Bad Results for LibDems – Harry Phibbs
Tories Worried Gordon Might Fall – Nick Robinson
Ian Gibson Resigns and Triggers By-Election – PoliticsHome
Monster Raving Loony Beats Labour – Cambridge News
Downing Street Counter-Coup operation – Paul Waugh
Anonymous blog commenter wrote
“Things are so bad that Susan Boyle has rung Downing Street to check that Gordon Brown is OK.”
“Lines to Take” from Labour HQ" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 68, 119); ">Post-Election On-Message “Lines to Take” from Labour HQ
If you have ever wondered how it is that all the broadcasters always seem to end up with on-message Labour talking-heads spouting exactly the same drivel after an election, here is why – Labour HQ emails everyone a briefing on “lines to take” before they go on air. The degree of control demanded by New Labour means ambitious MPs can’t be allowed to think up their own answers.
Hence we end up with a series of robotic talking heads mouthing the party line. Backbenchers and cabinet ministers alike will all parrot the same form of words regardless of the question asked. If you were watching the news yesterday you will have heard the script. Guido is grateful to a “real socialist” co-conspirator for providing yesterday’s“lines to take”. If you want to see it, Guido has uploaded the dull script tohere. Hopefully the next leader of the Labour Party will be less Stalinist and permit Labour MPs to think for themselves…
UPDATE : It appears that Paul Waugh has blogged this already.
We Paid the Piper for Brown
The Telegraph has had a closer look at Brown’s receipts and learnt that not only has he charged his cleaning to the taxpayer, he double-dipped for two properties after flipping his designation when he moved into Downing Street. Gordon flipped the designation of his second home from London to Scotland 10 days after Blair announced he would begoing. This allowed Gordon to carry on claiming a second home allowance after he moved into Downing Street. He has now been shamed into repaying the imprudent simultaneous over-claiming on two properties.
This detail is up there with claiming for wreaths; according to theTelegraph
… a detailed analysis of Mr Brown’s expense claims also reveals that the Prime Minister claimed £30 on his office expenses for the cost of hiring a bagpiper to play at a ceremony for veterans.
George Wallace, who played at a “veterans’ badge presentation” at a church in Kirkcaldy, told The Daily Telegraph: “I took a few hours off work but I said I wasn’t worried about getting paid. I was quite surprised when the cheque came from Gordon Brown.”
Gordon Brown being generous with other people’s money? The story of his political life…
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