Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Brown Mops Up Last Week's Nuclear Mishap

At last week's PMQs Gordon Brown saiid the government would be going for nuclear power. That was a mistake because the High Court said there must be a full public consultation before a decision is taken (you'll remember Greenpeace's successful High Court Judicial Review). Brown had to find a way to withdraw the statement without getting political heat and being accused of being 'not ready for primetime'.

Here's a story about last week's mistake:
 

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,,2121044,00.html


 
Now, at today's PMQs a Labour MP asked a planted question about nuclear power and Brown looked down and read from a statement, saying he'd only decide after the consultation. It was a stealth withdrawl of his statement last week. The MP who asked him the question used to be the press officer for BNFL – Jamie Reed MP.
 
The point is, it was just like the old days. A planted question and a read-out statement to get the PM out of trouble. Glorious.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

The question Brown seemed to get out of was a referendum ,he answered our Dave's two questions but not that one.

Anonymous said...

As it happens, I'm out tonight so I shall miss Alistair Campbell on the beeb.

What a tragedy - not.

It would be nice if there could be a mass switch-off. I have heard and seen more than enough of this arrogant toad.

Anonymous said...

brown really is a rubbish PM. electoral suicide

goodfornowt said...

"A planted question and a read-out statement to get the PM out of trouble."
Takes me back to the Thatcher/Major years. OK, Blair as well.

Anonymous said...

and none of the tories questions are planted to make cameron look good then?

Chris Paul said...

Iain, in just what way is a statement on live television "a stealth withdrawal".

On the planting thing, as earlier comment, Cameron planted one twice (nurses' pay either side of the border) which caused greart confusion for the poor backbenchers concerned.

Food Lovers Diary said...

Why is it that I get to sit through the boring Brown -v- Cameron routine, but the minute something important happens I miss it because the phone rings.

Mind you, some would question why we are all sat around on a sunny day listening to PMQs in the first place!

Nuclear Energy is one of those really annoying subjects at the moment, and it is fascinating that the very fact that there is a move to "save the world" at the moment is what has brought it back on the table.

Even members of Friends of the Earth have been grumbling that it might have to be considered.

I never thought I would see Nuclear anything uniting such an odd bunch of people!

Anonymous said...

nobody....

I agree with you - I bet the eco-types did not reckon on getting nuclear when they were banging on about 'alternative energy'.

An unintended side-effect!!

Anonymous said...

Brown wiped the floor with Cameron today ... the latter sounding increasingly strident (someone should work on his voice pitch).

Gareth said...

6;35 anytwat.

Do you get paid for posting this shite? I glad you feel happy to be used by the Stalinistas at NuLab Control. Poor effing sap.

Anonymous said...

I don't really see too much of a problem with this. Far more of a concern was the way Winterton was able to ask a question about Europe during Tony Blair's last performance.

It really showed that the Tories were disorganized idiots, as TB pointed out. Millions saw it, and thought, same old Tories, harping on the same old tune.

Those Eurosceptics caused so much damage in the 1990s. I don't know why Cameron and crowd aren't making sure every single one of them is out of the House of Commons after this Parliament.

Anonymous said...

The thing is GB does not make it look easy. It's the difference between a class batman who has all the time in the World and a bowler who bats a bit and always looks hurried. They never improve. Don't think GB will either. He's not a class act like Tone.