Suggestion for David Cameron at PMQs

On the News at Ten last night Charles Clarke said:

"If I thought I had failed in a personal capacity, yes, I would resign"

Later on Newsnight, the Home Secretary said

"It was a shocking failure by the Home Office, by everybody - including me."

The question's obvious.

Live Blogging of Prime Minister's Question Time

Just had a couple of requests to do a live blog of Prime Minister's Question Time and the ensuing statement from Charles Clarke. Happy to oblige (I was supposed to be writing a business plan this morning, but hey...) so join me at 12 if you can't get to a TV. Or even if you can!

Would Charles Clarke by Culpable for Ex-Con Crimes?

This comment in the original CHARLES CLARKE thread caught my eye. It's from Remittance Man. He says:

"ZanuLabour brought in the "crime" of corporate manslaughter with much fanfare. A classic peice of class warrior behaviour I'll admit, but it is on the statute books. Surely, if the CEO and directors of companies can be prosecuted for the failings of their companies/employees under this law, then so can ministers of the crown. All we have to do is find that some poor victim has been murdered by one of the beneficiaries of Home Office incompetence and, bingo, decent grounds for hoisting an incompetent minister on his own petard. Anyone closer to London care to tip off the Met? SOCA?"

An interesting angle but unlikely to be fruitful, I suspect. However, it does confirm my view that the most likely reason for Charles Clarke to step down is when a journalist finds a case of a serious crime committed by one of the 1,000 ex-cons who should have been deported - esepcially if it's one of the 288 who haven't been deported since Charles Clarke first identified the problem 9 months ago.

New Development in Deportation Scandal

Sky News are reporting that in the HM Inspector of Prisons Report for 2002-3 the issue of failing to deport foreign prisoners was first identified. They described it as an "institutional blindspot". The report goes on: "This was not helped by the dilatory attitude of the Immigration Service, which, unless pressed, was not monitoring the deportation of foreign prisoners." I wonder if the government spin machine will now try to shift the blame onto the then Home Secretary David Blunkett? Stranger things have happened.

John Prescott Caption Competition

John Prescott on Sleaze: Digging Himself Deeper

Thank you to the reader who sent me details of John Prescott's 1996 Labour Conference speech. The stench of hyprocrisy is readily apparent. If anyone else has some appropriate Prescott quotes, so let me know and I'll add them to this post.

"They are up to their necks in sleaze. The best slogan he could think up for their conference next week is Life's better under the Tories. Sounds to me like one of Steven Norris's chat up lines. Can you believe that this lot is in charge? Not for long, eh? Then after 17 years of this Tory government, they have the audacity to talk about morality. Did you hear John Major on the Today programme? - calling for ethics to come back into the political debate? I'm told some Tory MPs think ethics is a county near Middlesex. It's a bit hard to take: John Major - ethics man. The Tories have redefined unemployment they have redefined poverty. Now they want to redefine morality. For too many Tories, morality means not getting caught.Morality is measured in more than just money. It's about right and wrong. We are a party of principle. We will earn the trust of the British people. We've had enough lies. Enough sleaze."

Rosie Winterton's Advice on Long Term Care

I was delighted to see on Monday that Health Minister Rosie Winterton issued a new health guide, titled Caring for People with Long Term Conditions. I wonder if it contained any guidance about treating politicians with recurring long term conditions?

EXCLUSIVE: John Prescott's Serial Affair Habit

John Prescott has a right to a private life. Affairs happen. David Davis has just told Sky NEws he won't comment on it, saying: "It's none of my business and, may I respectfully suggest, none of yours." He's wrong for two reasons. Firstly, I suspect they chose today to confirm this news to try to get Charles Clarke out of the headlines - something which they have singularly failed to do. But secondly, Prescott was the first to scream 'Tory sleaze' when the Major government was having its troubles. So he's being a total hypocrite. Even more so when you realise that this is not the first affair our Deputy Prime Minister has had since being elevated to that office. This particular affair started in the mid 1990s and, like his recent dalliance, was with someone in his Private Office. This woman is now a very important person in the Labour hierarchy. The whole of the Lobby knows her identity. Which journalist will be first to break cover? I'll lay a bet that none of them will. Bet they would if this was a Tory in the same position - remember Steve Norris? Guido hints at a third affair but doesn't name the other party. It may be the same person I am alluding to. It's going to be a busy day. Check back often!

