I've just looked at the Thornberry tweet. I'm not sure I get the significance. It's the sort of snap anyone might take and it didn't seem to be accompanied by any type.
That boat sailed a long time ago.
She removed the text from the tweet.
So what was the text?
Yeah, what was the text? AFAIK she posted it without commenting on it.
Entirely predictable. When are the grown-ups coming back to run the Labour operation? It is beyond belief.
The senior souls in the party need to take control, as in accepting that a loss needs to be mitigated against in 2015 and the ministerial faces from 2010 need to be expunged, while the new MP's from 2010 and 2015 need to be the face from next year.
Some working class front men and women would help.
The Islington/Hampstead set need political decapitation.
Guido Fawkes @GuidoFawkes 30s30 seconds ago BREAKING: EMILY THORNBERRY RESIGNS
Blimey - I honestly thought Thornberry’s tweet, though crass, was hardly a resigning issue.
oh well never mind.
It wasn't remotely close to being a resigning issue until Ed panicked. It doesn't bode well for a full on gutter fight in the upcoming general next May. Ed is a terrible General.
Starting to wonder if this might be a perfect storm for another leadership crisis for Ed... the Thornberry shambles (and what seems frankly like Ed gutlessly surrendering one of his "allies" to cover himself), a persistent Tory lead in the polls, and a collapse in the byelection.
He's probably safe. But arguable that historians might write that this was the night that Labour lost the election.
I'm actually still laughing. That is hilarious and terrible at the same time. Have the political affairs at the highest level of a nuclear-armed power, within living memory the greatest Empire the world has ever seen, the world's 6th largest economy, a Big Five state at the UN, a nation of 64 million souls, come down to this...
White van man's England flags and Paisley Pyjamas.
This is incredible - Democrats are comparing tonight's Obama executive action announcement on immigration to Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation proclamation
Should be impeached, acting like an African dictator.
No point - given the length of the process at most it would shorten his term by about 3 months. It would mean Joe Biden would be POTUS. Who would want that? Plus he swims naked and is 72 today.
What on earth is politics coming to when a Shadow Minister resigns over a photograph with a neutral comment under it? I can't stand Emily Thornberry but she deserves better on this. This General Election promises to be the most bizarre ever.
I'm 600 miles away and I could see it was one of the dumbest tweets by a politician since Twitter was invented.
Well, we see it differently. Still, I don't have huge sympathy for politician who tweet in any case. A very difficult medium to get across often complex messages.
I'm actually still laughing. That is hilarious and terrible at the same time. Have the political affairs at the highest level of a nuclear-armed power, within living memory the greatest Empire the world has ever seen, the world's 6th largest economy, a Big Five state at the UN, a nation of 64 million souls, come down to this...
White van man's England flags and Paisley Pyjamas.
Guido Fawkes @GuidoFawkes 30s30 seconds ago BREAKING: EMILY THORNBERRY RESIGNS
Blimey - I honestly thought Thornberry’s tweet, though crass, was hardly a resigning issue.
oh well never mind.
It wasn't remotely close to being a resigning issue until Ed panicked. It doesn't bode well for a full on gutter fight in the upcoming general next May. Ed is a terrible General.
It was utterly a resigning issue. It would have been better for Ed to sack her - on the spot and instantly. That was his only way back from this disaster.
"Labour sources are even more emphatic. They are predicting that Ukip will get about 45% of the vote, the Tories 37/38/39% and that they will be squeezed down to about 10% or 11%."
45% + 38% + 11% = 94%, leaving just 6% for all the others ....... doesn't bode well for the Yellows does it?
Tell you what if Kelly gets that sort of vote I reckon that's a good job done and leaves the seat eminently retakeable in May. we shall see.
Emily Thornberry now the top story on BBC News, where before she was just mentioned in passing in the main story about the Tories' imminent byelection loss.
The complete lack of PR nous at the top of the Labour party...
I'm actually still laughing. That is hilarious and terrible at the same time. Have the political affairs at the highest level of a nuclear-armed power, within living memory the greatest Empire the world has ever seen, the world's 6th largest economy, a Big Five state at the UN, a nation of 64 million souls, come down to this...
White van man's England flags and Paisley Pyjamas.
Bleeding eck.
