Blogging will be light to non existent over the weekend. I hope you think my reason is a worthy one.
On Sunday, I am getting "civil partnered" to my partner of thirteen years, John Simmons. Even though it's not exactly on the Colleen McLoughlin-Wayne Rooney scale there's quite a bit of preparation to do.
I'll be back on Monday or Tuesday.
PS Where has that damned helicopter got to? Portofino awaits...
Congratulations Iain and John. Hope you both enjoy the day.
ReplyDeleteIain, May I wish you both every happiness. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, and may you have many more years of happiness together.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I'm amongst many in wishing you many congrats indeed Iain (and likewise to John), and the very best to you both.
ReplyDeleteS
I am delighted for you. Do enjoy the day.
ReplyDeleteJane
Congratulations - have a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteMany, many congratulations. Hope you and John have a long and happy life together. But we hope to see the photos on the front cover of Heat next week.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. It's great that, thanks to a Labour Government, you now have this right...
ReplyDeletecongratulations. Will you do a feature for Hello?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Iain.
ReplyDeleteMay I be one of the first to congratulate you. I trust you'll be selling the pics to Hello!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you and your partner.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Iain. Hope you've picked out a suitably disgusting tie for the occasion.
ReplyDeleteMay I extend my very best wishes to you both. I wish you Health, Happiness and Prosperity in your continued journey together. Hearty Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I hope you have a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteSincere congratulations!
ReplyDeleteBut will you be wearing white, Iain? ;)
Excellent news! Congratulations Iain. Don't forget to do a picture exclusive on here! It's getting more like Hello! magazine every day :p
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day.
Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteAnd aren't you lucky we elected a Labour government in 1997. (Sorry, couldn't resist it)
What we all want to know is will DD be the best man and will Widdecombe catch the bouquet?
ReplyDeleteJoking apart - have a wonderful day Iain, benefiting from probably the only Labour policy we can BOTH agree was a good idea!
I wish you the very best.
ReplyDeleteenjoy
Typical though isn't it-you'll miss the
Haltemprice by election
the Irish Referendum
the Gordon Brown relaunch (never mind there'll be another one along soon)
Congratulations
ReplyDeleteI had always wondered why you were more human and reasonable than the average Tory. Now I know!
Good luck and all the best. More importantly, NO blogging
Congratulations Iain and John, I hope you have many happy years together.
ReplyDeleteBut you could'a picked a better weekend to be away ....
Alan Douglas
Congratulations to you and John.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Cangratulations to you both.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations
ReplyDelete*congratulations*
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you both.
ReplyDeleteWarm congratulations on your celebration. In this day and age longevity in partnerships of any kind is a bit of a novelty, so well done and enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteWith very best wishes
Weasel
Well let me be the first to say Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and best wishes.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Iain and John!
ReplyDeleteIf you want media coverage like the Rooney wedding you should invite your mate David Davis. You could flog the photo's to OK! for a few quid too.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, and enjoy your day.
For all Rooney's money and it pisses down!
Hurrah! You'll make a lovely bride!
ReplyDeleteThe very best of luck Iain.
ReplyDeleteI hope you will be posting a photo of you in your wedding dress :¬)
ReplyDeleteMany happy returns!
I thought that's what it would be!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you both and may your future together be as happy as your past.
Iain,
ReplyDeleteAll the best and every happiness for the future.
congratulations Iain! perhaps you could do a 'daley dozen' for us to read over the weekend to fill the gap of you not blogging!
ReplyDeleteHave a good time!
Congratulations, any truth in the rumour that David Davis is going to be best man?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain, hope you enjoy your special day!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain, I hope you both have a wonderful day and life together.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain. I hope you both have a lovely ceremony, and have many happy years together.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain! This is way bigger than Rooney. Did you go with Hello or OK in the end? And how thoughtless of Davis to resign at this time. Seriously, I wish you and John many (more) long and happy years together. Have a terrific weekend!
ReplyDeleteCongratulation Iain and John, hope you have many happy years of health, love and laughter!
ReplyDeletemany congratulations!
ReplyDeleteWondered if it was that - many congratulations.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain - all the best with civil-partnershipped life. I hope you enjoy every happiness.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. Have a great day - luckily there is nothing going on politically at the moment....
ReplyDeleteIain,
ReplyDeletebest wishes etc.
Congratulations Iain!
ReplyDeletemany congratulations Iain. Hope it all goes well.
