"(Gavin Williamson) also has zero experience as a minister and is now running a department which oversees the massive defence budget which is a significant part of Britain’s GDP."
Oh no - she's done it again. The first time was when she picked Boris Johnson, a man with zero experience of foreign affairs, of central government, and even of being a shadow minister. She put him in charge of foreign affairs when the job got hard, after the referendum.
Can anyone actually be this incompetent? Or was it that nobody with a modicum of experience and competence (such as Amber Rudd for example) wanted to accept promotion if it would mean they'd get too closely associated with a prime minister who is so obviously on her way out? Or, which is probably the same point in different words, is it that she has no friends other than the whips? Esther McVey is an appallingly bad pick too. This government is a flipping nightmare. And at a time like this! This is the most incompetent crew I have ever seen in power in this country.
As is the story about Corbyn speaking at a meeting of an extremist Islamist organisation rather than attend a meeting with an elected PM and hear our own PM talk about anti-Semitism. I’m sure Roger will be just as exercised by this cosying up to extremists as he is by the unpopular and no doubt to Roger extremist Israeli PM being invited.
The Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, no stranger to trouble already, may well be very close to the chair below the noose being kicked away.
Jared Kushner's positioning is very interesting. There have been rumours he's been pretty co-operative, without quite being a supergrass, but there is talk he is about to come under some very serious pressure from the current investigation.
What may have something to do with Brexit is the complaint against 76 year old Brexiteer Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins. Interesting that he has been singled out.
I don't think Andrew Neil will be inviting her back - she has just upset him big time.
What did she say?
She was saying how people always thought she had no sense of humour because she objected to tasteless humour.
She then quoted a joke she objected to at a local student union many years ago - and claimed people 'like Andrew (Neil)' would have found it funny and accused her of having a sense of humour by pass for objecting to it.
She then told the joke - how do you fit 100 Jewish people in a taxi being the opening line. I won't give the punchline but it involved an ashtray.
Neil then got very angry with her to put it mildly! Indeed she was annoying him the whole show as she wouldn't shut up and allow him to move on to the next segment.
Probably. Nevertheless the Irish FM is correct. Brexit promises ARE undeliverable. Unless and until both Remainers and Leavers accept Brexit will happen and it will be utterly crap, we can't move forward. It's about damage limitation, but you can't do that unless you accept there is damage that needs to be limited.
To this day I am amazed that any country can survive outside of the EU.
Unfortunately, it comes back to the bollox that some Remainers spouted about how the UK *was* still an independent country and being in the EU was nothing more than a great big economic club with a few tiny bits of political alignment.
Nothing further from the truth.
A no-deal Brexit should have, if that were true, put us back in the position we had prior to Lisbon (or prior to 1973). Ie, trade deals in place with other countries and possibly even the other EU states themselves.
But it's rubbish. Leaving the EU, especially without a deal, puts us almost as a new state in the world. No trade deals with any other country on day 1. Even if we manage to secure a deal with the EU, it still leaves us on day 1 with no other deals with any other nation.
And the timetable to agree anything with the EU was farcically short. Two years. It took 40 to get where we are. Whilst taking 40 to get out shouldn't be required, it should have been more like 5.
But that's the EU's fault. Put in a provision 'pretending' that you can leave, but make it so difficult to do that no sane government would want to. What the EU forgot about (as they always do) is democracy and a country holding a referendum to leave.
What may have something to do with Brexit is the complaint against 76 year old Brexiteer Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins. Interesting that he has been singled out.
It seems more likely that it's because he was promoted to the shadow cabinet after an allegation was made against him, allegedly against the advice of the whips office - which if correct is very problematic for the leadership, who have flat out denied it. Given the chaos around the reshuffles after he mass resignations it doesn't seem too unlikely that it was, perhaps even accidentally, overlooked. Not that it'll affect St. Jez's canonisation by some.
Interesting comment from Portillo on This Week that he doesn't know Williamson but has friends whose opinion he (Portillo) rates very highly that do know Williamson and they all say he is outstandingly good.
The Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, no stranger to trouble already, may well be very close to the chair below the noose being kicked away.
Jared Kushner's positioning is very interesting. There have been rumours he's been pretty co-operative, without quite being a supergrass, but there is talk he is about to come under some very serious pressure from the current investigation.
You think Sessions will be arrested? Or fired by Trump? Seems clear he has lied to Congress.
There is briefing that Trump has lost faith in Kushner... previously he has been loyal to family but I wonder if that will change...
Categorical denial of the Leadsom story from Fallon, which makes his resignation even stranger.