As I say - the next election promises to be the most bizarre since rotten boroughs were abolished.
Guido Fawkes @GuidoFawkes 30s30 seconds ago BREAKING: EMILY THORNBERRY RESIGNS
Blimey - I honestly thought Thornberry’s tweet, though crass, was hardly a resigning issue.
oh well never mind.
It wasn't remotely close to being a resigning issue until Ed panicked. .
I didn't think a Cabinet Minister swearing a police officer was a resigning issue, so I would of course agree, but in any case it just seems such a weird result really. She didn't say much at all really with that tweet, although if she did not think it would definitely look like she was being disdainful she cannot be that great, and though amusing it seemed like a normal 'of interest to political wonks' sort of storm would erupt. Cutting her loose is either a really bold move to stop a bigger debate on Labour's out of touchness (which it is amazing has not caused more of an issue very often) from sparking, or a bizarre bit of flailing panic. We know Ed can be ruthless, taking on his brother and all that (and I applaud him for that, maybe due to being a younger brother myself).
Thornberry going seems something of an overreaction, but either good to bury the chaos on a terrible night for the Tories, or else nice of them to distract from the terrible night for the Tories.
They have distracted from Tories. No wonder Ed was reported to be angriest ever. It is incompetence beyond words.
I would flipping love to see Ed getting angry, I imagine it is like a hungry puppy yapping at its owner. Utterly terrifying!
Total bloody over reaction about the flags though, they must be getting in a tizz at Labour HQ.
@camillalong: This Emily Thornberry thing feels like 100% flounce
So there is an emerging media view that this was not Strong Ed wielding the knife, but Snotty Emily sticking the boot in as she leaves the sinking ship
Please tell me this is a joke. If Ed fired her because of that tweet he's a clown. That is the most insane reason for a resignation I've ever heard of. I think Ed must have a death wish or he's a secret fitfth columnist trying to deflect attention from the Tory defeat.
Not if UKIP got 70% it wouldn't. Not going to happen of course, but he seems to underestimate how many are looking for any excuse to take the plunge without getting wet, by which I mean actually take a big risk on losing their own seats if they defected.
Emily Thornberry now the top story on BBC News, where before she was just mentioned in passing in the main story about the Tories' imminent byelection loss.
The complete lack of PR nous at the top of the Labour party...
Please tell me this is a joke. If Ed fired her because of that that tweet he's a clown. That is the most insane reason for a resignation I've ever herad of. I think Ed must have a death wish or he's a secret fitfth columnist trying to deflect attention from the Tory defeat.
What a fu*king idiot
Calm down @Roger, you mustn't swear like that, remember your liver. We've all long known that labour was led by idiots, why did it take you so long to realise that fact?
"Labour sources are even more emphatic. They are predicting that Ukip will get about 45% of the vote, the Tories 37/38/39% and that they will be squeezed down to about 10% or 11%."
45% + 38% + 11% = 94%, leaving just 6% for all the others ....... doesn't bode well for the Yellows does it?
Tell you what if Kelly gets that sort of vote I reckon that's a good job done and leaves the seat eminently retakeable in May. we shall see.
That's right.
If the Tories are as close as 6% to UKIP on a turnover of 50% or more it's a pretty decent nite for them. If Labour has dropped to that level though, you would expect UKIP to be closer to 50% - maybe even a shade over, if the patterns of churn in Rochester are similar to what we have seen elsewhere. That would give the Kippers a win of 10% or more, which I am sure they would regard as perfectly acceptable.
Much more than 10% of course and the Tories will have little to comfort themselves with, apart of course from Ms Thornbury's departure.
BTW - YouGov must be yet another outlier. Still, it should make this weekend's ELBOW very interesting!
Indeed - I've just visited Betfair's GE markets to adjust my positions before the World catches up ....... as someone once said: "for the things they are a changin'. "
What we seasoned observers realised from the Reckless nonsense last night then. Single figure UKIP win? Or is Farage now dampening in order to pump tomorrow?
Either way, Kle4 got it spot on last night: UKIP are no different from the rest. Flannel. Dissemination and Spin.
Sad really. The romantic in me liked the idea of a successful party that was different. They aren't.
Garbage. You have never had anything but utter disdain and contempt for UKIP. Trying to pretend now that you wanted any success for them is completely dishonest.
