Reports in the Daily Telegraph that Labour are drafting in your favourite Labour MP blogger and mine*, Tom Watson, to manage their campaign in the Henley by-election are surely wide of the mark. Three Line Whip reckons the West Bromwich bruiser will match Eric Pickles and Lord Rennard in a contest of the heavyweights. I'm not so sure. It's a lost cause for Labour and after all, Tom Watson is now a Minister of the Crown and presumably has important matters of State to attend to at the Cabinet Office. Also, he would surely be honour bound to forego his Ministerial salary for the period of the campaign. Wouldn't he?**
* Rapidly being overtaken by his colleague Tom Harris
** Tom, just trying to help save you from three weeks of purgatory
Iain,
ReplyDeletePlease do go read Denis MacShane's column in the TeLegraph re tax cutting! Honest.
Even Lord Howe has commented.
STB.
Three weeks? Do you know something we don't? Because the Lib Dems think polling day's going to be in September.
ReplyDeleteTom Watson who wrote to Tony Blair:
ReplyDeleteIt is with the greatest sadness that I have to say that I no longer believe that your remaining in office is in the interest of either the party or the country ... How and why this situation has arisen no longer matters. I share the view of the overwhelming majority of the party and the country that the only way the party and the government can renew itself in office is urgently to renew its leadership.
Would do well to forward that letter to Gordon Brown.
I noticed that
ReplyDeleteWhat size is Watson’s Majority ? Henley might be lost cause but the runes will be read nonetheless and the growing feeling even amongst Labour supported that they might as well “Prepare for Renewal Out of office “. The entire Watson family , are dependent on Labour for their vast income and none of them are employable except to sell soap flakes door to door so I would say Watson will be doing nothing but fighting for his sinecure form this point on.
It really does sum up New Labour that such a mediocre buffoon can live so well while actually wealth creators are struggling .
I noticed that
ReplyDeleteWhat size is Watson’s Majority ? Henley might be lost cause but the runes will be read nonetheless and the growing feeling even amongst Labour supported that they might as well “Prepare for Renewal Out of office “. The entire Watson family , are dependent on Labour for their vast income and none of them are employable except to sell soap flakes door to door so I would say Watson will be doing nothing but fighting for his sinecure form this point on.
It really does sum up New Labour that such a mediocre buffoon can live so well while actually wealth creators are struggling .
Save him from purgatory. Lol.
ReplyDeleteDidn't Mr Pickles say he wouldn't be involved in the Henley election? Off on his hols.
ReplyDeleteNewmania...you are wrong he could not become a door to door salesman the government has effectively banned that way of selling with their ill thought out legislation.
ReplyDeleteI worry, as a Christian, that soon my religion will have to be classed as 'entertainment' like the Spiritualists have been forced to do!
How do you prove the existence of God?
Henley will go labour. Boris and Michael Hesltine single handidly made this safe labour seat turn against the tide. It uis actually the safest labour seat in the country.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Hnely commies do like the way Boris got rid of South Amercian oil. He does not seem to mind Saudi oil.
dear oh dear iain. you still overstate the pickles myth. ascertain the truth of the matter. pickles worked the hardest in crewe to foster the belief he was the mastermind. he was nothing of the sort. angela browning and michael fabricant were the best of the MPs and the true unsung heroes of the campaign
ReplyDeleteA bit desperate here Iain on your part, of course.
ReplyDeleteI noticed Pickles over the weekend and found him to be a straight up sort of guy so I don't offer any criticism of him(but I'm open to any scandals I may have missed).
Pickles managed to sell a Tory to Crewe and that's what I call a hard sell.
Pickles actually sold nothing at all to a public that didn't want to buy into politics.
They're all cheats.
So, my guess is that if Tom is challenged with such a feat, then he will go for the throat, Not the Toff throat, as Pickles doesn't actually appear to be a Toff ( but I'm told he personally knows one).
So, if Tom is one, then he will go for what is being sold and not who the seller is.
Bingo!
There is something to learned from the startegy of:'Simon £400M Cowell, you know nothing about music' approach.
Gary
"Seconds Out: Pickles v Rennard v Watson"
ReplyDeleteI thought the Guinness Book of Records had banned eating competitions?
Aaronovitch times artcile is insane. It continues this synmpathy vote for the old PM. Apparenlty the present PM once walked into Blairs office and told him eo eff off. So what Blair had contually made allegati ns about the present PM;s sexuality. Who cares if they present one cracked and told the old one where to shove himself where there is no daylight.
ReplyDeleteIf Henley conservatives go for a certain AWT then they may increase on their Boris majority. Henley just isn't a LD constituency- they are just too odd ( the LD's that is).
ReplyDeletedirty european socialist
ReplyDeleteWhat planet are you on? If you are going to comment at least make it coherent.
Can anyone point to the original Telegraph piece? I can't see any sign of it.
ReplyDeleteIain, what is your considered view on D MacShane's missive?
ReplyDeleteSimon, I find your grammar rather odd. Were you educated under a Conservative government?
ReplyDeleteYes, I too have noticed Tom Harris trying to pop up everywhere. His blatant attempt to 1) force the Labour grassroots to know just who the hell he is and 2) attempt to make us like him, is just not working I'm afraid. He's TRYING TOO HARD and his blog is just plain boring. Blogger obssesive Activists can sniff an MP with an agenda a mile off. Mr Harris, we're watching you!
ReplyDeleteNige So if I speak a different language that would mean I come from a different planet. Eh! Have you escaped from an asylum or are you just an idiot. There you go I did not insult you but you insulted me just a bully then.
ReplyDeletedirty european socialist:
ReplyDeleteplease name the last five Labour MPs for the "safe Labour" seat of Henley.
County Constituency of Henley created 1885.
ReplyDeleteMembers since that date:
1885 Edward William Harcourt Conservative
1886 Francis Parker Independent
1895 Robert Hermon-Hodge Conservative
1906 Philip Morrell Liberal
1910 Valentine Fleming Conservative
1917 Robert Hermon-Hodge Conservative
1918 Reginald Terrell Coalition Conservative
1922 Reginald Terrell Conservative
1924 Robert Henderson Conservative
1932 Gifford Fox Conservative
1950 John Hay Conservative
1974 Michael Heseltine Conservative
2001 Boris Johnson Conservative
des, have you seen your cpn lately? Think you need some help.
ReplyDeleteHenly will be interesting. Lib Dems had very much their 'B' team running Crewe. Rennard has something to prove - that he can still cut mustard.
ReplyDeleteHenley Mad-as-a-hatter (Libbie)- if your comment is aimed at me yep, i went thru the comp system and ended up like those on the Chatsworth estate. Have you bought any bunk beds recently? To quote Shane Maguire:- F'k off Bo'Selecta.
ReplyDeleteThose three should have a pie-eating contest. I'd pay good money to watch that. Quicker than a by-electon, too.
ReplyDeletedougal It was called a joke Man you are dense.
ReplyDeletedirty european socialist
ReplyDeleteGet some treatment, you delusional, interfering foreign dirtbag.
May 28, 2008 11:24 AM Tedious bore you have run out of steam you keep using the same line. You never change
ReplyDelete