― Dead Cat Bounce (Ed), Wednesday, 22 October 2008 09:41 (1 year ago) Permalink
osborne is so repellent
― conrad, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 09:44 (1 year ago) Permalink
The wisdom of bringing Mandelson back into the cabinet is starting to tell. None of the young guard in the cabinet is particularly adept at dirty politics, Brown has only ever done it by proxy and badly, so he called in the professional with no reputation to lose.
― Dead Cat Bounce (Ed), Wednesday, 22 October 2008 09:46 (1 year ago) Permalink
Dirty politics doing really well for the McCain camp right now.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 09:47 (1 year ago) Permalink
Different country, different part of the cycle, plus the republicans have no one playing clean politics.
― Dead Cat Bounce (Ed), Wednesday, 22 October 2008 09:49 (1 year ago) Permalink
Cameron only likes to criticise in retrospect.
It's too early for him to criticise what's happening right now.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 09:50 (1 year ago) Permalink
Dunno, I don't see Mandelson and Osbourne hanging out with Russian oligarchs and getting into a trivial 'he said she said' bunfight playing particularly well with voters of any stripe at a time when Britain is sliding into a recession.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 09:53 (1 year ago) Permalink
It hurts the Tories more than Labour though.
― Neil S, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 09:55 (1 year ago) Permalink
I expect this will all get blamed on Rothschilds. See the odious Letts in the Mail f'r'instance. Although quite why they would want to damage the conservative party is not clear. If this does happen the tories may have to look elsewhere for funding as they've given a ton of cash to them over the years.
― A country only rich people know (Ned Trifle II), Wednesday, 22 October 2008 10:08 (1 year ago) Permalink
Dunno, I don't see Mandelson and Osbourne hanging out with Russian oligarchs and getting into a trivial 'he said she said' bunfight
heh now i'm imagining mandelson and osbourne doing the 'he said she said' dance
and wondering who gets the "she's lovin' the fact that she's gifted" line
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 10:09 (1 year ago) Permalink
Channel Four news was spinning this last night as Rothschild getting angry at Osbourne for breaking the 'what goes on the yacht stays on the yacht' rule.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 10:11 (1 year ago) Permalink
The other good thing about this story is we have another Bullingdon photo to gawp at.
― A country only rich people know (Ned Trifle II), Wednesday, 22 October 2008 10:13 (1 year ago) Permalink
Newsnight was pretty good at covering the 'bad manners' aspect of the row as well.
― Bedframes and Broomsticks (suzy), Wednesday, 22 October 2008 10:15 (1 year ago) Permalink
The bloke on the far right doesn't look old enough to be at university.
― A country only rich people know (Ned Trifle II), Wednesday, 22 October 2008 10:18 (1 year ago) Permalink
Insert 'I thought they were all on the far right?' gag here.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 10:19 (1 year ago) Permalink
Signs you're getting old #32: students don't look young enough to be at university
(this happened to me about 3-4 years ago, I think)
― Forest Pines Mk2, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 10:22 (1 year ago) Permalink
Hm, uncomfortable truth there^. I was just thinking 'it's quite funny seeing children dressed up in adult clothing'.
This whole row has been quite useful to me, actually. Much as I think Labour deserve a kicking for certain, um, harms, and much as I think the next government will do good on those issues, the fact is that once the shackles are off the tories will be many times more abhorrent than the current lot, and for more intransigent reasons.
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 10:51 (1 year ago) Permalink
WTF has Buster Bloodvessel got to do with all this?
― Eric in the East Neuk of Anglia (Marcello Carlin), Wednesday, 22 October 2008 10:54 (1 year ago) Permalink
He was present on the yacht.
― Neil S, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 11:13 (1 year ago) Permalink
did the speccy one end up in politics?
― ILX Systern (ken c), Wednesday, 22 October 2008 11:16 (1 year ago) Permalink
I heard that old Oleg Oligarch was keen on Special Brew...
― Eric in the East Neuk of Anglia (Marcello Carlin), Wednesday, 22 October 2008 11:17 (1 year ago) Permalink
Best way to get through those cold Russian winters is Special Brew and 2-Tone!
