Saturday, June 20, 2009

Labour MP Makes Arse of Himself: No 94 (Repeat)


This is a perfect example of an MP agreeing to do an interview when he shouldn't have gone within a million miles of a TV studio. Eric Joyce is a Labour MP. This week he appeared on Newsnight Scotland to talk about his parliamentary expenses. Watch as he digs himself deeper, and deeper, and deeper. The question is: what on earth did he think he was going to achieve by appearing on the programme in the first place. The real entertainment starts about five minutes in.

68 comments:

Colin said...

0800 788 887

Do your duty!

LM said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Fausty said...

What a cock-up! With a majority of 13,475, what are the chances of his getting re-elected, if he isn't deselected?

With any luck, Labour won't deselect him and he'll be consigned to the scrap heap by his current constituents at the GE.

Great show las night, Iain, although I found your side-kick to be irritatingly self-promotional.

yarnesfromhorsham said...

Iain - Slightly off topic but nothing from you about the Salford Chipmonk. You can fool twenty or thirty Labour members from Salford but not the entire population of Salford. Commeth election time commeth the departure of Perma Smile.

dearieme said...

Jesu, he looks rough. Does he enjoy a bevvie?

Unknown said...

Wonderful interview technique: 1. Avoid the question, 2. answer a different question, 3. attack the interviewer's motives. Gordon would be proud of him. To be fair, he did a far better job of making himself look dishonest and stupid than anyone else could. Roll on the General Election - come-uppance time for spivs like this.

Michael Heaver said...

Scary thing is, he appears to be so deluded that he actually thinks he's dominating the interviewer.

Unknown said...

And MPs wonder why the public hate them so much?

Stalag EU said...

Off topic:

I see, hidden in the small print on the BBC news website, that the EU is going to allow Eire the protocol status it wants for its exemptions to the Lisbon Treaty.

My, they have been working overtime, especially Gordon Brown, to force this treaty down our throats. And as we read about our own MPs, they are no more than a bunch of expense fiddlers, grrr.

Mr Angry said...

Iain, What is the second comment on this piece still doing there?

What relevance does it have to yet another dodgy Labour MP being caught with his hand in our pockets and refusing to be honest when quizzed about that?

Anonymous said...

almost as good as Lembit Opik explaining his flat screen television

Anonymous said...

The only thing England gets out of the 'Union' is the BILL!.

English Parliament NOW!



http://www.thecep.org.uk/wordpress/

Timothy Belmont said...

What a scruffy looking character, half-shaven. He probably went like that to show his contempt for the media. I don't like Joyce's attitude; and hopefully the man will get a good hiding at the general election.

Tim

Polly Toynbee's Hairdresser said...

A brief glimpse at Mr 'Blair loyalist' Joyce's personal travel expenses since 2004 is eye watering.

He has charged the taxpayer some 37% more than the Labour drone in the neighbouring constituency.

In 2006 he promised in the media to curtail his ballooning travel costs, but in 07-08 his expenses rose some 7 grand to £40,637.
This excludes travel for his staff of course, they go via tube/cattle class one assumes.

A trougher of the first order, I salute you Sir!

Unknown said...

I posted the very same video myself and posed 3 questions for Mr Joyce. My favourite bit is when asked about the 3 oil paintings (value £180)that we as taxpayers own his response was that they looked nice

Anonymous said...

That was hideous to watch, he simply deflected the question by talking about another issue completely. He must have been taught by the master himself, Gordon Brown.

Politicians like this man is the reason why people hate them. He demeans politics.

I think the police should be looking into his fiancial matters, epsecially tax.

A disgrace.

titus aduxas said...

It seems to me that his repeated avoidance of whether he paid CGT on his 2nd home, because it involved his wife, would tend to indicate that one of the properties in question was not owned by Joyce, but by his wife.

Which would question the legality of any of his claims.

Bird said...

He was right to buy the paintings; they would brighten the atmosphere and help constituents to relax.
I used to buy the odd print or two for my school and always got a good reaction from staff, parents and the children.
The rest of the interview was embarrassing. I actually felt sorry for him.

Witterings from Witney said...

Iain,

According to the Telegraph today Eric Joyce did not pay CGT.

"Like several othr MPs, he did not pay capital gains tax on the profit he made when he sold the house, because he told the tax authorities that it was his primary residence.!

His obfuscation begs belief!

Anonymous said...

It looks like he was doing all right until about 5 minutes in.

Iain's right - why on earth did he agree to that interview when clearly he hasn't got a good explanation or a clear resolution.

Not a sheep said...

Were the oil paintings "wholly, exclusively and necessarily" required for the performance of his Parliamentary duties? That is the question that should be asked of each MP whose expense claims are under query. More here.

he looks a million dollars said...

He said his aim was to reduce poverty in Britain. Well he's reduced his own anyway being the first MP to clock up a million pounds in expenses. Including £18K in expenses to his mate Ross for consultancy and rent.

Anonymous said...

