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
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Sound of Labour Ministers Rushing to the Aid of Ed Balls
Blinky does seem to have been entirely deserted - I'd have expected Caroline Flint to come running by now (judging by her vicious, but entirely toothless attack on Any Questions). Harman surely must be itching to launch into one?
Peter Mandleson says all this story about dirty tricks and Red Rag is over. So it must be. Gordon apologised and wrote to everyone - well he wrote to some people but not those who were the subject of some of the worst smears - perhaps he forgot them or the letters got lost in Postman Peter's privatised postbag.
But just why are the Conservatives letting them off so lightly on all this. Yes chaps you have had an amazing 10 days of headlines on this but lets be clear here. Today's revelations show that Red Rag was all organised and possibly funded by senior Labour figures. Indeed, the position on this seems to have changed.
Last week they knew nothing about it. None else was involved. It was too stupid fools mucking about. This week we find that its a tad more complex. Senior party figures knew about the site but didnt know what was to be put in it. And they met to discuss how this fitted into a strategy that really none of them understood. So that's OK then. Honest guv.
It all makes you wonder why the Party employs them with such memory problems and lack of focus.
But so far as I can see from what has been put into the public domain a number of possible serious criminal offences require investigation including:
~ possible malicious communications;
~ possible breaches of the Data Protection Act;
~ possibly even that wonderful one so beloved of the Met and used so recently - misconduct in public office which is committed when
"a) A public officer acting as such.
b) Wilfully neglects to perform his duty and/or wilfully misconducts himself.
c) To such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public's trust in the office holder.
d) Without reasonable excuse or justification."
Of course the test for this is a high one and to quote the CPS's own guidance
"There must be a breach of duty by the officer, [which is wilful and which is such that the conduct is] an affront to the standing of the public office held. The threshold is a high one requiring conduct so far below acceptable standards as to amount to an abuse of the public's trust in the office holder"
It has been an interesting weekend. My 3 observations:
1. Mandelson has waded in, at last - as if to say to Gordon and his dirty cabal - "this is how you manage the media"... (and Mandleson has done a good job)
2. The BBC has highlighted in big font headlines "The Row is Over"... which seems typically BBC and one sided, except they put the word over in quotation marks!! Even the BBC expect this to rumble!3. Ed Balls is clearly despised by Labour as well as everyone else.
This is not over . Labour have no cards to play , they are in the position of Lewes FC hosting Arsenal . They have to have a very very muddy pitch . We should have seen what was coming at Crewe , I still cannot get over the use of racist attacks on the Poles not to say the infantile attacks on Edward Timpson. The less they have to lose and the more desperate they get the nastier it will become. B rown has operated this way for years , he has a plan and he will stick to it . I think Iain ,that your more reflective talents ( Than Guido) will really come into their own when the shit starts flying from the poison team. It will take a diligence concentration and principle to neutralise . I should get into training, the next GE could well be your crowning achievement
I'm surprised Ed hasn't come out and said "So What!", you know in that muttery, under his breath way he likes so much when sitting in on parliament business and then gets the hansard record "clarified" on whether the people are paying too much tax.
Actually, tumbleweeds do make some rather interesting sounds, if the wind is blowing them in some number across a deserted highway and into the side of your speeding automobile.
Slap-splap-swish-slap-slap-swish. And they looks so darn cute rolling around the landscape. But forelorn when they get caught up against a fence, bluff or other obstacle they can't bounce over.
What are you implying Iain? Is Gordons anointed successor not popular? Whyever not?
ReplyDeleteIts strange that because labour are used to defending the indefensible.
ReplyDeleteIs that Arthur Scargill's wig?
ReplyDeleteMr Ordinary - hilarious!
ReplyDeleteOT I am still waiting for my ISP to unblock Guido's site.
Only 10hrs now.
Plusnet. Will be changing.
Anyone know who started the DNS attack?
Blinky does seem to have been entirely deserted - I'd have expected Caroline Flint to come running by now (judging by her vicious, but entirely toothless attack on Any Questions). Harman surely must be itching to launch into one?
ReplyDeletelooks more like a bit of hay than tumbleweed
ReplyDeleteI do believe that it is a prototype wig for Lord Kinnock as knitted by the Grannies at Shredded Wheat.
ReplyDeleteOne of Guido's testes appears to be blowing down the road - must have been quite some picnic.
ReplyDeleteSomeone has been making hay while the sun has been shining gloriously. Perhaps they should also take the opportunity to fix the roof…
ReplyDeleteAnd he looks like such a lovely bloke too, can't imagine how they'd treat an utter barsteward
ReplyDeleteHellooooooooooooooo.....echoes fade off gradually.