― Neil S, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 11:22 (1 year ago) Permalink
Ah, but Bad Manners were on Magnet. Pete Waterman signed them, you know.
Actually Dale was doing 1981 on POTP last Sunday and I'd forgotten what a good single "Walking In The Sunshine" was. They did have their occasional moments.
― Eric in the East Neuk of Anglia (Marcello Carlin), Wednesday, 22 October 2008 12:32 (1 year ago) Permalink
ooyeh.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 13:22 (1 year ago) Permalink
Shenanigans over the 'new' Bullingdon photo. All rather amusing.
Compare and contrast...
Seems to me that this 'new' new one is the original, a rather messy cut'n'paste job. And the one from the Mail last year is a cleaned up copy thanks to modern technology.
Still if it got Peter Hitchens all riled up...
― A country only rich people know (Ned Trifle II), Sunday, 26 October 2008 20:38 (1 year ago) Permalink
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/columnists/maguire/2008/11/18/gordon-brown-s-strategy-on-tax-cuts-has-panicked-david-cameron-115875-20905743/
― Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Wednesday, 19 November 2008 15:00 (1 year ago) Permalink
Mandelson has to be man of the year as well. Dude is the Phil Brown of Brazilian twink fucking media manipulators.
― Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Wednesday, 19 November 2008 15:01 (1 year ago) Permalink
Yes but he can't just come in and pick up where John Sergeant finished.
― What a broad smile! It is like a delta! (Marcello Carlin), Wednesday, 19 November 2008 15:18 (1 year ago) Permalink
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7753557.stm
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 27 November 2008 21:04 (11 months ago) Permalink
That's very strange. I'm uneasy at the idea that the opposition shouldn't be doing everything they can to monitor what the govt are up to.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 27 November 2008 21:31 (11 months ago) Permalink
is that what it is?
― conrad, Thursday, 27 November 2008 21:33 (11 months ago) Permalink
if he's receiving stolen files then isn't that the same as receiving stolen goods?
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 27 November 2008 21:37 (11 months ago) Permalink
I'm assuming it's an enquiry into leaks. If so, leaking to the opposition strikes me as very different to any other kind of leak. I haven't really thought it through - it kind of reads like it's bribery or similar, which he obviously shouldn't be doing. But then finding out what the govt is doing (and holding them to account) *is* his job
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 27 November 2008 21:42 (11 months ago) Permalink
10 o'clock news made this sound rather innocuous - basically involvement in leaks on immigration statistics and employment of illegals i.e. politically-embarrassing info, not national security type stuff
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 27 November 2008 22:31 (11 months ago) Permalink
The T in ITN stands for Tory though.
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 27 November 2008 23:02 (11 months ago) Permalink
I would have expected the Tories to have gained ground again in the past week, tbh. They seemed genuinely fucking horrified at the PBR, mostly due to what might happen if they actually win the election and inherit that mountain of debt.
― Chopper Aristotle (Matt DC), Thursday, 27 November 2008 23:06 (11 months ago) Permalink
How interesting this should all happen on the same day as Ian Blair is forcibly retired as head of the Met, having been forced out by a Tory mayor.
― Brother Belcher (Marcello Carlin), Friday, 28 November 2008 13:39 (11 months ago) Permalink
ComRes:
CONSERVATIVES 37% (-6)LABOUR 36% (+4)LIB DEMS 17% (+5)
Labour majority of 23.
Guido Fawkes originally reported this as poll as having a 25% lead for the Tories. HEY LET'S GIVE BLOGGERS ACCESS TO THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT PRESS FACILITIES ASAP.
― Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Monday, 1 December 2008 23:20 (11 months ago) Permalink
That's ComRes poll for the Indie On Sunday, btw.
― Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Monday, 1 December 2008 23:24 (11 months ago) Permalink
Much as I would like a 2% Labour lead to spark widespread panic and regicide among the Tories, this is all getting a bit silly now.
― Matt DC, Monday, 1 December 2008 23:25 (11 months ago) Permalink
I think what we need right now is a resurgent UKIP. Just to really make UK politics as wacky as possible.
― Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Monday, 1 December 2008 23:25 (11 months ago) Permalink
They're not having Kilroy back, so it won't happen.
― Brother Belcher (Marcello Carlin), Tuesday, 2 December 2008 08:04 (11 months ago) Permalink
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2008/dec/03/obama-cameron-lightweight
amazingespecially with cameron's please be my friend gorillaz + wilberforce party pack.
― schlump, Wednesday, 3 December 2008 19:25 (11 months ago) Permalink
"You might not have heard of this Radiohead in the colonies."
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 3 December 2008 19:28 (11 months ago) Permalink
they kind of look like they're doing the robot.
so great, anyway.
― schlump, Wednesday, 3 December 2008 19:34 (11 months ago) Permalink
― Seannadams Molloy (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Wednesday, 17 December 2008 02:43 (11 months ago) Permalink
Which gives us....
LAB 295CON 279LD 47
― Seannadams Molloy (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Wednesday, 17 December 2008 02:46 (11 months ago) Permalink
I don't really understand this. Has Cammy's bubble burst?
― Holden McGroin (Ned Trifle II), Wednesday, 17 December 2008 11:13 (11 months ago) Permalink
New media narrative is that the Tories are the "Do Nothing" party.
― Seannadams Molloy (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Wednesday, 17 December 2008 11:14 (11 months ago) Permalink
Plus the public are generally loathe to change horses in the middle of a recession.
^me spamming because nobody's been watching it and I spent literally minutes editing it etc etc
― Poppy, Tuesday, 3 November 2009 05:44 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
“Lack of affordable housing in Britain’s most picturesque areas is a real problem, forcing people out of the places where they have grown up,” said Shapps. “Under our plans, communities can really be in charge of their own destiny.”He said alternative ideas, such as heavy taxes on second homes, were the “wrong approach”.
He said alternative ideas, such as heavy taxes on second homes, were the “wrong approach”.
― James Mitchell, Tuesday, 3 November 2009 08:28 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
Or as Shapps himself puts it on his Twitter page "Tories to tackle rural housing crisis by working with (not against) local people"
― James Mitchell, Tuesday, 3 November 2009 08:29 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
How does this tie in with letting the market do it's job?
― PC Thug (Ned Trifle II), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 09:19 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
give residents of areas dominated by second homeowners the power to grant planning permission ... heavy taxes on second homes were the "wrong approach"
Tories to tackle local housing crisis by encouraging rich businessmen to buy up all the property as a country seat for ten weekends a year, then letting the businessmen decide whether some cheap flats for poor people should be built next door
― subtyll cauillacyons (a passing spacecadet), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 09:38 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
Have the Czechs got round to splitting the Tories open like a ripe melon ratifying the Lisbon Treaty yet?
― The Prince's choice: making a brush. (Tom D.), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 09:44 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
A Bedfordshire MP is calling for councils and emergency services to put on organised raves.Nadine Dorries, the MP for Mid-Bedfordshire, claims 3,000 people descended on Wavendon on Saturday night for an illegal rave on land owned by the Duke of Bedford.The MP claims the rave was held in an unsafe building which was next to a sheer drop into a lake. She also believes there was no help or assistance for any of the revellers, many of whom were 'popping pills'.
Nadine Dorries, the MP for Mid-Bedfordshire, claims 3,000 people descended on Wavendon on Saturday night for an illegal rave on land owned by the Duke of Bedford.
The MP claims the rave was held in an unsafe building which was next to a sheer drop into a lake. She also believes there was no help or assistance for any of the revellers, many of whom were 'popping pills'.
― James Mitchell, Tuesday, 3 November 2009 10:16 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
She's actually OTM but that's still not the smartest thing to say in her position. (Oh actually hang on, it's Nadine Dorries, she's never going to a minister, no one cares...)
― Space Battle Rothko (Matt DC), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 10:31 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
Never going to what a minister? You tryna imply something there?
― The Prince's choice: making a brush. (Tom D.), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 10:36 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
Ta-da!
― I Poxy the Fule (Tom D.), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 15:59 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
LOLz
― I Poxy the Fule (Tom D.), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 16:01 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
This is going to be fun, would this be DC's first substantive policy announcement?
