Author: |Posted: 6:20 pm on 08/02/10
Category: Gary Gibbon on Politics
Labour has decided it’s a bit too embarrassing to carry on using its lawyers while the three Labour MPs facing trials are using them too, so it is letting it be known that it will not be instructing the firm, Steel and Shamash, until the cases of the three MPs are finished.
That’s a second cave-in, the Tories will claim, after pre-briefing on David Cameron’s speech this morning seemed to trigger Labour to suspend its three MPs from the party. read more
Author: |Posted: 1:57 pm on 04/02/10
Category: Gary Gibbon on Politics
Sir Christopher Kelly, Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, talked to the Public Administration Committee this morning.
He refused several invitations to take a pot shot at Sir Thomas Legg.
He said to the committee: “I think all of you are guilty of having gone along with a system which you must have known was flawed.” read more
Author: |Posted: 12:22 pm on 04/02/10
Category: Gary Gibbon on Politics
There are two very different reports inside the volume published by Parliament today. Sir Thomas Legg, who led the audit, kicks off at the front of the document saying why he’s been right to tackle expenses the way he has.
At the back, the former Appeal Court Judge Sir Paul Kennedy says that one of Sir Thomas’ approaches was “damaging, unfair and wrong.” (p. 174). On retrospective limits on gardening and cleaning, Sir Paul says Sir Thomas was wrong to imply “impropriety” on the part of those who “overclaimed” when no claim limit existed. read more
Author: |Posted: 2:47 pm on 02/02/10
Category: Gary Gibbon on Politics
Just watching Gordon Brown at the Liaison Committee and they’re going to get round to constitutional reform a bit later, before they do some questions on “Being Prime Minister!”
Anyway, the Prime Minister was a little earlier giving a speech on constitutional reform, fresh from the Cabinet giving the go-ahead to an amendment to the Constitutional Renewal Bill calling for a fresh wave of constitutional reform.
Compare and contrast an interview we did with Lord Ashdown last summer, which you can see below, with these words from Gordon Brown’s speech today.
Gordon Brown: “As a constitutional reformer and long-standing supporter of change I admit that I at times have been frustrated by slowness of the process of change.”
Lord Ashdown:
Gordon Brown:
Author: |Posted: 12:01 pm on 02/02/10
Category: Gary Gibbon on Politics
At a George Osborne speech at British Museum announcing eight benchmarks on which electors could judge his chancellorship.
Five shadow Cabinet members are on the stage staring with that devoted concentration Nancy Reagan once made her own.
Mr Osborne has unveiled seven FTSE-100 chief executives including Stelios the EasyJet boss. read more
Author: |Posted: 5:15 pm on 01/02/10
Category: Gary Gibbon on Politics
Interesting FOI disclosure: the Treasury’s in-house assessment of how “fiscal consolidations” have worked in other countries.
Some chunky redactions, alas. But you can see what you’re permitted to here.
My own FOI request to see this document was rejected. Someone else must’ve written a better phrased letter. read more
Author: |Posted: 3:50 pm on 29/01/10
Category: Gary Gibbon on Politics
It’s sepulchral in the room itself. Reg Keys, sitting in the second row, stares grimly at the TV screen of Blair’s face unflinchingly.
Mr Blair’s bodyguards – one standing, one sitting – stare out at the public. Mr Blair himself often seems to be in political more than “lessons learned” inquiry mode. read more
Author: |Posted: 2:04 pm on 29/01/10
Category: Gary Gibbon on Politics
Our political correspondent offers his analysis on Tony Blair’s performance at the Iraq inquiry today.
Author: |Posted: 12:43 pm on 29/01/10
Category: Gary Gibbon on Politics
More implied criticism from Tony Blair of current (I assume UK and US) political leadership for not being tougher on Iran now as he was tough on Iraq back in 2003.
No doubt Gordon Brown has heard this argument direct from his predecessor. Lord Butler’s inquiry (members included Sir John Chilcot) has already gone round the block on WMD intelligence and I’m not sure today’s evidence session added much to that.
Tony Blair was asked about the size of the British force deployed in Iraq – he said the military wanted to go big and he said if you abandon or go against America it is “a long way back.” read more
Author: |Posted: 11:14 am on 29/01/10
Category: Gary Gibbon on Politics
You get the strong impression listening to Tony Blair that if he was still in charge there would be a loud drumbeat of military pressure against Iran right now.
Mr Blair acknowledged that he told President Bush at Crawford ranch as early as April 2002 that Britain would be with US if there was military action. read more