ReplyDeleteIain, I hope you have a very happy weekend! Congrats all around from The Hague!
ReplyDeleteMany congratulations!
ReplyDeleteHearty congratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain!
ReplyDeleteI hope you and your partner enjoy yourselves.
Congrats indeed.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Labour and the Lib Dems for making this possible.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, how very civil.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the stag do?
Congratulations to you both ...... and a honeymoon in Hull too you lucky things
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, and have a fantastic day x
ReplyDeleteCongratulations mate.
ReplyDeleteMany, many congratulations to both of you, and here's hoping you have a long and happy life together.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain. Hope you have a great day!
ReplyDeleteIain, for goodness sake don't be blogging at *all* over the weekend – just enjoy your wedding, and the blog will still be there when you get back!
ReplyDeleteBut apart from that, many congratulations, and may you enjoy many (more) happy years together.
(Shall you be toasting Mr Blair for getting the law changed? ;)
Well done, Ian. Many congrats
ReplyDelete'... and may your future together be as happy as your past.'
ReplyDeleteAs an acquaintance of mine once said, 'We had twenty five happy years - then we met each other and decided to get married'
every good wish to you both
Congrats
ReplyDeletecongratulations to you both!
ReplyDeleteMany many congratulations, Iain. Have a wonderful day, both of you.
ReplyDeleteMany congratulations. Hoping you and John have a long and happy life together.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteThe Irish and DD have given you a good send-off!!
Congratulations Iain, that's brilliant news. And getting partnered as well! Well done on the latter and good luck in keeping away from the blog. A sweep is being run. Which is lucky I believe.
ReplyDeleteCongratualtions.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the freedom offered to you by your Labour govt.
Have a wonderful time.
Congratulations, hope it all goes well.
ReplyDeleteMany congratulations.
ReplyDeleteIain
ReplyDeleteCongrats old chap. Have a good weekend
luv you
He means Joan Simmons surely,have I missed something here?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and best wishes to you both.
ReplyDeleteRM
ps Has John hidden your Blackberry? Just so's you're not tempted :-)
Congratulations. May I wish you both all the happiness for the future!
ReplyDeleteWishing you and John a long and happy civil partnership.
ReplyDeleteWe trust it won't be long before you hear the pitter patter of little blogging key-presses after the happy day. :)
Congratulations Iain - I hope you have a fantastic day!
ReplyDeleteMany congratulations!
ReplyDeleteIan - I'm not gay but wish you every happiness - now lets hope this gets it out of your system and you can start blogging earlier each morning!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you both!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and very best wishes for you both.
ReplyDeleteCome on Ian - far too much going on to worry about getting hitched - get it over with and back to work - congratulatuions
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you both.
ReplyDeleteBefore you go, could you please organise a link to the David Davis web site and donation mechanism.
Congratulations have a great day and a long and happy life together.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain!
ReplyDeleteGood show, sir!
ReplyDeletedear iain
ReplyDeletethats a beautiful thing
may your days be filled with happiness
Congratulations to you both.
ReplyDeleteI went to one of these gay weddings down in Devon last summer.
Funnily enough, when they threw the bouquet, all the straight blokes made absolutely no attempt to catch it.
Good on you both. Hope you have a lovely day and don't bore yer guests by talking about Lisbon etc (for it's a shocker but most folk don't really care much about politics!!).
ReplyDeleteAll the best
Dicky
Congratulations Iain and John!
ReplyDeleteAll the very best to both of you...I presume Total Politics will be covering the celebrations as the social event of the year?
ReplyDeleteMazel Tov to you and John, Iain.
ReplyDeleteWhat with this and the Irish NO vote it's hard to hold back the tears.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain.
ReplyDeleteI wish you every happiness.
Many congratulations to you both, and it's nice to know the Labour government did do one thing right.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you both! Wishing you many years of happiness.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you both. Have a nice time.
ReplyDeleteEvery best wish to the both of you.
ReplyDelete(Have asked Gordon, and he's agreed to keep the men in white coats at bay until your return.....)
Seems like a feeble excuse for bootling out of the David Davis is bonkers debate!
ReplyDeleteHave you tried not being a homosexual ?
ReplyDeleteI jest , best of luck
Congratulations guys! :-)
ReplyDeleteAll the best for the two of you.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, that is so wonderful. Enjoy the day.