Making second home owners pay council tax would be a good start in my book.
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 16:06 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
Murdoch's going to be really fucked off with this, as I bet that "cast iron guarantee" was a big part of The Sun opting to switch sides earlier this year.
― Space Battle Rothko (Matt DC), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 16:09 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
Bloody Europeans, coming over here and closing our tax loopholes.
― James Mitchell, Tuesday, 3 November 2009 17:50 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
Also:
― James Mitchell, Tuesday, 3 November 2009 17:55 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
Hague: no referendum
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 3 November 2009 17:56 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
Oops Tom D already linked that. Anyway.
No, that's a new LOLfest
― I Poxy the Fule (Tom D.), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 17:58 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
Cameron's best hope will be that the Tory party is so desperate for power that they'll let him off this one. I'm not sure that the voters care enough to punish him for it unless the right wing press does a spectacular volte-face and make a big thing out of it.
― Space Battle Rothko (Matt DC), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 17:59 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
I fear that the media are so desperate for Cameron to win that he won't get the bollocking he richly deserves
― I Poxy the Fule (Tom D.), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 18:04 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
... as per usual
― I Poxy the Fule (Tom D.), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 18:05 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
yeah. as much as this is terrible for the tories now, it's also something that isn't going to happen in six months just pre-election or anything and fuck things up then.
― peter falk's panther burns (schlump), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 18:06 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
― PC Thug (Ned Trifle II), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 19:06 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
― PC Thug (Ned Trifle II), Tuesday, 3 November 2009 19:09 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
Shapps, with yet more lols:
Fighting poverty is nothing new for the Conservative Party, but during the 1980’s the emphasis placed on individualism and prosperity was sometimes seen to crowd out social issues like helping the most vulnerable in society.Today the modern Conservative Party sees no need to choose between two different forms of Conservatism – wet or dry.Instead we recognise the heritage of our one nation tradition meaning that, for example, everyone should benefit from a decent education and great healthcare, delivered free at the point of use. And at the same time that the strength of individual entrepreneurship – most associated with Margaret Thatcher – is all the more powerful when people work together to create a sense of social responsibility.
Today the modern Conservative Party sees no need to choose between two different forms of Conservatism – wet or dry.
Instead we recognise the heritage of our one nation tradition meaning that, for example, everyone should benefit from a decent education and great healthcare, delivered free at the point of use. And at the same time that the strength of individual entrepreneurship – most associated with Margaret Thatcher – is all the more powerful when people work together to create a sense of social responsibility.
― James Mitchell, Tuesday, 10 November 2009 07:57 (1 week ago) Permalink
Instead we recognise the heritage of our one nation tradition meaning that, for example, everyone should benefit from a decent education and great healthcare, delivered free at the point of use.
― PC Thug (Ned Trifle II), Tuesday, 10 November 2009 09:06 (1 week ago) Permalink
Love his "blueprint for tackling homelessness" PDF, which states as its first 'solution':
A future Conservative Government will work across Whitehall to ensure that policy is designed to help rather than hinder homeless people.
― James Mitchell, Tuesday, 10 November 2009 09:33 (1 week ago) Permalink
So, what job will William Hague be expected to do in a Cameron cabinet? Because apparently he won't be Foreign Secretary.
― James Mitchell, Thursday, 12 November 2009 11:58 (1 week ago) Permalink
Why not? He'd be good at it.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 12 November 2009 11:59 (1 week ago) Permalink
Why would he be good at it? Tories' plans for "tackling poverty" (LOL, aye right) are total Right Wing Policy Wonk Cloud Cuckoo Land bollocks, almost as stupid as their Europe strategy.
― I Poxy the Fule (Tom D.), Thursday, 12 November 2009 12:03 (1 week ago) Permalink
Good speaker, carries a bit of clout. I'm not thinking about the policies.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 12 November 2009 12:06 (1 week ago) Permalink
Hague to be a Mandelson-style Deputy Prime Minister and Grant Shapps as Foreign Secretary, apparently.
― James Mitchell, Thursday, 12 November 2009 12:06 (1 week ago) Permalink
Where he will work with [country x], as opposed to against [country x], presumably.