Me too!
The reason Tyndall is misguided is that I've seen through UKIP from the outset. They're not the solution but the problem: for the most part they're tired angry old men whinging and whining from the margins.
I'd love to see a successful genuinely fresh new force in British politics. UKIP are the opposite.
You have seen through fuck all.
You are without doubt the most arrogant, condescending poster ever on here, which might just be OK if you didn't spout tribal bollocks.
Tim B, if President Obama proposes to disregard US immigration laws, what legal sanction is available.
He has already disregarded them. His proposal tonight is apparently to circumvent them completely. He has already single handedly changed Obamacare over 40 times.
The options are to go to court or defund Obama's measures. At this point impeachment is unrealistic.
"Labour sources are even more emphatic. They are predicting that Ukip will get about 45% of the vote, the Tories 37/38/39% and that they will be squeezed down to about 10% or 11%."
45% + 38% + 11% = 94%, leaving just 6% for all the others ....... doesn't bode well for the Yellows does it?
Tell you what if Kelly gets that sort of vote I reckon that's a good job done and leaves the seat eminently retakeable in May. we shall see.
That's right.
If the Tories are as close as 6% to UKIP on a turnover of 50% or more it's a pretty decent nite for them. If Labour has dropped to that level though, you would expect UKIP to be closer to 50% - maybe even a shade over, if the patterns of churn in Rochester are similar to what we have seen elsewhere. That would give the Kippers a win of 10% or more, which I am sure they would regard as perfectly acceptable.
Much more than 10% of course and the Tories will have little to comfort themselves with, apart of course from Ms Thornbury's departure.
My guess for tonights winning margin was 6.6% for UKIP, so if those figures are correct I may win the prize.
Emily Thornberry now the top story on BBC News, where before she was just mentioned in passing in the main story about the Tories' imminent byelection loss.
The complete lack of PR nous at the top of the Labour party...
Incredible isn't it? Especially as Labour voters appear en masse to have helped Reckless win. Then the leadership deflects from the meme with this fiasco.
I'm sure Twitter can be a very useful tool for public figures like MPs, and they are probably all advised to get one so they can at least forward on messages from central office, but will at some point they become more trouble than they are worth - you'd need to monitor all your MPs feeds all the time to hope they don't make some stupid comment, or retweet a comment from a BNP supporter by mistake or something, and be forced to fire them.
As expected though, we are getting a bit of back and forth between 'Ed should have sacked her immediately' and 'Ed's really weak for sacking her'. Come on Ed, that's not how the game is played - you were supposed to be criticised for sticking by this snob, not actually sacking her over a bloody tweet.
This is hilarious. The press have got about six hours of dead air to fill between now and the announcement of the by election result. Anyone care to guess what they'll use to do it?
This is hilarious. The press have got about six hours of dead air to fill between now and the announcement of the by election result. Anyone care to guess what they'll use to do it?
To report on Emily Thornberry's "resignation" ......... yawn.
I'm actually still laughing. That is hilarious and terrible at the same time. Have the political affairs at the highest level of a nuclear-armed power, within living memory the greatest Empire the world has ever seen, the world's 6th largest economy, a Big Five state at the UN, a nation of 64 million souls, come down to this...
White van man's England flags and Paisley Pyjamas.
Bleeding eck.
Flags have been a serious issue in the UK for years. People have died and been burned out of their homes over flags. In recent years in the UK.
What on earth is politics coming to when a Shadow Minister resigns over a photograph with a neutral comment under it? I can't stand Emily Thornberry but she deserves better on this. This General Election promises to be the most bizarre ever.
I'm 600 miles away and I could see it was one of the dumbest tweets by a politician since Twitter was invented.
Well, we see it differently. Still, I don't have huge sympathy for politician who tweet in any case. A very difficult medium to get across often complex messages.
Tory Up North: That last two sentences should be embossed in 96 point gold type above the entrances to the palaces of Westminster. If you can sum up your case in 140 characters, you almost certainly haven't understood it. Twitter is fine for the communication of very simple information (e.g. election results to the terminally impatient). If your subject would better be addressed by an argumentative essay, then that is the medium you should choose.
