The Guardian’s Michael White in this week’s Backbencher mailout;
Everyone is keeping a death-watch eye on Ming at the moment because he is doing persistently badly at PMQs. Did he do better? No. He asked about Dunblane, the school massacre of 10 years ago, and why hadn’t a national gun register been kept? Well, Mr Blair said handguns had been banned, just as he said later to other questioners worried about stabbing, after the London schoolboy’s murder last week, that steps had been taken.
Strange to say, Sir Ming Campbell, sticking to his script, regardless of the fact the question had already been asked, then said: three weeks ago the PM said the Home Office was fit for purpose, John Reid says it’s not. Who’s right? Which is it? Interesting here, Mr Blair is quite gentle with Ming Campbell, and went through it all quite kindly. It’s as if it suits him to keep him where he is, rather than cudgel him into the ground, as he did with Charles Kennedy and Paddy Ashdown.
So who paid? U.S. sources say it is not any government programme, but given the popularity of Tony Blair in the U.S. the surname would have opened the coffers of many Anglophile foundations. Who knows, maybe the treasury of the Skull and Bones Society helped out the son of the closest ally of the society’s most powerful member?
Euan could of course be “tapped” to become one of the fifteen new initiates selected each year to join the ranks of the Skull and Bones. Dubya himself followed in his father’s footsteps in becoming a member. As we have learnt, nothing is impossible with the Blairs.
*You may get a “Conspiracy Member” T-shirt.
Some will have particularly relished his Portcullis House cry on the shoulder with Oona King, where she regaled us with the tale of her begging the whips to be allowed to go home to see her partner once a week. No really. Could these two ex-MPs* be bidding to replace Abbot and Portillo as politico-media tarts?
At the end of Oaten’s piece Paxman’s face was a tribute to self-control and shows that he is a professional worth every penny of the million quid that those of you stupid enough to pay in TV licence fees pay him. Even so Paxo’s eyes betrayed his inner feelings.
UPDATE : Yes, the Oaten competition result is overdue. Patience – got a new t-shirt design coming.
*He will be.
Subject: [LONDON-LDS] Bromley and Chislehurst update
From: “Pete Dollimore” < pete.dollimore@HILLINGDON.LIBDEMS.ORG>
Date: Mon, May 22, 2006 9:14 am
To: ld-londonactivists-l@LISTS.LIBDEMS.ORG.UK… The local party want to clear the decks ready for what’s expected to be a busy time. They would very much appreciate extra help to get their Thank You Focuses out in Town Ward and Plaistow and Sundridge wards.Please call Toby Philpot on 07962 XXXXXX if you can offer your help, and perhaps bring over a few of your colleagues from your local party?
There is a fast train service to Bromley South from London Victoria — about 15 minutes journey time. There is also a stopping service on the same line, and others from London Blackfriars. Other stations in the constituency include Bickley and Bromley North (latter on a branch line). No doubt Toby can provide extra information.
Thanks,Pete
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Do email them your thoughts, Guido is sure they will appreciate it.
Alas, Iain Dale vetoed Guido’s plan to hand out hundreds of copies of the book to MPs to wave at PMQs today. Typical, none of Guido’s plans to disrupt parliament ever seem to meet with success.