ReplyDeletePeter Mandleson says all this story about dirty tricks and Red Rag is over. So it must be. Gordon apologised and wrote to everyone - well he wrote to some people but not those who were the subject of some of the worst smears - perhaps he forgot them or the letters got lost in Postman Peter's privatised postbag.
ReplyDeleteBut just why are the Conservatives letting them off so lightly on all this. Yes chaps you have had an amazing 10 days of headlines on this but lets be clear here. Today's revelations show that Red Rag was all organised and possibly funded by senior Labour figures. Indeed, the position on this seems to have changed.
Last week they knew nothing about it. None else was involved. It was too stupid fools mucking about. This week we find that its a tad more complex. Senior party figures knew about the site but didnt know what was to be put in it. And they met to discuss how this fitted into a strategy that really none of them understood. So that's OK then. Honest guv.
It all makes you wonder why the Party employs them with such memory problems and lack of focus.
But so far as I can see from what has been put into the public domain a number of possible serious criminal offences require investigation including:
~ possible malicious communications;
~ possible breaches of the Data Protection Act;
~ possibly even that wonderful one so beloved of the Met and used so recently - misconduct in public office which is committed when
"a) A public officer acting as such.
b) Wilfully neglects to perform his duty and/or wilfully misconducts himself.
c) To such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public's trust in the office holder.
d) Without reasonable excuse or justification."
Of course the test for this is a high one and to quote the CPS's own guidance
"There must be a breach of duty by the officer, [which is wilful and which is such that the conduct is] an affront to the standing of the public office held. The threshold is a high one requiring conduct so far below acceptable standards as to amount to an abuse of the public's trust in the office holder"
http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/l_to_o/misconduct_in_public_office/
I'm sure the BBC will be there to give Balls a partial hearing
ReplyDeleteTumbleweed Connection - Elton's got to be on the top 25!
ReplyDeleteWV fookmwag!!!!!
Absolutely bloody brilliant.
ReplyDeleteTsk. Now you've gone and woken Liam Byrne up. Ssh!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.instanttumbleweed.com
ReplyDeletehttp://liambyrnemp.wordpress.com/2009/04/19/ed-balls/
ReplyDeleteIs it a furball Peter coughed up?
ReplyDeleteAs CJ would have said "we're not looking for scapegoats but Balls it's all your fault".
ReplyDeleteIf I was over on Guido I'd say that was a stray bit of Jacqui's minge blowing down the road, but I can't say that over here.
ReplyDeleteIt has been an interesting weekend. My 3 observations:
ReplyDelete1. Mandelson has waded in, at last - as if to say to Gordon and his dirty cabal - "this is how you manage the media"... (and Mandleson has done a good job)
2. The BBC has highlighted in big font headlines "The Row is Over"... which seems typically BBC and one sided, except they put the word over in quotation marks!! Even the BBC expect this to rumble!3. Ed Balls is clearly despised by Labour as well as everyone else.
This is not over . Labour have no cards to play , they are in the position of Lewes FC hosting Arsenal . They have to have a very very muddy pitch . We should have seen what was coming at Crewe , I still cannot get over the use of racist attacks on the Poles not to say the infantile attacks on Edward Timpson. The less they have to lose and the more desperate they get the nastier it will become. B rown has operated this way for years , he has a plan and he will stick to it .
ReplyDeleteI think Iain ,that your more reflective talents ( Than Guido) will really come into their own when the shit starts flying from the poison team. It will take a diligence concentration and principle to neutralise . I should get into training, the next GE could well be your crowning achievement
True, but there are even fewer people rushing to the aid of your music collection...
ReplyDeleteThat's Liam Byrne in there.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/3549711/byrne-backs-balls.thtml
Not even Mrs Balls?
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised Ed hasn't come out and said "So What!", you know in that muttery, under his breath way he likes so much when sitting in on parliament business and then gets the hansard record "clarified" on whether the people are paying too much tax.
ReplyDeleteLol, I love it. Let's have more posts like this.
ReplyDeletefrom Sea Shanty Irish:
ReplyDeleteActually, tumbleweeds do make some rather interesting sounds, if the wind is blowing them in some number across a deserted highway and into the side of your speeding automobile.
Slap-splap-swish-slap-slap-swish. And they looks so darn cute rolling around the landscape. But forelorn when they get caught up against a fence, bluff or other obstacle they can't bounce over.