New entertaining Clarke scenario - he defects to the ravaged LDs after 2015 and is elected Leader, now they are free of their RedLiberal section (and most of their votes)
I look at that tweet, and I think, that's a resigning issue, but John McDonnell's comment about Esther McVey or Ken Livingstone's comment on the Tower Hamlets aren't?
Please tell me this is a joke. If Ed fired her because of that tweet he's a clown. That is the most insane reason for a resignation I've ever heard of. I think Ed must have a death wish or he's a secret fitfth columnist trying to deflect attention from the Tory defeat.
Should I pop round and tell my Asian neighbours that you think they are chavs?
Seems Emily is not alone in her views
If you want I am pleased you are on good terms with them.
I used to have a big Union Jack flag with Dronfield Owls written on it
Flags are rubbish these days especially on cars.
Cuts down your MPG too.
I also used to go to away matches with scarfs out of both back windows.
Was getting through about 10 scarves a season.
Unlike you and Emily I generally don't judge people by what flags they hang out of their windows.
Bet you don't have car flags though do you?
Or a white van.
Perhaps you can introduce me to your Asian neighbours they sound a wonderful example of the great Multicultural Society we have become to me.
I am in Colchester, do come up if you can bear to mix with the working class.
We have people from everywhere around here.
I was pleased they hung out England flags you and your party think of them as chavs though - mores the pity.
We can talk about the problems of getting a child into an overcrowded primary school whilst you are here,
I didn't know you were in Colchester, floater!
I grew up in one of the villages outside (which I shan't name, for privacy reasons) and went to school there.
I am quite astounded that anyone could live anywhere that wasn't in any way socially mixed at any point in their lives.
The daft lass has a constituency only a dozen miles (as the crow flies, I counted so I couldn't be accused of hyperbole) from Romford, where this picture might as well have been taken, complete with white van. Or Thurrock or Basildon, which would add a few miles to the count admittedly. There's no need for her to go out as far as Colchester or the Kentish wilderness to observe the lesser-spotted working class - the group of people her party was originally created to represent, for goodness sake. Even a few bits of Newham or Waltham Forest might have done, if she'd wanted it within walking distance.
Much as politicians despise swathes of the press, the allegedly sinister Murdochdrones behind the Sun know their target market just as well as the malicious makers of the Mail. I don't expect her tastes and opinions to coincide with such folk. I'm not even expecting her to grok them, let alone like them. But a vague awareness that the folk who she is nominally meant to be representing in the first place actually exist might have come in handy for her.
I believe ed said at pmqs, Dave won't be smiling on Friday.
He might be wrong on that..
On current evidence of incompetence from all sides, I'm surprised either of them can muster more than a pained grimace instead of a smile. The benefits of all that professional politico training I guess.
I'm actually still laughing. That is hilarious and terrible at the same time. Have the political affairs at the highest level of a nuclear-armed power, within living memory the greatest Empire the world has ever seen, the world's 6th largest economy, a Big Five state at the UN, a nation of 64 million souls, come down to this...
White van man's England flags and Paisley Pyjamas.
Bleeding eck.
Flags have been a serious issue in the UK for years. People have died and been burned out of their homes over flags. In recent years in the UK.
I might be wearing my Union Jack cuff links tomorrow.
Depends if I dress in a suit or not, or do I go for the jeans and red trainers look again?
I look at that tweet, and I think, that's a resigning issue, but John McDonnell's comment about Esther McVey or Ken Livingstone's comment on the Tower Hamlets aren't?
I dont think you can resign from the awkward squad.
Okay, step back time. Let's be clear for a sec, using detective skills.
Reckless last night inadvertently declared his hand i.e. it's not the thumping victory he'd originally expected. Farage tonight says it's no massive win Tories say there's absolutely no chance whatever they will win.
Ergo, it's probably a UKIP win by 5-10%, possibly a little higher but not a thumping 20% lead.
Tyndall, the reason UKIP are no different from the rest are that they're playing the same stupid tired old mind games as the others. It's as pathetic from Farage as it is from Cameron, Clegg and Miliband. Sorry to you-kippers on here but you're a far cry from a new political force.
@paulwaugh: Sounds to me v much like Thornberry didn't jump, she was pushed. Her Guardian defence must've sent an already furious Miliband off the scale
@JohnRentoul: EdM cannot have been stupid enough to think it was a good idea to make story bigger, surely?
