Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Government Toady of the Year: Nominations Please

The time of year is approaching when it's time for the End of Year Awards. I thought I'd kick things off by asking you to nominate your Government Toady of the Year. Obviously Sir Gerald Kaufman and Nigel Griffiths get nominated for their speeches yesterday, but I am sure there will be some stiff competition for the award. Get nominating...

41 comments:

Unknown said...

Well, not withstanding his speech of yesterday: Keith Vaz for his 42-days speech. Also Rob Marris on the Lisbon Treaty, where he was kind of the attack dog.

Jimmy said...

Was Lord Tebbit's flattery of the PM this year or last?

canon alberic said...

No competition:

The Today Programme - shame on them.

Jabba the Cat said...

The oily little shill Vaz by a mile.

Desperate Dan said...

Patricia Hewitt - who has just described McSnotty as a "commanding figure on the world stage".

And Newsnight, its presenters, editors and producers, for turning a good programme into a nightly Party Political Broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party.

Anonymous said...

Kaufman - no question.

Alternatively you could name the entire editorial staff of The Daily Telegraph.

Wrinkled Weasel said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wrinkled Weasel said...

This is like betting on the Grand National. There are too many runners and riders and at the last minute, a hundred to one shot might win by a brown nose.

However, I would like to nominate Tom Harris, he of the refulgent blog and a voting record that reads like a YouGov poll on the likelihood of the Pope being a Catholic, that has been commissioned by the Vatican.

Tom's blog is entertaining. He even lets some of my posts through. He is a rounded character with interests outside politics, such as Dr Who, great railway journeys and Chris De Burgh. Unfortunately he is a serial cutter and paster of party propaganda and, given that he writes a high profile blog and is therefore more dangerous than most Labour lobby fodder, my vote goes to Tom. Bless 'im.

Dick Puddlecote said...

Kerry McCarthy. Trots out the Government spin faithfully, and generally behaves like the weedy kid following the bullies around.

Anonymous said...

Steven Pound, MP for Ealing North, who can be guaranteed to 'pop up' on Todey to unthinkingly defend anything that this government of all the tossers (GOAT)does or proposes to do, regardless of how incompetent, corrupt or disengenuous.

Peter from Putney said...

Surely, it has to be Marr by a country marrle.

Madasafish said...

Stephen Pound

for always being there.

Martin Curtis said...

John Heppell MP is the ultimate toady - he never, ever, ever rebels against his own party.

Bird said...

Philip Webster, chief political editor of the Times.(More deserving of the knickname "toenails" than Nick Robinson).

Unknown said...

It's got to be that creep Peston.

Chris Paul said...

Can I nominate a Tory? A Tory Blogger? For services to the Labour Party and government our very own Favourite Tory Blogger ... Iain Dale.

More subtle than Curly, appears to be on the other side, but probably all the more effective for that.

ScotsToryB said...

Default option: Denis MacShane.

Oh and Jimmy the Troll who, if 'twere allowed to immediately comment via mainstream TV would out himself as a serial auto-erotic.

STB.

I know, I know but wv is 'falisse'.

Jimmy Fallistric! I claim my £5.

King Athelstan said...

Peter Oddborne, how many puff pieces this year?

Prodicus said...

Dacre. No, Vaz. No, Naughtie. No, Vaz. No, Marr. No, Vaz. No, Four Eyes Robinson. No, Vaz. Got to be Vaz, even with competition this stiff. No - wait! Mandelson wins it by a head (sic)! Poor old Vaz. He can't even get a gong around hre.

Anonymous said...

Wrinkled Weasel is correct, it's like betting on the Grand National, and this year it's a ragingly strong field.

However, the award must go to the quiet of late, Tony McNulty.

(If there was a Lifetime Achievement Award it would surely go to The Tanned Turtle himself, Gerald Kaufman.)

Bill Quango MP said...

Yvette Cooper.
Just because she doesn't know what the words she has been told to say mean shouldn't diminish the effort she puts in to saying them.

Lifetime achievement David Steel.
A whole lifetime spent being wrong can't be ignored.

+ consistency award: Gary Elsby {failed MP} for fantasy scenarios above and beyond the call of duty

Doktorb said...

Mark Hendrick, for Outstanding Services To His Masters for the ninth year running.

Never once voted against the Government since November 2000. Good Lad!

Sue said...

Mandelson for the "Moses" thing!

Nigel said...

David Boothroyd gets a special mention for effort, surely ?

Anonymous said...

no reaction to GB's nice verbal blunder on PMQs earlier today Iain?

there's a video of it on my blog here: http://conservativeactivist.blogspot.com/

:)

Unknown said...

However, I would like to nominate Tom Harris, he of the refulgent blog
----------------------------

Seconded

"Peter is an honest, honourable and capable politician. I hope today’s decision will clear the way back to government for him."

Reached a new low in slime.

He doesn't let me post on his blog - Alaistair told him not to.

Unknown said...

Well I say 'his blog' - but we pay for it of course.

Anonymous said...

as to the actual question of biggest Government Toady?

how about Tom Levitt?

Doug said...

The One Show. I know it's petty but they are a soppy, soft side of the BBC but are unremittingly left-wing on every single consumer issues they cover.

Stop Common Purpose said...

What about a "Biggest Government Crook of the Year" competition?

J said...

Nick Palmer, for his incessant contributions to politicalbetting.com

Unknown said...

Tom Harris,

Always supports the goverment on his excellent blog.

marksany said...

Purnell, his nose is right up Broon's fundament and he is loving looking like a henchman. He should have a T-shirt like the old batman baddies: "henchman #1"

From Mark Wadsworth today: "The real point is that welfare claimants' have no strong motivation to find a job because they lose more in benefits than they can earn in net wages. Until the Powers That Be grasp this simple fact, all this tinkering achieves nothing."

wv: trano (really)

Patrick said...

The Speaker

Raedwald said...

Dame Gerald Kaufman without doubt, for a performance on Monday that rimmed.

ArthurBea said...

Kevin MaGuire, a pathetic creep if ever there was one. Gives journalists a worse name.

Alan Douglas said...

Churchill the nodding Insurance Dog. He constantly imitates all those *rs*h*l*s doughnutted around our beloved Broon, or other speakers on the Labour side.

Alan Douglas

Richard Williams said...

It has to be the appalling Stephen Pound. He hadn't a good word to say for Gordon when Tony was in power - now he's singing Gordon's praises.

He'd show up to opening of an envelope too!

Ralph said...

In the media, 'Comical Kev' Maguire, Nick Robinson, or Jon Craig.

In the House, Vaz.

Anonymous said...

No contest, Keith Vaz

fuchsia groan said...

I think an honourable mention should go to my MP Tom Levitt. He never votes against the government, he is the lickspittles lickspittle. His comments in the local rag are read avidly each week in our house. Each week he surpasses himself in his asininity and slavish adherance to the party line. Good on yer Tom, you don't mind looking a fool, do you?