ReplyDeleteKris
Aww, you big softie. Best of luck to you both, congratulations :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best to both of you :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to the day when the state has been removed from marriage and you are free to do as you like!
Ian
ReplyDeletevery best wishes to you both
Enjoy this great occasion (your partnerfication I mean, not the Irish Referendum result)
Congratulations to both of you!
ReplyDeleteDo I need to buy Hello or OK and what's the Mother in Law like? Have a great time.
ReplyDeletefreedom to prosper
Congratulations and best wishes for many happy years together!
ReplyDeleteThat's lovely news, Iain. All the very best to you both this weekend and in the years to come.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations
ReplyDeleteAll the best.
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping the English weather can remember what month it is, and stay (at least) dry...!
Good for you Iain.
ReplyDeleteTake a well earned rest.
Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteTheo's take....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzp0S3yO1QA
Best wishes.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to both of you.
ReplyDeleteI remain a bit mystified by these civil partnerships as I always thought one of the main attractions of being gay was the greater licence for promiscuity...
ReplyDeleteBut, as it's what you want, many congratulations anyway, including on not using the M word in your post.
uncivil partnership = blogging?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what to wish for.
Congratulations and best wishes.
"Civil Partnership = No Blogging"
ReplyDeleteNice to see you get your priorities right.
Congratulations!
wow congratulations!
ReplyDeleteIain,
ReplyDeleteI am a committed Labour member, and your blog provides me with daily annoyance, but congratulations. Hope you have a great day, and a great life together.
Good luck.
As a side note to the "HUR LABOUR" commentators on here. I shall note that two members of the Tory Shadow Cabinet are openly gay. Alan Duncan and, I beleive, Nick Herbert.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Congratulations to you both Iain and John!
As a side note to John, hit Iain over the head with a political memoire if he goes near a computer during your ceremony and weekend or so away.
Ming's book should knock him out, but leave no lasting damage.
Iain, you have been warned by many already! WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE POLIICAL BLOGGING.
We will however, accept ceremony/Honeymoon photographs.
To poorly paraphrase.
"Make Love, not Politics"
Hey, good one Iain, well done, congratulations and all that jazz.
ReplyDeleteWatch out for the 'first night nerves'! :-)
Hooray! Congratulations and best wishes to you both
ReplyDeleteMazeltov and brocha (blessings) to you and John.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who enthusiastically voted for the civil partnership legislation, can I wish you both the best of luck and every happiness in the future.
ReplyDeleteSorry Iain but this is too good to pass up, http://www.theospark.net/2008/06/come-on-down-to-farm.html
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Is Donal Blaney boycotting?
ReplyDeleteCongrats and best wishes. Have a great and memorable day.
ReplyDeletemay you have a long and happy life togeather as my partner and i did ,michael.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Iain,
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your break - you deserve it.
Amusing to see all the comments from people who didn't realise you were gay! You don't exactly make a secret of it. Have a fantastic day.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, guys!
ReplyDeleteAll the very best to you both.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to both of you. I hope you have a wonderful day and a very happy future together.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain! I hope that you both have a wonderful day and have a wonderful life together. This lovely news along with the news from Ireland has etched a great grin in my face :D
ReplyDeleteHave a great day.. and a well-earned rest from blogging...
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain and John, and every future happiness to you both.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! May your partnership be as entertaining for you as your blog is for us!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain and John, it's gonna be a very special day. I still remember the day when I did it with my partner.
ReplyDeleteIain
ReplyDeleteMany congratulations to you and John on your marriage.
With best wishes for future happiness and I look forward to the blog posting from you via Blackberry from the ceremony (or perhaps not).
You might not be blogging but admit it, you're going to be watching the political news, aren't you!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to be the first Vicar to offer you both my hearty congratulations...
and I think I just have been. All the best to you both for the future.
Many congratulations.
ReplyDeleteMany congratulations!!
ReplyDelete:-)
Iain, many congratulations
ReplyDeleteGood on you, you old poofta!
ReplyDelete;o)
Congratulations to you both. I hope you have a fantastic day - and happy life together after.
ReplyDeleteShame that my invitation to the ceremony seems to have got lost in the post.
Congratulations and best wishes to you both. I hope that at least one of the toasts will be in Guinness to 'the Irish people - saviours of democracy'
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, I hope you have a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and best wishes for the future.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain. :)
ReplyDeleteWishing you and John every happiness for the years ahead.
Enjoy your break from blogging too!