Wonderful cartoon, Marf! Hope to see you at Dirty Dick's tomorrow!
She's planning to be there, Sunil, early. I know she is hoping to see you there, and also Weejohnny, I believe. Apparently she has something for him. Can't imagine what it might be.
@paulwaugh: Lab sources say Miliband 'absolutely determined not to let anything distract the party" from mission to move from Opposition to Govt
Apart from really high profile and spectacularly badly managed resignation/sacking to snatch defeat from the jaws of what might have been a relatively benign news cycle.
Peter_the_Punter said: » show previous quotes My guess for tonights winning margin was 6.6% for UKIP, so if those figures are correct I may win the prize.
I stand to be corrected PtP, but I could have sworn that your competition entry was for UKIP to achieve a double digit lead ....... 10% - 12% iirc.
Okay, step back time. Let's be clear for a sec, using detective skills.
Reckless last night inadvertently declared his hand i.e. it's not the thumping victory he'd originally expected. Farage tonight says it's no massive win Tories say there's absolutely no chance whatever they will win.
Ergo, it's probably a UKIP win by 5-10%, possibly a little higher but not a thumping 20% lead.
Tyndall, the reason UKIP are no different from the rest are that they're playing the same stupid tired old mind games as the others. It's as pathetic from Farage as it is from Cameron, Clegg and Miliband. Sorry to you-kippers on here but you're a far cry from a new political force.
"Ergo, it's a UKIP win by 5-10%." Well @audreyanne, keep your knickers on. I'll be mighty satisfied with a UKIP win of between 5-10% points. Your real nightmare is if UKIP win 200 seats by 5-10% at the GE15.
Okay, step back time. Let's be clear for a sec, using detective skills.
Reckless last night inadvertently declared his hand i.e. it's not the thumping victory he'd originally expected. Farage tonight says it's no massive win Tories say there's absolutely no chance whatever they will win.
Ergo, it's probably a UKIP win by 5-10%, possibly a little higher but not a thumping 20% lead.
Tyndall, the reason UKIP are no different from the rest are that they're playing the same stupid tired old mind games as the others. It's as pathetic from Farage as it is from Cameron, Clegg and Miliband. Sorry to you-kippers on here but you're a far cry from a new political force.
Why not take my under five seats bet then if you are that confident
Jesus Christ. Just when you think Ed can't get any more ridiculous this happens. The cluelessness is breathtaking. Tough on tweets. It really is The Thick of It.
Wonderful cartoon, Marf! Hope to see you at Dirty Dick's tomorrow!
She's planning to be there, Sunil, early. I know she is hoping to see you there, and also Weejohnny, I believe. Apparently she has something for him. Can't imagine what it might be.
Great news. I'm going to try to get there by 6.00. If I leave Coventry by 4.00 I should make it.
@JGForsyth: Thornberry going over Tweet sets the bar low for future calls for Labour resignations, suspect Labour leadership will regret tonight in time
"Stewart Jackson MP @SJacksonMP 33m33 minutes ago
Any Tory MP who defects to UKIP on the basis of the result in Rochester and Strood (whatever it is) would frankly be completely insane"
I suppose he thinks splitting infinitives isn't as bad as splitting his party
No split infinitive there. Presumably you object to dividing 'be' from its complement by an adverb, which is not the same thing at all and is perfectly legitimate.
Comments
Some working class front men and women would help.
The Islington/Hampstead set need political decapitation.
Emily Thornberry earlier today
@EmilyThornberry: Just coming into #Rochester. Clouds are gathering for Cameron http://t.co/Y8g4rSWFjJ
White van man's England flags and Paisley Pyjamas.
Bleeding eck.
We have people from everywhere around here.
I was pleased they hung out England flags you and your party think of them as chavs though - mores the pity.
We can talk about the problems of getting a child into an overcrowded primary school whilst you are here,
Any Tory MP who defects to UKIP on the basis of the result in Rochester and Strood (whatever it is) would frankly be completely insane"
https://twitter.com/SJacksonMP
The complete lack of PR nous at the top of the Labour party...
That doesn't shore up Ed's position much...
