Gordon Brown gets FLAMED

[crackerjack]

Nice sting op on UKIP

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/may/24/mps-expenses-ukip-nigel-farage

(for Craner, the meat)

The leader of the UK Independence party (Ukip), which wants to lead Britain out of the EU, has taken £2m of taxpayers' money in expenses and allowances as a member of the European Parliament, on top of his £64,000 a year salary.

Nigel Farage, who is calling on voters to punish "greedy Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem MPs" at the European elections on 4 June, boasted of his personal expenses haul at a meeting with foreign journalists in London last week.

The admission threatens to flatten a bounce in the polls for Ukip that has seen the party climb to around 17% over the last fortnight as angry voters flock to smaller parties regarded as untainted by the Westminster expenses scandal.

During a debate about Europe at the Foreign Press Association - which was discreetly taped by the hosts - Farage was asked by former Europe minister Denis MacShane what he had received in non-salary expenses and allowances since becoming an MEP in 1999.

"It is a vast sum," Farage said. "I don't know what the total amount is but - oh lor - it must be pushing £2 million." Taken aback, MacShane then joked: "Is it too late to become an MEP?"

Farage insisted that he had not "pocketed" the money but had used the "very large sum of European taxpayers' money" to help promote Ukip's message that the UK should get out of the EU.

 

[crackerjack]

Mad Nad's blog, taken down by order of th Barclay bros, is visible here.

http://209.85.229.132/search?hl=en&...aspx&btnG=Google+Search&meta=&aq=0&oq=cache:+

Winners & Losers look like the offending party. I'm not surprised Cameron's told her to shut up. She sounds like the Tory Meacher.

 

[craner]

for Craner, the meat

Oi, I do read your posts. Don't be funny.

This one goes out to our lovely MEPs:

 

[crackerjack]

Ian McCulloch certainly smartened himself up for the Bunnymen.

 

[crackerjack]

Hazel as the new Howe?

Not sure Brown can survive this week

 

[craner]

Will the Labour party?

 

[crackerjack]

Will the Labour party?

Labour are dead for at least a decade, but I'm wary of people predicting permanent realignment. Where is their base gonna go? the Liberals are busy shifting sides and the Greens are nowhere near being a major force.

People were too ready to write the Tories off permanently, like three successive defeats under hopeless leaders up against a political genius presiding over an economic boom meant Britain had rid itself of golf club colonels and blue-rinse Mailers.

There's a crash, there's an expenses scandal, a 12-year staleness, lingering resentment over the war and a leader who doesn't know whether to gurn or grimace - obviously they're going to be down in polls.

 

[crackerjack]

Purnell's quit

and he' calling on GB to go

 

[josef k.]

His allies on the Guardian are giving Brown days...

 

[Mr. Tea]

We all have our brown days.

 

[Grievous Angel]

Labour could still win the next election, or rather, the Tories can still lose it.

But they can't win with Brown. Quite apart from my intense personal dislike of the backstabbing, selfish, UNELECTED coward (who voted for him to be PM again?), I think he's damaged goods in the electorate's mind. And he just doesn't have the nous to win an election. Nor does he have a strategy.

Sadly he's such a selfish cunt he won't go.

 

[massrock]

I wonder if he won't stand down now. I didn't think he would but the pressure is high. It goes without saying that it would be better the party. But then who?

 

[massrock]

It's just over now. I think he must feel relief. He became such a sad figure, I've almost felt sorry for him at times. The way Blair played him, used Brown's ambition against him. Sad and shit for rest of us too of course.

 

[josef k.]

I think he should go out with a bang, Mishima-style, by attempting a coup and then committing seppuku.

 

[crackerjack]

Ooh, Hutton*'s gone now.. This is gonna turn into the final scenes of Aguirre.

I find all these Hutton/Purnell Nu-Lab types hard to distinguish. Denham seems a good sort, but I can't even picture the other 'coming' (now going) men.

 

[josef k.]

It seems pretty clear to me that the only dignified course of action for Brown at this point is to go completely batshit crazy. Perhaps he should barricade himself inside number and begin taking shots at passerbys with an air rifle?

 

[crackerjack]

It seems pretty clear to me that the only dignified course of action for Brown at this point is to go completely batshit crazy.

Something like this?

Gordon Brown sensationally promoted Sir Alan Sugar to a new enterprise role in government today as the prime minister was forced into a make or break reshuffle amid a fourth Cabinet resignation in four days.

The prime minister awarded the entrepreneur and star of The Apprentice television show, a peerage and junior government job as he attempted to shore up his increasingly beleaguered premiership.

 

[crackerjack]

here's all the news that counts

 

[crackerjack]

now Sweet Caroline has quit, and accused Brown of using her as "female window dressing"

whatever can she mean?

 

[craner]

Dear Gordon,

I believe the achievements of the Labour Government to date have been monumental and you have played an immense part in the creation of those achievements.

However, I am extremely disappointed at your failure to have an inclusive Government.

You have a two tier Government. Your inner circle and then the remainder of Cabinet.

I have the greatest respect for the women who have served as full members of Cabinet and for those who attend as and when required.

However, few are allowed into your inner circle.

Several of the women attending Cabinet - myself included - have been treated by you as little more than female window dressing.

I am not willing to attend Cabinet in a peripheral capacity any longer.

In my current role, you advised that I would attend Cabinet when Europe was on the agenda. I have only been invited once since October and not to a single political Cabinet - not even the one held a few weeks before the European elections.

Having worked hard during this campaign, I would not have been party to any plan to undermine you or the Labour Party in the run up to 4 June.

So I was extremely angry and disappointed to see newspapers briefed with invented stories of my involvement in a "Pugin Room plot".

Time and time again I have stepped before the cameras to sincerely defend your reputation in the interests of the Labour Party and the Government as a whole.

I am a natural party loyalist. Yet you have strained every sinew of that loyalty.

It has been apparent for some time that you do not see me playing a more influential role in the Government.

Therefore, I have respectfully declined your offer to continue in the Government as Minister for Europe attending Cabinet.

I served six years as a backbencher and, therefore, I am not unhappy to be able to devote myself to promoting my constituency's interests and to support the Labour Government from the backbenches.

This is a personal decision, which I have not discussed with colleagues.

Yours

Rt Hon Caroline Flint MP"

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