I was digging around You Tube the other day for Dead Ringers clips to enjoy at home. We are particularly hooked on those Kirsty Wark impressions, which have us in guaranteed hysterics:
Hello and welcome to Newsnight with me, Kirsty Wark. I can be blue, I can be brown, I can be anything you want me to be. More on that story later.
....Gets us every time. Anyway, while searching, I found this classic - below. I know it's a bit 'old newsy' now, but I enjoyed it.
It's Ken Livingstone losing it over the Lee Jasper thing, while being questioned by the London Assembly.
What is exceptional about the clip is Sally Hamwee, who is in the the chair and tries to get Ken to shut up. You couldn't imagine a more even-tempered and conciliatory chair than Sally Hamwee. Her reasonableness adds an extra element of bizarreness to Ken's behaviour.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
That "back of the net" moment
I made the most of it. Yesterday I was showing a little slip of paper to anyone who would spare me a few seconds of their time. The little slip of paper had this written on it:
14th Feb 2007
Bet placed
Barack Obama US Presidential Election 2008 Democratic Nominee
Price: 13/5
Deep joy!
14th Feb 2007
Bet placed
Barack Obama US Presidential Election 2008 Democratic Nominee
Price: 13/5
Deep joy!
Why Obama would be insane to have Hillary as Veep running mate
It's all beautifully summed up here by Kelly McParland:
Barack Obama can’t possibly be bright enough to capture the Democratic presidential nomination and dumb enough to immediately undermine it by offering second spot on the ticket to Hillary Clinton.
Hat-tip to Justin Webb, who puts it nicely:
...it's not just the perceived gracelessness of her demeanour in recent hours: it's the simple fact that Barack Obama does not want That Man down the corridor. He wants Bill for his ambassador to Vanuatu. It's the Bill, stupid.
Barack Obama can’t possibly be bright enough to capture the Democratic presidential nomination and dumb enough to immediately undermine it by offering second spot on the ticket to Hillary Clinton.
Hat-tip to Justin Webb, who puts it nicely:
...it's not just the perceived gracelessness of her demeanour in recent hours: it's the simple fact that Barack Obama does not want That Man down the corridor. He wants Bill for his ambassador to Vanuatu. It's the Bill, stupid.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Henley: Withering criticism of Tory "lies"
ThameNews.net carries some extraordinarily strong words directed at David Cameron from the Green candidate at the Henley by-election, Mark Stevenson:
"You may remember how our campaigns (in the 2001 Witney general election) coincided on several occasions, how we had a number of conversations and even joined for lunch at a country pub. I remember being impressed by your evident desire to take green politics seriously, I also remember being impressed by the way in which you sought common ground and to build on it"
Mark goes on to express his concerns about the Conservative campaign tactics in the run-up to the Henley by-election:
". . . a Party that deliberately engenders misinformation for its own advantage is a Party that lies; a Party that lies to the public is not fit for government. It is certainly not a Party that embodies the values that I remember you held in 2001."
Mark Pack covered a related ThameNews.net story here on Liberal Democrat Voice earlier.
"You may remember how our campaigns (in the 2001 Witney general election) coincided on several occasions, how we had a number of conversations and even joined for lunch at a country pub. I remember being impressed by your evident desire to take green politics seriously, I also remember being impressed by the way in which you sought common ground and to build on it"
Mark goes on to express his concerns about the Conservative campaign tactics in the run-up to the Henley by-election:
". . . a Party that deliberately engenders misinformation for its own advantage is a Party that lies; a Party that lies to the public is not fit for government. It is certainly not a Party that embodies the values that I remember you held in 2001."
Mark Pack covered a related ThameNews.net story here on Liberal Democrat Voice earlier.
Updated: Will Boris relieve Peter Mandelson of his onerous duties today?
Updated: Sorry I conflated two roles - It's the Steward and Bailliff of the Manor of Northstead which Boris will apply for, and that role is currently held by Peter Mandelson(!). Tony Blair continues to beaver away as doubrey-feature for the Chiltern Hundreds. Thanks to Gavin Whenman and Jock Coats for the correction.
If you were wondering, the manor of Northstead is what is now the Barrowcliff area of Scarborough in Yorkshire. See photo above of the Barrowcliff Hotel.
