On Wednesday night during a Commons vote, David Blunkett's guide dog took him towards to aye lobby [coalition side], which of course is the lobby Government supporters normally vote in. Being nice guys, the Tory whips helpfully pointed out he ought to be voting no in the other lobby.
During a vote yesterday afternoon on an SI - the VAT emissions trading order, since you ask - the dog again took Blunkett to the Government side of the committee room...leaving them to retreat to the Labour side when it was pointed out. Blunkett proceeded to explain to the assembled that although he was in opposition his dog was still in Governing mode!
Bless.
Sweet, but I wonder if the whips will be quite so accommodating if the vote is a close one?
ReplyDeleteIt's not the first time this has happened - when Parliament returned after the 1997 election, Blunkett's guide dog tried leading him to the Opposition benchces rather than the Government ones.
ReplyDeleteLess excusably, earlier this week I saw something about a Lib-Dem minister coming perilously close to going through the wrong lobby at a division. IIRC his whips rescued him at the last minute.
More to the point - where are the whips - surely their job to make sure their members go through the correct lobby.
ReplyDeleteThe dog is clearly very sensible and should be left to make the right decisions.
ReplyDeleteAs for her owner, the man is a degenerate statist who should be shown no mercy.
What is it they say about pets having more sense than their owners?!
ReplyDeleteIf we have to let some crims vote, why not let the dog?
ReplyDelete@IanVisits
ReplyDeletevery funny.
The dog is clearly more Right-wing than Mr Blunkett.
ReplyDeleteI'd be tempted to let the pooch have its way, as it is obviously clearer-headed and can see things better than the bearded half of the partnership...
I hope so. It would be utterly appalling for whips to take advantage of a person's disability to win a tight vote.
ReplyDeleteIanVisits,
ReplyDeleteOh, I think so. Can you imagine the uproar if Blunket's dog was allowed to vote in the wrong lobby.
Just a thought - perhaps we'd be better off with a parliament of sheep dogs and Labradors.
Surely someone in the Commons (including Blunket) has thought to make sure that he gives a positive verbal confirmation of his voting intentions each time there is a division? What would happen if there was a free vote on a matter of conscience and the dog led him into the "wrong" lobby? No-one would know if he intended to be in the lobby or not.
ReplyDeleteThat aside, Labradors are dependably right-wing, judging by the amount I see in the company of toffs, aristos and on the grouse moors. Good dogs!
I was told a story once that when Blunkett was a lecturer at Barnsley Tech and something of a pain to the local politicians the then Leader, Ron Rigby, a senior NUM figure, threatened to have his dog on the menu as Dish of the Day in the student canteen.
ReplyDeleteDear old Sadie - she is retiring soon. Blunkett did a lovely piece on her in the Mail recently.
ReplyDeleteI do remember her doing her business in the grass near Members' Entrance with a hapless aide having to use the pooper scooper. Bless!
Clearly even a dog knows which party should be on which side.
ReplyDeleteOff topic - but the BBC have had to apologise to Saint Bob Geldof for producing a programme full of absolute bollocks about Live Aid donations.
ReplyDeleteWell lucky old St Bob. The BBC talk a load of hoary old bollocks about most things but usually get away with it.
I see the nasty old BBC told a 53 yr old female presenter to get a dose of botox if she wanted to keep her job.
Ah - the BBC, just when you think they cannot get any worse ...
If that doesn't highlight many MPs as being merely willing flock and fodder, and the debates quite irrelevant, I don't know what else would.
ReplyDelete