Charles Clarke's Career Hangs in the Balance

I've spent much of this evening trying to work out what Charles Clarke's strategy is. His interviews have been decidely lacking in confidence, and while he fully admits he has to take responsibility he shows little sign of 'doing the decent thing'. Slightly to my surprise, David Davis has resisted in going for the jugular. I suspect he thinks
that given enough rope Clarke will hang himself, and for him to call for his resignation would make the Conservatives look opportunistic and nasty. That's certainly been his strategy over Beverley Hughes and David Blunkett. Let us also spare a thought here for South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon without whom this scandal would never have come to light. He has proven himself to be a superb questioner of government departments, particularly in his role of the Public Accounts Committee. He was also a lone voice on the Tory benches who spoke out against Party policy on the war in Iraq. So while one Norfolk MP's career hangs in the balance, another's looks rather brighter this evening. Hat-tip for graphic to Beau Bo d'Or

UPDATE: 10.50pm I've seen Charles Clarke's Newsnight interview with Paxo. He looked as if he knew the game would soon be up. I speculated to my partner that he might be gone by this time tomorrow. "But doesn't he have the Prime Minister's full backing?" came the rather ironic reply.

UPDATE: 11.20pm It occurs to me that members of Her Majesty's Press will be spending the next 24 hours or so searching for a serious crime committed by one of the 1,000 people let loose by the Prison Directorate when they should have been deported. If they find evidence of a rape or murder, Clarke will face even greater pressure. Judging from his performance on Newsnight I doubt he'd hang around. But I may be wrong! I should make clear that I like Charles Clarke. He's one of the few Labour Ministers I have time for and in some ways I'd be sorry to see him go. But personal feelings must be outweighed by doing the right thing. And I'm quite clear what that is.

Jack Straw: 'The Nicholas Parsons of the Cabinet'

I thought I'd share this little exchange from Foreign Office Questions with you...

Keith Simpson (Con, Mid Norfolk): It warms the cockles of the heart of all Members of the House of Commons at the warm special relationship between our Foreign Secretary and the American Secretary of State. You are undoubtedly, if not the Hugh Grant of the Cabinet, probably the Nicholas Parsons of it.
Jack Straw: I believe I heard correctly on the radio over the weekend that Nicholas Parsons is now 80 and looking very well on that. But I fully understand the spirit in which this compliment was offered to me and I take it in that spirit.''

Well done to Hindolveston!

Delighted to hear from my friends in Hindolveston in North Norfolk that the campaign against Energtrag's planned wind turbines at Guestwick has been successful and they will not now be built. Very many congratulations to Sarah Pettegree and her colleagues who fought a text book community based campaign. I hope my advice at the beginning proved of some little use. Well done guys!

Poll Result: The Ten Most Impressive New Tory MPs

Voting has now closed in the Poll to vote for your most impressive new Tory MP. A record 610 people voted. Michael Gove was way ahead of the rest with 20%, Ed Vaizey came second with 14% and Maria Miller third with 8%. I should explain that you were only allowed to vote for one of 20, rather than all 52 because the polling software will only allow a choice of 20. A Committee of four friends narrowed the choice down.

1. Michael Gove
2. Ed Vaizey
3. Maria Miller
4. Justine Greening
5. Nick Herbert
6. Grant Shapps
7. Richard Benyon
8. Theresa Villiers
9. David Davies
10. Mark Harper

Writing for the Independent on Sunday This Weekend

I'm writing the Independent on Sunday diary column this week again, so do email me with any snippets you think might appropriately grace my column (ooh, er).