It's at times like these when I do a few searches on matters of procedure. Looking at Unlock Democracy's briefing paper on the Commons, if there is to be a Henley by-election on 26th June, it is today (or was it yesterday?) that Boris Johnson will have to write to Alistair Darling (as Chancellor the job is in his gift - imagine the job interview!) to apply for Tony Blair's job as Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham, and of the Manor of Northstead (Tony Blair is the holder because he was the last person who applied for it to occasion a by-election).
Then the writ has to be moved. Reading a Commons research document, this has to be done 15-19 working days before election day (depending on the date for nominations which is set by the returning officer).
If Boris doesn't apply for his new job today, then the next date available for the by-election would be 3rd July - now that really would be fun. The middle of the Henley Regatta! Traffic jams and Pimms O'Clock all round on polling day!
It's at times like these when I do a few searches on matters of procedure. Looking at Unlock Democracy's briefing paper on the Commons, if there is to be a Henley by-election on 26th June, it is today (or was it yesterday?) that Boris Johnson will have to write to Alistair Darling (as Chancellor the job is in his gift - imagine the job interview!) to apply for Tony Blair's job as Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham, and of the Manor of Northstead (Tony Blair is the holder because he was the last person who applied for it to occasion a by-election).
Then the writ has to be moved. Reading a Commons research document, this has to be done 15-19 working days before election day (depending on the date for nominations which is set by the returning officer).
If Boris doesn't apply for his new job today, then the next date available for the by-election would be 3rd July - now that really would be fun. The middle of the Henley Regatta! Traffic jams and Pimms O'Clock all round on polling day!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Stephen Kearney asks Henley Tories to withdraw leaflet
Stephen Kearney, LibDem candidate for the Henley by-election has written to his opposite number as follows:
Dear Councillor Howell,
I write to ask you to withdraw a leaflet published on your behalf by the Conservative Party. The leaflet which I enclose states that I live outside Henley Constituency. As you will be aware I moved to Aston Rowant several weeks ago, as I promised I would do to local people.
It is disappointing to me that your campaign has started off in such a manner and I hope that you will be able to moderate your campaign team in future weeks. I intend to fight an honest and positive campaign on the issues that matter to local people. I hope that you will join me in such a debate.
Kind regards,
Stephen Kearney
Liberal Democrat Campaigner for Henley Constituency
Dear Councillor Howell,
I write to ask you to withdraw a leaflet published on your behalf by the Conservative Party. The leaflet which I enclose states that I live outside Henley Constituency. As you will be aware I moved to Aston Rowant several weeks ago, as I promised I would do to local people.
It is disappointing to me that your campaign has started off in such a manner and I hope that you will be able to moderate your campaign team in future weeks. I intend to fight an honest and positive campaign on the issues that matter to local people. I hope that you will join me in such a debate.
Kind regards,
Stephen Kearney
Liberal Democrat Campaigner for Henley Constituency
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Mark Oaten - a ceasefire
Thanks to Jonathan Calder for posting a comment left by Mark Oaten on Political Betting.
I found the comment to be a searingly honest and open 'plea from the heart' ("yes I screwed up") and I am most grateful to Mark Oaten for leaving it. He ends with this:
i have kept martin tod, chris rennard, nick clegg and the tory candidate steve brine in the picture about all of this and done my best to be open about the future but its not easy given the amount of hate towards me and the desire some people have to cause trouble. Thankfuly people in winchester remain so nice and positive despite my mistakes- i wish the lib dem bloggers and others would show the same forgivness.
I, for one, will now be entering a "ceasefire" on any catty remarks about Mark (looking back I think I have managed to be relatively restrained although not blameless on that front).
He is forgiven.
....And I will not be reacting every time the Tories or the media think they can drum up a bit of hysteria with a Winchester by-election story.
The man and his family deserve some space.
I found the comment to be a searingly honest and open 'plea from the heart' ("yes I screwed up") and I am most grateful to Mark Oaten for leaving it. He ends with this:
i have kept martin tod, chris rennard, nick clegg and the tory candidate steve brine in the picture about all of this and done my best to be open about the future but its not easy given the amount of hate towards me and the desire some people have to cause trouble. Thankfuly people in winchester remain so nice and positive despite my mistakes- i wish the lib dem bloggers and others would show the same forgivness.
I, for one, will now be entering a "ceasefire" on any catty remarks about Mark (looking back I think I have managed to be relatively restrained although not blameless on that front).
He is forgiven.
....And I will not be reacting every time the Tories or the media think they can drum up a bit of hysteria with a Winchester by-election story.
The man and his family deserve some space.
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