"I think he would probably draw the line at working with the Scottish Conservatives"

What!? What an absolute tool. Also, he looks malodorous. Typically aggressive Labour response; clueless and angry.

I'm Scottish and a Tory voter. Think I'll make my way to Canada.

Anonymous said...

@Anon 2:53pm

You do get something else out of the Union - namely the lives of Scottish soldiers thrown away in your country's wars.

DDIM 'n HOFFI said...

If there are any labour politicians who need mates....I am free, skint and cheap.

He sounded like Gordon, do they all go on the same 'avoid answering the question' course?

Anonymous said...

Ive heard Margaret Becket is 5/2 co favourite to be the next speaker.

My question is....

IS THIS A WIND UP!!!!???

Anonymous said...

Is it just me, or did it seem like he actually WANTED the presenter to ask him about his divorce? I think he may just need a shave and a therapist.

The Cat said...

Thiy is my MP and if ever there was a need for an open primary system to get people who think they have a safe seat removed from office this was it. Hopefully with the new influx of commuters to this constituency, party poodles like this can be voted out.

Oscar Miller said...

What a thick, cheating, lying bastard. No wonder his marriage broke up. How did he get selected?

Chris Paul said...

Better than Pickles though? And Pickles is still lecturing everyone on improving the system. His two homes are less than 30 minutes apart. Joyce is a nonentity. Pickles is apparently planning to form a government in 12 months time.

Anonymous said...

Check the "Ads by Google" from Labourlist underneath the post (David Cameron = 10%). If you click on it lots of times doesn't it cost them dosh!

Francofile said...

Absolutely hilarious Iain - are you sure this wasn't a Rory Bremner sketch? However not so funny for the electorate of Falkirk or the British taxpayer! It is just amazing how this MP (as many others)believes he has a reasonable arguement in defence of these outrageous expense claims.

Liz said...

the man is a complete twat - no doubt he is a good friend of gormless -

Anonymous said...

East to see why he has 2 ex wife's.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if he's another Scottish Presbytarian Son of the Manse?

Just like the one occupying No.10 he can't answer a straight question; looks shifty; is either lying or at the very least is being economical with the truth and resorts to aggression and bullying tactics to defend himself.

Hardly a good advertisement for Scottish politicians.

Unknown said...

'My main home is in Scotland, it always has been'

Yes you, tw@, that is why the Inland Revenue might like their (ie our) share of the gain on the profit of your London property.

AndrewJK said...

What an absolute thicko. It's bloody obvious he didn't pay CGT that's why he prevaricated when asked the question God knows how many times.

And I expect he appeared on Newsnight because
MPs have realised over the years they can spout any old bollocks ad nauseum to the most hardened interviewer and the public just go "yeah, whatever" and we forget about it in a couple of days. It's not like an MP will resign over any wrong doing is it, eh.

Oh just a slight segue here I have just remembered didn't Tony Blair say in the running up to the 1997 general election that he was going to "clean up politics" and make parliament "whiter than white" after the so-called Tory sleaze years. Did he actually say that? If so, what a performer. He really should have gone into acting, or joined the sales force of a double glazing company. He would have EXCELLED.

Anonymous said...

"The real entertainment starts about five minutes in."

Don't stint yourself - this needs to be enjoyed from the start and in its entirety. The bloke is a complete arse and this video should be on the agenda for any 'Media Training' course as an example of what not to do...

Anonymous said...

The alarming thing is that he bears more than a passing resemblance to Roman Abramovich...

Anonymous said...

Will he be going in front of the 'Star Chamber' ?

If not, why not ?

I love the way Brewer finishes off by saying 'Now that it's all completely clear we'll have to leave it there..'

Unknown said...

this video should be on the agenda for any 'Media Training' course as an example of what not to do...
*********************************

Save the (wasted money) on media training and just tell the effin truth.

Anonymous said...

@Chris Paul

According to the Telegraph Pickles was one of the "TOP TEN" least expensive MPs...ie 636 worse crooks.

£500 to paint a shed Gordon?
A low rent housing association house in Hackney whilst owning an empty flat in Maidstone Baroness Uddin ( this is actually a crime if true) costing the tax payer over £100,000 , you get a few nurses and somewhere for them to live for that.

Anonymous said...

oh its horrible...

Anonymous said...

I was rather enjoying this ie the excriciating film of a well spoken English smoothy screwing the Scorttish professional fake-son-of-toil into the studio floorboards

until I realised they were both Scottish

still good though

have to attend a pub meeting now to calm down

Gerry57 said...

I bet his mother did the paintings !

Anonymous said...

Eric Joyce seems to enjoy being on the telly/radio even if it shows him up for the fool he is. I remember well that he was practically the only Labourite who believed that there were WMD in Iraq in 2003 and his mantra that "Iraq is a big country --we will find them".
He made his name as a bolshy Major in the Army---outspoken against the Tory Govt of the day, but a tame poodle as soon as he bcame a labour MP.
Oscar Miller---I believe that the galloping Major is now in a relationship with Joan Ruddock, Labour MP. Would be interested to see their joint claims!

The Grim Reaper said...

