Cameron wins vote to geld 1922 committee
In the last few minutes, Channel 4 news have reported that backbench Tory MPs have voted in favour of David Cameron’s proposal to admit ministers to the once-powerful 1922 committee by 168 votes to 118.
More wailing and gnashing of teeth from Tory right to follow….
Tories get a chance to embrace the defence industry again
contribution by BenSix
Congratulations to Guido Fawkes for posting something worthy of note…
Whilst a frontbench spokesman for defence under Michael Howard, Howarth was slammed in 2004 for providing a weapons lobbyist with a one of his allocated parliamentary staff passes. Michael Wood of lobbyists Whitehall Advisers (whose clients included BAE Systems and Airbus) who are the backbone of the UK’s billion pound arms industry.
Like Caroline Spelman and her farming interests, David Cameron seemingly does not consider Howarth’s past connections to be an issue. Howarth has been made the parliamentary Under Secretary for Defence. He now has a direct role in arms procurement.
Liberal Conspiracy Annual Conference: 26th June
On 26th June I’m hosting the second Liberal Conspiracy ‘Blog Nation’ conference.
We hosted the first one in July 2008; I’m hoping to make it an annual event thereafter.
The theme of the conference will be: “How Can The Left Organise in Opposition?”
continue reading… »
Clegg wants freedoms; Tories – police powers
The increasing difference between rhetoric and reality of the new coalition government was laid bare yesterday.
On the one hand Nick Clegg offered ‘the biggest shake-up of Britain’s democracy for nearly 200 years’.
He said:
This Government is going to transform our politics so the state has far less control over you, and you have far more control over the state.
This Government is going to break up concentrations of power and hand power back to people, because that is how we build a society that is fair.
Funny that.
In a different place, at the Bournemouth conference, the Home Secretary Theresa May offered the police more powers.
Mrs May said officers should be able to use their discretion when deciding whether to charge someone with an offence.
That could mean they do not have to consult the Crown Prosecution Service before bringing charges in minor cases.
In other words less accountability and more potential for police to abuse their powers.
Watch
Does one side of this coalition government know what the other side is doing?
Burnham launches the lamest election campaign
Former cabinet minister Andy Burnham launched his exciting Labour leadership election campaign yesterday.
He told the Daily Mirror newspaper the party owed a “debt of thanks” to Gordon Brown and Tony Blair but said he would end “stage-managed” politics.
… wow, he really is brimming with new ideas.
He said Labour had to understand voters’ sense of “unfairness” and that Labour lost because they felt “our priorities were not their priorities”.
A very radical agenda, as you can see there. Burnham distanced himself from colleagues by using the word ‘unfairness’ rather than ‘fairness’. That’s clever that is.
In an article for the Mirror, Mr Burnham – who held three cabinet posts under Gordon Brown’s premiership – said the party “must avoid looking like we are disowning the past”.
He really will be the change we want to see though!
“Our priorities were not their priorities: that we were doing more for those who didn’t want to work than those in work but struggling, particularly with no children; that we were in denial about the effects of immigration – on wages, housing and anti-social behaviour – in places where life is hardest; and that pensioners who had done the right thing and saved found they were above the line for help.”
Mr Burnham will be radically different from everyone else by having a one-issue campaign. Immigration! The issue no one talks about. The issue that Phil Woolas did not constantly bang on about.
Talking about immigration will bring back voters and help Burnham take back the country! The rest, apparently, we should not “disown”.
Mr Burnham pledged to make it cheaper to join the Labour Party and said he could make it “welcoming and unifying”, adding: “I am a team-player, I’ve never had time for factions.”
I’m sure there are people who hold back from joining Labour simply because it’s too damn expensive.
Welcome to the lamest campaign in Labour leadership history.
The dilemma of the Tory right: reply to Simon Heffer
Only a Tory without principles would demonise the right, argues Simon Heffer in the Daily Telegraph this morning. And David Cameron demonises the right. He doesn’t quite fill out the syllogism, but let’s just say that therefore Socrates is a mortal.
Once one cuts through the customary Hefferian hyperbole, today’s tirade is basically an extended complaint that those ghastly milquetoast moderates that make up the Tory leadership perpetually ignore those that lean to starboard.
Even viewed from what is perhaps the worst point on the entire political spectrum from which to observe the affairs of the Conservative Party, the contention seems indisputably true. What is more, the reason for this is obvious.
continue reading… »
A campaign to avoid ‘Shock Doctrine’ for the UK
contribution by Adam Ramsay
We’ve now launched a website and a petition for our campaign against a “shock doctrine” for Britain – that is, the use of the recession to force through right wing policies which would otherwise be politically impossible to secure.
On the same week, it looks ever more likely that students at Sussex University will be severely punished for the ‘crime’ of protesting against cuts to the funding of their education – this discipline could cost these students degrees they have worked three years towards.
continue reading… »
Labourites call for deputy leadership election too
A growing number of voices within the party are calling for a robust deputy leadership election within the Labour party too.
NEC member Peter Kenyon said on LC earlier this week that under Labour rules the deputy leader post could also be contested.
But 52 members of the new parliamentary group of MPs have to support a challenger for there to be an election.