Total bloody over reaction about the flags though, they must be getting in a tizz at Labour HQ.
So there is an emerging media view that this was not Strong Ed wielding the knife, but Snotty Emily sticking the boot in as she leaves the sinking ship
I grew up in one of the villages outside (which I shan't name, for privacy reasons) and went to school there.
I am quite astounded that anyone could live anywhere that wasn't in any way socially mixed at any point in their lives.
What a fu*king idiot
(Welsh people note, this is neither good nor desirable)
He might be wrong on that..... thick of it effort by the government in waiting...
It's about who and what they are.
Emily Thornberry.....Labour MP? Really?
Lib Dem or Green, maybe. But Labour?
It's nothing to do with policy. It's what she is.
We've all long known that labour was led by idiots, why did it take you so long to realise that fact?
You are without doubt the most arrogant, condescending poster ever on here, which might just be OK if you didn't spout tribal bollocks.
The options are to go to court or defund Obama's measures. At this point impeachment is unrealistic.
As expected though, we are getting a bit of back and forth between 'Ed should have sacked her immediately' and 'Ed's really weak for sacking her'. Come on Ed, that's not how the game is played - you were supposed to be criticised for sticking by this snob, not actually sacking her over a bloody tweet.
And they are right to panic.... They could yet be slugging it out for third place on votes with UKIP come May.
@rosschawkins: So Ed M & Emily T had two conversations, in second Lab src says she said she thought the right to do was to resign & Ed agreed
Twitter is fine for the communication of very simple information (e.g. election results to the terminally impatient). If your subject would better be addressed by an argumentative essay, then that is the medium you should choose.
Word has it at Mark Reckless for Rochester & Strood got 49% of the votes;!!!
Much as politicians despise swathes of the press, the allegedly sinister Murdochdrones behind the Sun know their target market just as well as the malicious makers of the Mail. I don't expect her tastes and opinions to coincide with such folk. I'm not even expecting her to grok them, let alone like them. But a vague awareness that the folk who she is nominally meant to be representing in the first place actually exist might have come in handy for her.
Depends if I dress in a suit or not, or do I go for the jeans and red trainers look again?
Any Tory MP who defects to UKIP on the basis of the result in Rochester and Strood (whatever it is) would frankly be completely insane"
I suppose he thinks splitting infinitives isn't as bad as splitting his party
Reckless last night inadvertently declared his hand i.e. it's not the thumping victory he'd originally expected.
Farage tonight says it's no massive win
Tories say there's absolutely no chance whatever they will win.
Ergo, it's probably a UKIP win by 5-10%, possibly a little higher but not a thumping 20% lead.
Tyndall, the reason UKIP are no different from the rest are that they're playing the same stupid tired old mind games as the others. It's as pathetic from Farage as it is from Cameron, Clegg and Miliband. Sorry to you-kippers on here but you're a far cry from a new political force.
@Britainelects
Uplands (Swansea):
Independent GAIN from Labour.
@paulwaugh: Sounds to me v much like Thornberry didn't jump, she was pushed. Her Guardian defence must've sent an already furious Miliband off the scale
@JohnRentoul: EdM cannot have been stupid enough to think it was a good idea to make story bigger, surely?
Would be good for the swingback prediction, i.e. horrific for Labour...
All we need now is a cull of the majority in the shadow cabinet and we may get our labour party back.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30137334
I'm...actually ok with that amount. Politically difficult though I imagine.
Apart from really high profile and spectacularly badly managed resignation/sacking to snatch defeat from the jaws of what might have been a relatively benign news cycle.
Lucy Powell, take a bow
The heart beat of the country.
» show previous quotes
My guess for tonights winning margin was 6.6% for UKIP, so if those figures are correct I may win the prize.
I stand to be corrected PtP, but I could have sworn that your competition entry was for UKIP to achieve a double digit lead ....... 10% - 12% iirc.
Well @audreyanne, keep your knickers on. I'll be mighty satisfied with a UKIP win of between 5-10% points. Your real nightmare is if UKIP win 200 seats by 5-10% at the GE15.
Would have thought most red blooded males might like that
A sacking not a resignation, sounds like. Thornberry sealed her fate by complaining critics 'prejudiced...towards Islington'
Ed's next disaster.