so now Alan Johnson is the new Home Secretary... a move to keep your friends close and your enemies even closer?
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Prime Minister Gordon Brown shuffles the deckchairs...
- Thread starter Titanic
- Start date
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- #2
and Darling remains as Chancellor of the Exchequer... 
and Darling remains as Chancellor of the Exchequer...
There were rumours that he was going to quit the cabinett if he was moved, basically sealing Brown's fate.
sten_super
Brain Surgeon
Which shows just how much of a lame duck Gordon Brown has become. If he can't get rid of people not up to the job and replace them with those he wants, he cannot possibly hope to do the job of managing the country to the level that he wants to.
Do the honourable thing, Gordon. RESIGN.
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Sir Alan Sugar to become a Lord and be 'Enterprise Tsar' 
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John Hutton resigns as Defence Secretary.
The Blairites are in retreat... but wait for the backlash!
The Blairites are in retreat... but wait for the backlash!
A former American President, Lyndon Johnson, once said:
"I'd rather have my enemies inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in".
Wise words.
"I'd rather have my enemies inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in".
Wise words.
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- #8
Not much of a shuffle in the end... just filling the vacancies from the 4 resignations... he obviously doesn't have the balls to make the changes he wished for 
Moshe Gariani
Well-known member
- Mar 10, 2005
- 12,156
Never heard the saying "don't change a winning team"...?Not much of a shuffle in the end... just filling the vacancies from the 4 resignations... he obviously doesn't have the balls to make the changes he wished for
A General Election is the only time that the tittle-tattle stops and real decisions get made about government - and the electorate will get it right once again when asked to choose between the Bullingdon Club's reckless tax breaks for the rich agenda and Gordon Brown's continued pragmatism.
seagullsovergrimsby
#cpfctinpotclub
Making Johnson the new Home Secretary strengthens Gordys position. The backbenchers will now need a stalking horse to oust him.
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
Trying to be neutral here, I think there are similarities with the SDP/Roy Hattersley decision.
Back when the gang of four broke away from the Labour Party, Hattersley was on the verge of joining them. If he had gone then the influence that he wielded would have brought around 20-30 other Labour MPs with him as well as support from a few unions (I think the moderate Electrician's Union was mooted at that time for funding).
Hattersley pulled away from that and effectively killed off the break up of the Labour Party.
Purnell has gone and I think he was hoping that a few other key people would resign too, namely Milliband. According to those close to Westminster and most of the political blogs that matter, Milliband was very very close to resigning. If he had then I think that would have tipped the balance and really forced Brown to go.
As it is, Milliband has said 'no' which protects Brown and probably means that some MPs will not be signing the motion to get rid of Brown. My gut feeling is that Brown is safe for now even with the predicted disastrous Euro and local elections. Especially with Johnson so close to the top.
However, this is very very bad news for Labour in the medium term and they could be facing annihilation at the GE in (probably) 2010. The Lib Dems are playing a blinder at the moment over the expenses and the Tories seem to be making the right noises to deflect most of the flak. Interesting to note that Clegg has now come out and said that it's the Tories and Lib Dems that matter now. His disdain for Labour makes any future alliance/pact/coalition with them very unlikely and why should they? There's a real chance of them usurping Labour as the second party with this latest turn.
I think Labour have really f***ed up big here. They NEED to get rid of Brown and put Hutton or Johnson up as PM to minimise the next GE loss. A good showing in the GE and leaving the Tories to clear up the current mess by making deeply unpopular decisions (cuts, cuts and more cuts) could just make a workable opposition and put them in good stead for the GE after that.
On other matters, I'm extremely pissed off with the Tories aligining themselves with various Euro nutters, homophobes and Holocaust deniers. Inexplicable as far as I can see.
Back when the gang of four broke away from the Labour Party, Hattersley was on the verge of joining them. If he had gone then the influence that he wielded would have brought around 20-30 other Labour MPs with him as well as support from a few unions (I think the moderate Electrician's Union was mooted at that time for funding).
Hattersley pulled away from that and effectively killed off the break up of the Labour Party.
Purnell has gone and I think he was hoping that a few other key people would resign too, namely Milliband. According to those close to Westminster and most of the political blogs that matter, Milliband was very very close to resigning. If he had then I think that would have tipped the balance and really forced Brown to go.
As it is, Milliband has said 'no' which protects Brown and probably means that some MPs will not be signing the motion to get rid of Brown. My gut feeling is that Brown is safe for now even with the predicted disastrous Euro and local elections. Especially with Johnson so close to the top.
However, this is very very bad news for Labour in the medium term and they could be facing annihilation at the GE in (probably) 2010. The Lib Dems are playing a blinder at the moment over the expenses and the Tories seem to be making the right noises to deflect most of the flak. Interesting to note that Clegg has now come out and said that it's the Tories and Lib Dems that matter now. His disdain for Labour makes any future alliance/pact/coalition with them very unlikely and why should they? There's a real chance of them usurping Labour as the second party with this latest turn.
I think Labour have really f***ed up big here. They NEED to get rid of Brown and put Hutton or Johnson up as PM to minimise the next GE loss. A good showing in the GE and leaving the Tories to clear up the current mess by making deeply unpopular decisions (cuts, cuts and more cuts) could just make a workable opposition and put them in good stead for the GE after that.
On other matters, I'm extremely pissed off with the Tories aligining themselves with various Euro nutters, homophobes and Holocaust deniers. Inexplicable as far as I can see.
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In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king!
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Geoff Hoon is the fifth resignation from the cabinet this week! We live in interesting times.
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Ian Gibson, Labour MP for Norwich North resigns with immediate effect, forcing a bye-election.
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and now Tony McNulty resigns as Employment Minister.
Moshe Gariani
Well-known member
- Mar 10, 2005
- 12,156
A confident Prime Minister speaking now on BBC and taking questions.
Main themes:
It will take time before we see the full effect of strategies that are helping us work through the current global economic problems.
In difficult times you get on with the task and do your duty by the country. The policies being pursued are the right ones for the country.
Main themes:
It will take time before we see the full effect of strategies that are helping us work through the current global economic problems.
In difficult times you get on with the task and do your duty by the country. The policies being pursued are the right ones for the country.
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Is he being candid?
Has he been asked about the disgraced re-treads who have returned to the cabinet, the disgraceful sackings and resignations of women, and unelected cronies in charge of the great offices of state?
and Caroline Flint has just resigned from the government too.... and is to be replaced by another crony Glenys Kinnock who will be stuck into the House of Lords so she can have the job.
Has he been asked about the disgraced re-treads who have returned to the cabinet, the disgraceful sackings and resignations of women, and unelected cronies in charge of the great offices of state?
and Caroline Flint has just resigned from the government too.... and is to be replaced by another crony Glenys Kinnock who will be stuck into the House of Lords so she can have the job.
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He is a dead man walking. For everyone's sake Gordon, GO NOW!
Moshe Gariani
Well-known member
- Mar 10, 2005
- 12,156
Appropriate recognition being given to the work of Lord Mandelson and Harriet Harman.
And now the successful practice of appointing leading businessmen to help advise the government.
No complacency - the work goes on.
The economy.
The consititution.
Public services - policing, hospitals and schools.
And now the successful practice of appointing leading businessmen to help advise the government.
No complacency - the work goes on.
The economy.
The consititution.
Public services - policing, hospitals and schools.
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and every... thump... point... thump... re-iterated... thump... with... thump... a... thump... clunking... thump... thump... thump... of... thump... his... thump.. fist