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
Monday, March 17, 2008
Brown Loses Key Number Ten Aide
The Telegraph's political editor Andrew Porter has broken the news on THREE LINE WHIP that Spencer Livermore - according to Pink News, the most powerful gay man in Britain - is to leave 10 Downing Street to join Saatchi & Saatchi. Livermore has been blamed by many for the strategic cockups of the autumn, which did Brown and Labour so much political damage. It is thought that Stephen Carter, Brown's new recruit, was none too impressed with the political acumen of the thirty two year old, and Livermore didn't appreciate having to report to Carter. Brown will be sorry to lose him as they had a close working relationship and had been political soulmates for many years.
Why do I keep thinking about Little Britain?
ReplyDeleteIf your commenters are anything like Guido's, you'll have to delete more libel and homophobia from these comments than any other EVER.
ReplyDelete"The most powerful gay man in Britain".
ReplyDeleteThis is a phrase that means precisely nothing. It is straight from Notting Hill Gate and panders to the absurd, self-regarding views of a metropolitan elite who would not have been out of place in 1st-century Rome.
None of which means I not delighted to see this self-important little **** booted out. Though it is interesting that a jobat Saatchi and Saatchi – in the post room? – seems to have been fixed up for him as the price of his leaving – and keeping quiet.
So what? People move on.
ReplyDeleteTee hee.
ReplyDelete"Brown will be sorry to lose him as they had a close working relationship and had been political soulmates for many years"
ReplyDeleteForgive me, Ian, I'm up here in Cumbria and am not up on the current "code". Are you saying that there is a "personal" dimension to this?
It seems slightly archaic to bring up the fact this guy is gay.
ReplyDeleteI don't read this blog because Iain is. The fact he bats for the other side is a bonus. UhOh I've slipped into Telegraphesque cricketing analogies.
Talking of which, is Heffer the most powerful Ginger in Britain?
We know your lifestyle choice Iain, if it was anyone else, they would read suggestive comments in your report, a bit of wink wink, nudge nudge...
ReplyDeleteWas that intentional?
Er, no. there was no nudge nudge, wink wink. I'm sorry if you are reading that into what I wrote.
ReplyDelete"The most powerful gay man in Britain"?
ReplyDeleteHe isn't even the most powerfiul gay man in 10 Downing Street, let alone Britain.
We know your lifestyle choice Iain...
ReplyDeleteJesus, have I stepped back into the dark ages by any chance.
Sometimes, it must be a nightmare being Gay and a Tory - that bubbling under the surface homophobia takes but a small push to escape.
Iain, the only way in which this guy's sexuality is relevant ius if he was Brown;s secret lover!
ReplyDeleteGman: Being gay is no more a 'choice' than being bald or having blue eyes. It genetic.
Anyway, what does this guy leaving really mean? THat's what should be analysed, not who he sleeps with!
Adrian Yalland, while homosexuality is clearly not a "choice" (no one would choose to be vilified by bigots and authoritarians), I doubt whether it's all or mostly genetic. Environment plays a role. Like intelligence, it's probably a mixture of both. We'd be here all night debating which of the two factors is most important.
ReplyDeletePersonally I've always liked women and I don't see how anyone can not like women: if I were female, I'd certainly be a lesbian. And a thoroughly good time I'd have, as a lesbian. But who's going to care in this day and age?
Daniel -
ReplyDeleteIts a measure of the hatred Brown is held in that we get these sniggers (on top of which if you peruse other less self controlled blogs you will inevitably get their drift of how Brown is regarded). I am of course far too sniffy to give any consideration to such tittle tattle, but oh how choice it would be to be true.
Meantime back on the real planet I think that the objective views held about the likes of say Duncan and Parris are more typical. And quite frankly the lefty blogosphere whispers about the dancing in the streets being organised when Mrs T finally leaves us will not cause me to lose any sleep over odious comments about Brown and Co.
How can it be genetic?
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be self limiting?
Asquith, no-one wakes up one morning and thinks - "hmm, I know, I think I will try sex with my own gender today", unless (a) they have an underlying sexual attraction to their own gender, (b)are so sexually liberal they wuld also contemplate sex with a marshmallow or a penguin to see what that is like too, or (c) in prison.
ReplyDeleteI very much doubt that all the gay 'propogander' in the world, or any number of gay men trying to convince straight men to be gay will make any difference.
You are what you are, and that is a genetic thing.
It makes me laugh however how the NHS now describes people that I used to call 'gay' as 'men who have sex with men'. Apparently, the NHS doesn't wish to use the phrase 'gay' as they don;t wish to stereotype 'men who have sex with men' as gay, as apparently some 'men who have sex with men' might not actually be gay!
So what are they then?
Personally, I think I am a lesbian trapped inside a man's body!
You either fancy the opposite sex, the same sex, or both!
Twig: "apparently" there is a genetic code which comes down through the maternal blood line. In other words gay men inherit their sexuality in the womb from their mother's genetic make-up.
ReplyDeleteThere is also medical evidence to suggest that many cases of trasgenderism is also 'natural', and not people just being wierd. The evidence is that whilst someone might psysichally and hormonially be one gender, the brian is programmed in utero to think and feel like the other gender. That is why transgender people 'feel' like the other sex, because their brains are teling them that is what they are, but the body disagrees hormonally!
There is also some evidence to suggest that the most homophobic men are also potentially repressed gay men! Tests measured attitudes towards homosexuality and responses to viewing gay porn, and noted that (a) people who were comfortable with their own sexuality and comfortable with gay people did not find viewing gay porn sexually arousing, whereas a number of those who expressed homophobic views were shown to find gay porn sexually arousing.
Discuss!
trevorh -
ReplyDeleteI was refering to the passive-aggressive quip made about Iain by gman @ 1936. A flipping cheek if you ask me.
And as a gayer myself, I am entirely qualified to comment.
As far as Brown is concerned, this gay rumour carry-on is frankly, ridiculous. If you check out his biography he's dated some rather beautiful women over the years; one of whom was a princess, I think.
Twig -
Lot's of phenotypic expression is self-limiting, that doesn't prevent it being genetic. Biology 101 for you I think.
@ Adrian Yalland, I'd stick to the politics if I were you. You clearly have no idea how to interpret peer-reviewed science. The word armchair leaps to mind.
ReplyDelete1 The gay gene idea is NOT proven
2 "The brain is programmed in utero" - wrong, wrong, wrong!
3 Finding gay porn arousing does not necessarily mean you are gay; and certainly the correlation you draw is way off the mark. I can find some straight porn arousing, but I am most certainly not that way inclined. It's your words; Some, most and potentially that give away the fact you haven't a clue what you're on about.
And my qualifications in this regard; Outright gayer; 1st class science degree and Masters; now on a post-grad Clinical Psychology degree.
WTF?
ReplyDeleteIt his is lifestyle choice, be gay be straight be happy, i dont care.
We make lots of choices in what we do, we are influenced by our genetics, but we are also influenced by our environment.
If some how this equates me as irrationally fearful of homosexuality, i am not sure.
If Iain was a parliamentary candidate in my constituency i would vote for him.
And, Daniel, stop talking bollocks, and get a grip.
Sea Shanty Irish here:
ReplyDeleteSure "the most powerful gay man in Britain" must be Sir Elton John?
I thought the term "cock up" was a little unfortunate in the circumstances.
ReplyDelete