Congratulations Iain and John!
ReplyDeleteI hope you both have a wonderful day and all the best for the future!
Well done, and may you have a long and happy life together.
ReplyDeleteNever before have I seen the word congratulations written so many times. Looks like we all love you Iain, even the lefties...
ReplyDeleteI hope that John and yourself have a wonderful weekend.
When can we expect to see the photos?
Congratulations - I wish you all the best for your future together.
ReplyDeleteMany Congratulations to yourself and John. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteTo quote a horrible Cliche from Airplane!:"You picked a fine weekeen to give up Blogging!"
No use of the Blackberry please .....
Best wishes and forget politics for a few days.The same cast will be here next week.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain. Don't you worry about us, we'll all still be here when you get back!
ReplyDeleteHope the sun shines on your big day.
Jill x
If you're reading this then get back to John.
ReplyDeleteMany Congratulations to you both and the very best of luck for your future together!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'll have a memorable day and with best wishes for a great future together.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you both - all best wishes for a very happy day, followed by many more marvellous years together.
ReplyDeleteUna Talbot
ReplyDeleteWarmest congratulations Ian and John.
Hope you have a lovely day.
Many congratulations. Hope you have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteIain!
ReplyDeleteMight I remind you that you were up at 1.28 a.m this morning blogging and on the TV all over the place for most of the evening before that.
Its really going to have to stop when you are properly spliced.
Can we see some wedding photos on the blog when you get back?
Very best best wishes to you and John.
Congratulations to you and John, best of luck for the big day, and best wishes for your future life together.
ReplyDeleteBriefly returning to politics, the civil partnership legislation and lifting the Armed Forces ban on gay personnel are isolated examples of decent policies enacted by this government. There's very little else to their credit.
Now forget all that and have a good time!
Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteEvery happiness to you both.
Congratulations. I wish you both all the best and a long and happy life together.
ReplyDeleteDavid.
Viva amore!
ReplyDeleteAnd turn off your phone and enjoy every moment!
x
Huge congratulations. All the best for the weekend and the future.
ReplyDeleteJames
Congrats Iain.
ReplyDeleteIt's traditional for the bride to turn up late - make sure you figure out which one of you it's going to be in advance or it could be a bit embarrassing!
In all seriousness, have a great day and I hope it all goes well for you.
What no bloggery at all ?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you both and have a fab day
ReplyDeleteHope you both have a fantasic day and best wishes for your future together
ReplyDeleteEd xx
Congratulations to you both. Don't forget the two most important words in a marriage, "Yes, dear."
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day.Will be thinking of you both. Big Big congratulations to you and John. Becci.
ReplyDeleteHave yet more congratulations, Iain! Enjoy the day, enjoy the life.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. Shame you're not allowed a proper marriage, but then we have a chicken-shit government, so there you go.
ReplyDeleteAll the best.
Many congratulations and very best wishes to Iain and John. I hope you have a long and happy life together.
ReplyDeleteIain and John have been together for so long that it's hard to see what lasting practical difference this weekend will make.
ReplyDeleteHard, that is, as long as you ignore the elephant in the living room, as every commenter so far seems to have done.
No one can blame Iain and John for helping themselves to the massive tax perks made available to them by a chancellor who otherwise taxed whatever he could get away with. But the rest of us would do well to ask what national interest justifies this.
Historically marriage has received fiscal support because the state recognises its vital interest in the resultant natality. Homosexual unions lack this, so why should they receive fiscal benefits?
Has Iain ever discussed this question on the blog?
I'm sure the EUssr will allow to pack your (Cameroon).
ReplyDeleteJust keep up the info on your blog.
All the best Iain and John - have a great time.
ReplyDeleteCome on Ireland!
congrats Iain
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Sniff.
ReplyDeleteBelated congratulations Iain & John.( some of us have to work for a living )
ReplyDeleteHope you both had a lovely day.
( ? who is moderating ? )
And warm wishes to you both from me.
ReplyDeleteSo who's going to carry whom over the threshold?
ReplyDeleteAll the best to you both, for the weekend and the future.
ReplyDeletedo tell us about your stag do/hen night ?
ReplyDeleteHave a great day the both of you. I will keep you updated on all the things that are happening in Haltemprice and Howden!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Iain and John.
ReplyDeleteDo I think this is a good excuse for not blogging? Hell no! Perhaps you should be blogging that! (Only joking)
Have a great time.