Willie Whitelaw Would Have Done the Honourable Thing

Isn't THIS the sort of thing Home Secretaries used to resign over? What an absolute indictment of the Home Office and its political leaders. This is part of the story just posted on the BBC Website...

Charles Clarke has apologised for the release of more than 1,000 foreign prisoners who should have been deported at the end of their sentence. The number includes three murderers and nine rapists, Home Office figures show. Mr Clarke said he could not say "hand on heart" that they would all be tracked down, "but we are working on that very energetically". Minister Tony McNulty said he was "very, very shocked" by the news but he did not think Mr Clarke should resign. Mr Clarke said the prisoners, who were released between February 1999 and March 2006, should have been considered for deportation or removal. He said the failure was "deeply regrettable" and conceded that people will be angered by the oversight. So far the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) has located 107 of the total, leading to 20 deportations.
Among the offenders, five had been convicted of committing sex offences on children, seven had served time for other sex offences, 57 for violent offences and two for manslaughter. There were also 41 burglars, 20 drug importers, 54 convicted of assault and 27 of indecent assault. The Home Office said it did not have full details of offences committed by more than 100 of the criminals. Mr Clarke said: "This is deeply regrettable... It is clear that the increasing numbers of cases being referred for consideration led to the process falling down." We take it extremely, extremely seriously in every respect," said Mr Clarke. "The concern, possibly anger, that people will feel, I think, is entirely understandable. "But I think it's better to acknowledge and admit it and deal with it in that way. It is a failure of the Home Office and its agencies for which I take responsibility."

Well Charles, accepting responsibility means one thing and one thing only.

How to Defeat Blair in the Blaenau Gwent By Election

An interesting by-election at last! The Independent MP for Blaenau Gwent, Peter Law, died today after a long battle against cancer. He won the seat at the last election having resigned from the Labour Party over all-women shortlists and turned a Labour majority of 19,000 into a majority for him of more than 9,000. An amazing feat. Frankly this is a seat that is never going to vote Tory or LibDem in a zillion years, so I wonder if it will occur to the two parties to stand aside and support a GET BLAIR OUT Candidate. The name Reg Keys springs to mind. It was he who stood against the Dear Leader in Sedgefield after the death of his son in Iraq. I'm sure there might be others of an independent nature who could do the trick. Just a thought!

Comical Patricia: NHS is Perfect!

I've just seen this on Guido's site and thought it deserved the widest possible circulation. So if you have a Blog, rip it off and post it! Hat tip to Beau D'Or

New Nickname for Cornerstone MPs

It's well known that the right wing group of Tory MPs 'Cornerstone' rallies around the concepts of faith, family and flag. I'm told that this most Christian of political groupings has been given a new nickname - the 'Theo-cons'.

Jeremy Paxman to Present News at Ten?

An absolutely brilliantly incisive article by Bryan Appleyard in yesterday's Sunday Times Culture Section. This was the headline: BRITISH TELEVISION NEWS IS DULL AND LACKS SUBSTANCE. IN AMERICA ANCHORS HAVE AUTHORITY AND ZEST. WHY WON'T THE BBC JOIN THE WINNING SIDE? He suggests Jeremy Paxman should take over the Ten O'Clock News. It really is worth reading in full. Click HERE.

Want one...

Shame about my diet... More HERE.

PodCast 6: Politics & Frank Sinatra

My latest PodCast can now be downloaded by clicking on the icon on the left hand column. It's a ten minute discussion I recorded on my recent trip to Washington DC. The discussion is with Mark Milosch of the Institute for Advanced Sinatra Studies and looks at Frank Sinatra's political interests and influence. It was supposed to start and finish with a recording of Sinatra's song he wrote for JKF's 1960 campaign, High Hopes, but we had to delete it for fear of infringing copyright. And Frank was not someone you'd want to infringe... Enjoy!