Writer and activist Anthony Painter told Tribune magazine:
Party renewal is an ongoing sore within the Labour Party. The party needs to be more diverse, democratic, open and engaged. Jon Cruddas’ statement last night seemed to be a hint in that direction, and clearly the leadership race needs the strongest and most diverse feel possible. My sense is that there should be a deputy leadership race and Harriet Harman should stand as a very strong candidate in that, and the leadership election as well.
He was echoed by Sunder Katwala, General Secretary of the Fabian Society:
Whatever she does decide about the leadership, I think she should take the step of opening up the deputy leadership by formally resigning the post and announcing she will seek nomination again, to mark the fact that a change in leadership and the party leaving office after 13 years marks a different political era. She would clearly be the strong favourite for the deputy leadership.
Personally, I also think we ought to introduce two deputy leadership roles: that would be the only way in the long-term to guarantee that, whoever was Leader, we could always have some gender balance in our top team, which I think is an important expression of Labour values of gender equality.
However, Sunder Katwala hopes that Jon Cruddas will run for the post.
When I put the question to Cruddas last week however, he said he had no interest in being deputy leader and throught Harriet Harman was “doing a great job”.
Getting McDonnell nominated for Labour: need your help
Yesterday Don Paskini made a convincing case for Labour MP John McDonnell to be nominated for Labour leadership race.
I agree that the party needs a strong left-wing voice and John is the obvious candidate given that the only other contender has backed out.
There isn’t much time before nominations for the leadership close, so I need some help in putting pressure on these MPs to nominate John and have that wide-ranging debate.
continue reading… »
All that ‘kill Bercow’ hype led to nothing at all
You have to give the national media their due: when Pied Piper Nadine Dorries and right-wing bloggers are playing the tune, the press-pack are always willing to sing along behind them.
On Monday night Iain Dale “exclusively” reveals that Ming Campbell would be standing against John Bercow as leader of the house.
I tweeted my scepticism:
Almost willing to bet ‘Ming Campbell as Speaker’ story is rubbish. Tory bloggers have hated Bercow for ages. Just mischief
Iain Dale snorted in response:
Finding it hilarious that lefties are doubting my Ming story. My source is 18 carat gold. Still think John Bercow will win.
After Dale laid the ground, Nadine Dorries sent out her pleading letter to all MPs. It has to be read to be believed for sheer hilarity:
Dear new Member,
Many congratulations and welcome to the House.Please forgive me for this generic email being brief and to the point.
The first job of the House today is to appoint the Speaker. The Father of the House, Sir Peter Tapsell, will present a motion to the House that John Bercow remains as Speaker.
At this point, members will shout ‘Aye’, on this occasion there will also be members from all parties shouting ‘No’. If enough members shout ‘No’, this will force a division and your first vote as new members will be to vote for or against appointing John Bercow as Speaker.
At this point, the green monitors will flash with the words ‘Division’ and the division bell will ring. This is a free vote and is entirely unwhipped and so whether to vote or not is wholly your decision. You will also have the option to abstain, and so you do not enter either of the voting lobbies.
Despite scare mongering by some left-wing commentators, there will be no repercussions according to which way you vote.
I am sure you are aware that during the previous Parliamentary term Mr Bercow was appointed as Speaker, with unanimous Labour and a handful of Conservative votes. In the words of a Labour whip, it was done to ‘stick it to the Tories’.
That aside, there are a number of reasons why, since his appointment, Mr Bercow has proven unsuitable in the Speaker’s role. Not least, on the occasions during the last session when Mr Bercow found remaining impartial, a crucial quality in the role of Speaker, very difficult, leading to a number of heated exchanges between the Speaker and Conservative MPs.
We are about to head into choppy political waters. It is imperative we have a Speaker who possesses dignity, gravitas, ability, wisdom and who can command respect from all sides of the House. A Speaker beyond reproach, who via his experience has earned the entitlement to such an important office.
There are a number of candidates from all sides imminently more suitable, able and willing; Edward Leigh, Sir Menzies Campbell, Alan Hazlehurst, and Margaret Beckett.
It is imperative that we are seen to begin this Parliament renewed and afresh. We can only do that with a democratic vote for the Speaker. If Mr Bercow wins the vote, he will have the endorsement of the whole House and not just the Labour party.
The Labour MP Kate Hoey, who is supporting the vote and I will be acting as tellers. If you come to the division lobby there will be members on the doors directing you to the lobby depending on which way you wish to vote. I am sure you understand the importance of this vote. I look forward to counting you out of the lobby during your first division.
With very best wishes,
Yours,
Nadine Dorries.
ToryBear was ecstatic! It was “game time for Bercow” he claimed breathlessly. Guido was loudly patting his chum Dale on the back for the story and old pal Nadine Dorries for taking a stand.
The Spectator Coffeehouse called it the “kill Bercow email”.
Can’t live without the Westminster storm-in-teacups can we? People across the country were gripped by the scandal that was about to unfold. The media duly obliged. After all, if right-wing bloggers are excited about it then it must be worth reporting on.
Inevitably, people across the nation were crestfallen when Ming Campbell didn’t challenge John Bercow, and Nadine Dorries’s “kill Bercow” email failed even to harm a fly.
Who says there are no upsides to this Parliament?
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