"I used to think Devil's Kitchen was extreme. I now think his sentiments are getting close to mainstream."
Blog Commenter
Blog Commenter
How Might Postal Votes Decide the Euro Elections?
Iain Dale 7:18 PM
One thing which few people have thought about is how postal votes might play a big part in the rise of the minor parties at the European Elections. I am told that in North Norfolk 15% of the voters now have postal votes and in other areas it is even higher.
Postal vote ballot papers apparently start landing on people's doormats on Friday. Expect many of them to be returned immediately, and expect them to be full of Xs by the name of minor party candidates - or spoilt.
One MEP candidate who just phoned me told me of almost uncontrolled anger on the part of many people. There's also a suspicion that half the people who say they are going to vote UKIP actually intend to vote for the BNP but are too ashamed to admit it.
I don't think anyone quite understands the forces which have been unleashed here.
Postal vote ballot papers apparently start landing on people's doormats on Friday. Expect many of them to be returned immediately, and expect them to be full of Xs by the name of minor party candidates - or spoilt.
One MEP candidate who just phoned me told me of almost uncontrolled anger on the part of many people. There's also a suspicion that half the people who say they are going to vote UKIP actually intend to vote for the BNP but are too ashamed to admit it.
I don't think anyone quite understands the forces which have been unleashed here.
New Guardian ICM Poll
Iain Dale 7:07 PM
Will Woodward has the story HERE. Although the Tory score is down one point, their lead is up one.
The results of the poll, conducted over the weekend after the Daily Telegraph had featured stories on MPs of all three main parties, underline the view at Westminster that Cameron's response to the 12-day furore has been more fleet-footed and direct than Brown's. But the results also suggest that voters believe all parties have been damaged by the row and that the issue has not become a general election decider.
More than two-thirds of those surveyed, 69%, say the prime minister has handled the controversy badly, including half of all Labour voters. But 55% of voters credit the Conservative leader with handling it well. Opinion on Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, is evenly split: 37% say he has handled it well and 39% badly.
Some 63% of those asked thought all political parties had been damaged by the expenses scandal, but 34% thought Labour was most damaged. Some 17% thought the Conservative party had been damaged the most and 6% nominated the Lib Dems. The percentages on this question added up to well over 100% because voters were allowed to nominate two parties as well as "all of them".
Quote of the Day
Iain Dale 6:56 PM
"We are only where we are today
because of Douglas Carswell."
Gordon Prentice MP (meant as a compliment!)
because of Douglas Carswell."
Gordon Prentice MP (meant as a compliment!)
Happy 70th Birthday to Sir Patrick Cormack
Iain Dale 6:27 PM
Today is Sir Patrick Cormack's 70th birthday. It was certainly a memorable one for him. His intervention on a Point of Order this afternoon drew gasps of astonishment from the assembled MPs. When a Parliamentarian of Sir Patrick's reputation effectively calls on the Speaker to go, it is a sign that things are very serious indeed. No one was expecting it, so it was that much more effective.I am sure we all hope he has a hearty celebration this evening. I raise my glass to him!
UPDATE: Here is what Sir Patrick said in the House this afternoon...
The times that we are living in are unprecedented, as far as Parliament is concerned. What is at stake is the institution of Parliament and its integrity. May I just say that I very much hope that you will take account of the fact that profound concern is voiced in the motion that is to go down tomorrow? May I ask you to bear in mind that the condition of the House today is rather like the condition of the country at the time of the Norway debate, and could you reflect on that?
Sign the Petition for a General Election
Iain Dale 5:53 PM
David Cameron this afternoon launched a national petition calling for an early general election. If you'd like to sign it click HERE.
I wasn't convinced of the benefits of an early election until today. But I think public anger is at such a level that it may be the only way it can be assuaged. I'll be debating the issue with Jessica Asato from Progress on 5 Live Breakfast tomorrow morning at 8.05am. She, naturally, would rather stick needles in her eyes than have an election.
Brown to Rally the Troops
Iain Dale 5:17 PM
Gordon Brown is making an unscheduled address to the Parliamentary Labour Party at 6pm. It's a bit like the Fuehrer making an impromptu trip to the Oder to address the Hitler Jugend. "Ze War is proceeding as planned, chaps. Keep buggering on!"
I wonder what he will really say. Go back to your constituencies and prepare for an election?
I wonder what he will really say. Go back to your constituencies and prepare for an election?
David Cameron: Give Another Lead!
Iain Dale 4:27 PM
There is a nuclear option. Imagine if David Cameron said something along these lines tonight...
He'd have virtually the whole country with him. It's not playing politics. It's defending Parliament.
"Having listened to the Speaker this afternoon, I am very sad but I have no alternative other than to withdraw my, and the official opposition's support, for him. It is simply not good enough merely to announce just another meeting. I am very mindful of the convention that the official opposition supports the office of Speaker, and I continue to do that. But I cannot stand idly by while the office is brought into serious disrepute. So I join with the Leader of the second opposition party and can announce this evening that the opposition will, at the earliest opportunity, use its next opposition day debate to debate a motion of confidence in the Speaker of the House of Commons."
He'd have virtually the whole country with him. It's not playing politics. It's defending Parliament.
