been deselected.
Some years earlier he had stood as an SDP candidate in the local council elections.
His best chance of keeping the seat is if he stands for Labour next time.
what section of London is Borish insulting TODAY???
ReplyDeleteWhen they finally decide comedy gives you cancer this is what we will be left with
BUT he's got as much chance of beating Livingstone as Dick Whittington's dead cat.
ReplyDeleteShould scrape home then.I wonder if Labour would endorse a dead cat if they thought he was going to win. The stench could be little worse than it is with Mr. IRA as their new friend
Thanks for underlining me best lines, Newmania!
ReplyDeleteRE: the IRA, are you preparing to mount an equally heartfelt protest against that arch-appeaser . . . wait fer it . . . the Rev. Dr. Ian Paisley??? Including organizing the Mayfair Branch of the REAL DUP???
RE: BJ, I note that you did NOT challenge my assertion that he's got an ace squad of ghosters just like JA.
RE: yer previous comment about the Rwanda trip, while I think ye have a point about the OPTICS while Middle England is floating away, don't you think that YOU are a bit "over the top" yourself? The Rwandans may live in a strange land far away, but nonetheless they are our brothers and sisters . . . a fact that is becoming ever clearer the further we all go into the 3rd millenium.
Anyway, thanks again for critiquing me own rantings & ravings!
There two Grammar Schools in Reading! Wonder if he has been in contact with them recently.
ReplyDeleteI'd be surprised if he hadn't been in touch with the two grammar schools, they are both in his constituency and it would be crazy not to - he also, along with John Redwood, represents Reading University
ReplyDeleteMarginal Reading East might be, but he has incumbency, which does a candidate big favours so long as they have put the work in, as I found out. Good luck to him. He got elected because of the deselection of the Labour MP (me) but he'll keep the seat on his own merits, and there are those in Reading Labour Party that this suits just fine