there won’t be any in Europe after this…”
This picture was taken in Beijing during the June 2005 trip where Peter Mandelson arranged the trade deal that has resulted in a Europe that has too much wine and not enough trousers. Which is a great strategy for a party, but a crap idea for the European economy.
Mandelson has taken a three week holiday whilst retailers and consumer groups go beserk at the prospect of knicker and bra shortages. You would have thought that Mandelson would have grasped that his job as trade commissioner was to promote international trade, not block it. His free trade credentials are now as threadbare as our worn out trousers will be next year – with Chinese trouser imports reduced to one pair of trousers per four Europeans per year – no really. His abandoned free trade rhetoric has led one pro-trade group to name him as their Protectionist of the Month.
Oh Mandy, Mandy, where did it all go wrong? Instead of strutting the stage like an international statesmen with the press waiting on your every pout, your legacy will be to be remembered as the producer-protecting, quota-chopping, bra-blocking, knicker-stopping trade commissioner.
So the old Watsonian Scottish toff, who looks like Krusty-the-Clown, is now keen to emphasise that he is a young man for the 21st Century Party as much as Cameron is keen to emphasise his experience of, err, erm.. drafting press releases. Rifkind willl be 63 come the next election, which is the same age as Howard was when he lost the last election.
Give it up Rifkind.
Mike Watson MSP also known as Lord Watson of Invergowrie finally appeared in the dock at Edinburgh’s Sheriff Court to deny the two charges of wilful fireraising.
The first of the two charges alleges that on 12 November last year, at the reception area of the Prestonfield Hotel, Priestfield Road, Edinburgh, Watson set a curtain alight and did so wilfully. The fire is said to have taken hold and the curtain, a curtain pole, walls and a ceiling were damaged “and the lives of the patrons of said hotel were endangered”.
The second charge relates to the same date, but specifies the Yellow Room at the luxury hotel. There, Watson is accused of setting fire to a curtain, again wilfully, and the curtain is said to have been damaged and the lives of those in the hotel endangered.
M’Lud was attending the Scottish Politician of the Year awards dinner on the night in question and there are obvious similarities with Mr. Fawkes and the 1605 Westminster affair even if there wasn’t thirty six barrels of gunpowder.
Watson is on the board of Dundee United, his third wife and was suspended by Labour following his arrest. He also held the position of tourism minister but was best known for being the architect of the controversial legislation which banned fox hunting with dogs. His trial starts on 5th September.
Guido knows how easily these things can get out of hand….
Haskins is quoted as saying: “Personal friendship is more important than party loyalty. Danny Alexander is an old friend.”
Haskins rises a notch in my estimation. Admittedly from quite a low level.
Imagine if he was a black sex symbol – from hiscampaign on behalf of the Commission for Racial Equality
…For much of the last parliament I sat on the home affairs select committee. Following 9/11 we examined these issues in some detail…
…And as a Home Office adviser in the 1990s I know the awesome responsibility on the Home Office to get it right…
He has been a spin merchant and a drone at CCO before becoming a minister’s SpAd, prior to being elected to parliament a mere 4 years ago. Is that a thin CV for someone who wants to be PM in 4 years time?