The Speaker: What You Can Do...
Iain Dale 4:01 PM
Ordinary members of the public may feel that they are powerless to do anything. They are wrong.
Fifteen MPs have signed Douglas Carswell's Motion. They are Douglas Carswell, Kate Hoey, Norman Lamb, Richard Bacon, David Davis, Philip Hollobone, Paul Flynn, Gordon Prentice, Richard Shepherd, Philip Davies, John Hemming, Jo Swinson, Norman Baker, Lynne Featherstone, Stephen Williams.
Other MPs need to show their feelings now and sign this motion. What you can do is demonstrate your own sense of anger by emailing your MP, sending a message by Twitter or on Facebook urging them to sign this motion. You would be surprised at how much influence a barrage of emails can have. If you don't know the email address it is normally the surname, followed by the first initial followed by @parliament.uk. So Douglas Carswell is carswelld AT parliament DOT uk. Or you can submit a message via WriteToThem.com.
Do it. Now.
UPDATE: Ian Gibson and Greg Mulholland are now signing the EDM. Let me know of others as you hear them.
Fifteen MPs have signed Douglas Carswell's Motion. They are Douglas Carswell, Kate Hoey, Norman Lamb, Richard Bacon, David Davis, Philip Hollobone, Paul Flynn, Gordon Prentice, Richard Shepherd, Philip Davies, John Hemming, Jo Swinson, Norman Baker, Lynne Featherstone, Stephen Williams.
Other MPs need to show their feelings now and sign this motion. What you can do is demonstrate your own sense of anger by emailing your MP, sending a message by Twitter or on Facebook urging them to sign this motion. You would be surprised at how much influence a barrage of emails can have. If you don't know the email address it is normally the surname, followed by the first initial followed by @parliament.uk. So Douglas Carswell is carswelld AT parliament DOT uk. Or you can submit a message via WriteToThem.com.
Do it. Now.
UPDATE: Ian Gibson and Greg Mulholland are now signing the EDM. Let me know of others as you hear them.
In The Name of the People, Go!
Iain Dale 3:59 PM
I feel a profound sense of both anger and sadness having listened to the Speaker's statement. Sadness that he refused to address any of the Points of Order and anger that he made no mention of hos own plans. All he did was announce a plan to call a meeting of party leaders. It's window dressing. He showed no sign that he recognises the parlous state of his own standing in the House of Commons. He said he would not allow a debate on the motion put down by Douglas Carswell and fourteen other MPs and it had to be a substantive motion. David Davis asked how a backbencher could put down a substantive motion. The Speaker had to take advice from the clerks who told the Speaker to say that it was a matter for the government, not the chair. David David had asked to see the Speaker today to ask advice on this matter privately. The Speaker refused to see him.
Susan Kramer asked if the government might provide an opposition day debate. The Speaker said this was not a matter for him.
But the most wounding intervention of all came from a very unexpected source. Sir Patrick Cormack, a great defender of the rights of Parliament, asked him to reflect on his position and urged him to understand that in terms of crisis, our Parliamentary status is similar to that of the country in the Norway debate in 1940. For those whose historical knowledge is not quite as good as Sir Patrick's, the Chamerlain government won a vote of confidence, but Chamberlain still resigned. It was the debate in which Leo Amery shouted: "In the name of God, go!"
The Speaker displayed his won inability to do his job today. His lack of command of parliamentary procedure was self evident. Surely no one, not even the most tribal of Labour MPs, could deny that Mr Speaker signed his own political death warrant today.
Make no mistake, this motion will be debated one way or another. Parliament has got to reassert its own sovereign rights. The government must provide time for it to be debated, preferably for a full day.
Adam Boulton described this afternoon as a low point in the history of our Parliamentary democracy. If anything that is an understatement. The people of this country just won't stand for what has happened today, and I wouldn't be surprised to see marches on Parliament soon if we are not careful.
UPDATE: The line from one or two Labour MPs is that Michael Martin is a "scapegoat". Unbelievable.
Susan Kramer asked if the government might provide an opposition day debate. The Speaker said this was not a matter for him.
But the most wounding intervention of all came from a very unexpected source. Sir Patrick Cormack, a great defender of the rights of Parliament, asked him to reflect on his position and urged him to understand that in terms of crisis, our Parliamentary status is similar to that of the country in the Norway debate in 1940. For those whose historical knowledge is not quite as good as Sir Patrick's, the Chamerlain government won a vote of confidence, but Chamberlain still resigned. It was the debate in which Leo Amery shouted: "In the name of God, go!"
The Speaker displayed his won inability to do his job today. His lack of command of parliamentary procedure was self evident. Surely no one, not even the most tribal of Labour MPs, could deny that Mr Speaker signed his own political death warrant today.
Make no mistake, this motion will be debated one way or another. Parliament has got to reassert its own sovereign rights. The government must provide time for it to be debated, preferably for a full day.
Adam Boulton described this afternoon as a low point in the history of our Parliamentary democracy. If anything that is an understatement. The people of this country just won't stand for what has happened today, and I wouldn't be surprised to see marches on Parliament soon if we are not careful.
UPDATE: The line from one or two Labour MPs is that Michael Martin is a "scapegoat". Unbelievable.
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