He was obviously sent on the same media training course as Harriet Harman was.

Demand that our money (cos you probably put it on expenses anyway) is returned at once.

Ex Pat Scots thankful for ENGLISH refuge said...

To much intake of the WATER'S OF LIFE What is his separation/divorce got to do with any thing unless we are funding the breakup of his marriage and the pay off in property to her. He came over as a very an leasent person. However the misguided Labour voters in Scotland will vote for any one with a RED rosette and I am b....dy ashamed of my race The benefit scrounders who stay there and scrounge of ENGLISH taxpayers

East Midlander said...

BBC NEWS @ 11:27 Iain has soon got over his man flu and is giving a good account of himself inspite of the BBC women trying to interupt all the time. Pity he was coupled by some strange Asian woman who waves her arms a lot.

Anglo Saxon said...

What the H..l is Iain thinking about appearing on a Left Wing channel like the Brown Broadcasting Corp. I only hope its for the money.(Possibly to help fund last weeks visit to Florida)

Late Night Fred said...

G.d knows where the BBC find people like her, she appeared recently on Question Time, same gurgling, much hand waving. Next step a seat in the House of Lords???

Anonymous said...

The man comes over as a complete and utter corrupt tosser.

The Guardian are sure to blame the English when Scots like this are caught with their hands in the till. Just like they are doing, with Speaker Martin today.

Still, it beggars belief that Cameron would still let the Scottish Bloc vote on English matters - must be the tartan in his veins.

Dick Puddlecote said...

Plod: Mr Puddlecote, why did you cave that Labour MP's face in?

Puddlecote: Because it looked nice.

Plod: Well, Sir, that's OK then. Sorry to have troubled you.

Thomas Rossetti said...

This is simply unbelievable! Why would he ever agree to appear on the programme in the first place? This takes evasiveness to a new level.

Secondly, why didn't he smarten himself up a bit before appearing before the cameras. I would dare show up to work like that, let alone go on the telly.

ArrestTheAll said...

"What a cock-up! With a majority of 13,475, what are the chances of his getting re-elected, if he isn't deselected"

This is Scotland. Enough tapped.

Nick V said...

Only just seen this. It makes me fume. Absolutely disgusting. How on earth did he ever get on the Labour candidates list let alone become an MP? I only hope the tories don't have too many like him who slip through the net in our next intake at the next General Election. But looking at some of the younger self-obsessed ones, I do not hold much hope!

Stephen Gash said...

Almost certainly this man would not be an elected politician in an English Parliament, which in itself is a powerful argument for having one.
Scottish MPs:-
Lowest workload
Highest expenses claims
What are they for?
All MPs are talking about democratic reform and a written constitution. What gives Eric Joyce and the rest of them the right to reform anything?
This corrupt rabble have forfeited all rights to even remain in office.
At the very least there should be a general election before any reforms take place.
Every MP is tainted with the expenses scandal, simply because it has been in place since 1983 and has become worse over time.
How many questions have been asked at PMQs about expenses reform?
Do we really want Eric Joyce's ilk putting their grubby hands on a written constitution, even if we want one?

Silent Hunter said...

The very epitome of a Labour CROOK.

I'm sure his constituents will think that he's "vaarlue for money" when it comes to the GE. LOL

Anonymous said...

That actually hurt to watch. I have never seen anyone bury themselves so effectively and completely.
I was waiting for his blackberry to starting ringing with instructions to "shut the frack up"

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful advert for MPs - not!

simon said...

Many moons ago whence Labour were choosing candidates for the 1st Scots Parly elections seats were twinned to pick a bloke then a wimmin to ensure fairness. The bloke picked by the seat twinned with ours picked Joyce- we having more members and being bloody minded picked oor bloke and Joyce's female opposition in his seat( our total vote swamped the other seats opinion-that's fairness)! We worked out Joyce was an ar*****e in an instant.

David MacLean said...

He's got a tip for himself, hasn't he? Open shirt, spiky hair, smug look.

That's enough for deselection, in my eyes.

fatter than prescott said...

its so bad its good

he will keep falkirk

crimeficreader said...

Bloody hell, who is that?

Could not watch the vid as didn't engage me in the first few minutes.

The man looks like a member of a pop group band in the 80s trying to get more income in this millennium from auditioning for I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, or similar.

His words didn't even grab me.

He's an MP? God help.

crimeficreader said...

Just flicked to the 5 minutes in. Love the quote: "You can play high and mighty, Gordon." Oh how he learns from the professor of such deeds...

I kid you not - the word verification says "mandl". Just the "elson" missing for a full nauseous moment then...

Anonymous said...

What a disgrace. The serious side to this of course is that he has to all intents and purposes, commited fraud by not paying CGT.

The sooner the police get involved and start asking serious questions of all MPs of his ilk, the better.

His head and many other MPs heads should roll.

Why are they still in office?

Anonymous said...

how did this plonker get selected?

Anonymous said...

The REAL face of New Labour. Shifty, ignorant, deceitful and dishonest.......Whiter than white indeed!