― James Mitchell, Thursday, 12 November 2009 12:07 (1 week ago) Permalink
Genuinely never heard of the guy.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 12 November 2009 12:08 (1 week ago) Permalink
Number eight on Cameron's Magnificent 7 list.
― James Mitchell, Thursday, 12 November 2009 12:09 (1 week ago) Permalink
He's risen without a trace, this Shapps character. Hague's largely responsible for the Euro Referendum fiasco and for aligning the Tories with Jibrovian Nazi Party? So not a great track so far?
― I Poxy the Fule (Tom D.), Thursday, 12 November 2009 12:09 (1 week ago) Permalink
"track record" that is
― I Poxy the Fule (Tom D.), Thursday, 12 November 2009 12:10 (1 week ago) Permalink
In 1990, aged 21, Grant Shapps founded PrintHouse Corporation, a design, print, website creation and marketing business sited in London.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 12 November 2009 12:15 (1 week ago) Permalink
Hague as Deputy Prime Minister playing the Prescott role surely? It'll take the Daily Mail/Tory grass roots approximately 30 seconds to start whingeing about Prime Minister Cameron and he'll need Hague there to make the right noises in their direction.
― Space Battle Rothko (Matt DC), Thursday, 12 November 2009 12:21 (1 week ago) Permalink
Shapps went to the Jewish summer camp most favoured by families in my hometown, on some kind of exchange I guess. Will have to check with my friend whether it was the normal camp or the totally Zionist one (as I'm not sure).
― viagra falls (suzy), Thursday, 12 November 2009 12:41 (1 week ago) Permalink
Fighting poverty is nothing new for the Conservative Party, but during the 1980’s the emphasis placed on individualism and prosperity was sometimes seen to crowd out social issues like helping the most vulnerable in society.
this is so beautiful
― peter falk's panther burns (schlump), Thursday, 12 November 2009 14:16 (1 week ago) Permalink
sometimes
― PC Thug (Ned Trifle II), Thursday, 12 November 2009 14:43 (1 week ago) Permalink
And the "was sometimes seen to" is a nice sleight of hand - it's the equivalent of the 'I'm sorry you were offended by' apology.
― grobravara hollaglob (dowd), Thursday, 12 November 2009 14:57 (1 week ago) Permalink
LOL nice to see them all of a sudden putting it across that 'society' is not the party pages of Tatler etc.
― viagra falls (suzy), Thursday, 12 November 2009 15:01 (1 week ago) Permalink
"Big government" is their new bete noire... can you believe that? In 2009?
― I Poxy the Fule (Tom D.), Thursday, 12 November 2009 15:05 (1 week ago) Permalink
They are 'a bit sorry' about Clause 28, especially as teh gays make great nannies/babysitters/staff etc.
― Mark G, Thursday, 12 November 2009 15:09 (1 week ago) Permalink
It's going to be great when we get to the election after this one and the whole country realises both main parties are essentially intellectually bankrupt.
― Space Battle Rothko (Matt DC), Thursday, 12 November 2009 15:17 (1 week ago) Permalink
Not sure we have to wait for the election after this one for that!
― I Poxy the Fule (Tom D.), Thursday, 12 November 2009 15:20 (1 week ago) Permalink
cameron gives speeches in favour of deregulation; there's a total gulf between why people want them and what they stand for which is out of sync with the public mood.
also misplaced apostrophe in 1990s shapps WAY TO GO
― peter falk's panther burns (schlump), Thursday, 12 November 2009 16:08 (1 week ago) Permalink
Still think this is ultimately Blair and Brown's fault for neutralising (public-facing) ideology as an issue for debate all those years ago. If both parties are only competing on the grounds of who's the most effective administrator it's not surprising you get a flaky electorate that doesn't care what the Tories stand for and only wants to throw out the government that wrecked the economy. Labour have relied upon "we are not the Tories" for so long that it's too late for them to suddenly start drawing lines in the sand that they've spent years trying not to talk about for fear of looking like socialists or something equally disgusting.
― Space Battle Rothko (Matt DC), Thursday, 12 November 2009 16:59 (1 week ago) Permalink