If you are going to engineer a social change over sexual garrassmemt, then making a show over an ostensibly trivial case, from fifteen years ago - where the 'victim' herself thinks it beyond ridiculous that Fallon resigned - then you are more likely to split the country down the middle than achieve your aim.
Allowing a list to circulate which conflates stories of genuine harassment with entirely consensual (but potentially embarrassing) behaviour makes the matter worse.
Are we going to end up with US style culture wars where even the most blatant behaviour gets defended by the anti PC group almost as a badge of honour ? That would be utterly toxic to a cohesive society, and would be antithetical to who we are as a nation.
Can anyone think of a time when the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition were both forced to resign in the same week? Because these stories are starting to look terminal for both party leaders (and it's easy to imagine Cable could be in trouble too).
Can anyone think of a time when the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition were both forced to resign in the same week? Because these stories are both starting to look terminal for both party leaders (and it's easy to imagine Cable could be in trouble too).
Nah. The Corbyn apologists in Labour will just shrug it off, in the same way they do all his other actions. "We may have been agin him before the election because of his views, but now he's a loser winner those views are absolutely fine and dandy."
There's a deep sickness in Labour that shows it symptoms frequently - for instance the covering up of its rampant antisemitism.
Can anyone think of a time when the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition were both forced to resign in the same week? Because these stories are starting to look terminal for both party leaders (and it's easy to imagine Cable could be in trouble too).
I doubt either are going anywhere. Wandering hands may well cut a swathe through May’s potential replacements, and there are no problems in the Labour Party - just ask Lady Chakrabati for a whitewash report.
The BBC has Ms Hartley-Brewer saying 'that if he had gone because of her knee, it would be "the most absurd reason for anyone to have lost their job in the history of the universe”. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41854582
There’s GOT to be more to it than that, but is it a manufactured plot to take our attention from the Horlicks of Brexit?
The BBC has Ms Hartley-Brewer saying 'that if he had gone because of her knee, it would be "the most absurd reason for anyone to have lost their job in the history of the universe”. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41854582
There’s GOT to be more to it than that, but is it a manufactured plot to take our attention from the Horlicks of Brexit?
You think Theresa May is capable of doing that?
Can we please have some evidence to support this remarkable suggestion that she's sufficiently intelligent and well-organised to do so?!!!
A bit too suggestive about how she could warm her hands it seems.
Thus ends a political career.
As a one off in a work setting or official-social event this would be a bad comment, but probably not a resigning matter.
But if as has been suggested this was a joke made as one of many many inappropriate comments, and Leadsome had not encouraged the behaviour, then yes it should be a resigning matter. The latter scenario is sexually controlling and manipulative.
The Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, no stranger to trouble already, may well be very close to the chair below the noose being kicked away.
Jared Kushner's positioning is very interesting. There have been rumours he's been pretty co-operative, without quite being a supergrass, but there is talk he is about to come under some very serious pressure from the current investigation.
Didn't Kushner recently dismiss his Secret Service detail for a week or was that Don Jr?
If it's as reported, then she's been really silly. At best.
It's extremely difficult to get into Israel. They suspect everyone travelling privately of being a terrorist. When I went they were pretty unpleasant even though I had accreditation from Yad Vashem that I was visiting them for scholarly reasons. It's one reason why their tourist trade, which should be off the scale given that Israel is not only a sacred and historic country but is also quite stunningly beautiful, is actually pretty underwhelming.
Without going into details, if it is found that she was able to have her path smoothed for this holiday by agreeing to meet senior officials, she's toast.
The BBC has Ms Hartley-Brewer saying 'that if he had gone because of her knee, it would be "the most absurd reason for anyone to have lost their job in the history of the universe”. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41854582
There’s GOT to be more to it than that, but is it a manufactured plot to take our attention from the Horlicks of Brexit?
You think Theresa May is capable of doing that?
Can we please have some evidence to support this remarkable suggestion that she's sufficiently intelligent and well-organised to do so?!!!
Where did I suggest TMay had anything to do with it?
If it's as reported, then she's been really silly. At best.
It's extremely difficult to get into Israel. They suspect everyone travelling privately of being a terrorist. When I went they were pretty unpleasant even though I had accreditation from Yad Vashem that I was visiting them for scholarly reasons. It's one reason why their tourist trade, which should be off the scale given that Israel is not only a sacred and historic country but is also quite stunningly beautiful, is actually pretty underwhelming.
Without going into details, if it is found that she was able to have her path smoothed for this holiday by agreeing to meet senior officials, she's toast.
That's odd. I can't say I can recall anyone who has travelled to Israel for a holiday outside of religious reasons, but I do know lots of people who have travelled there on business - Israel has some very good tech firms. I can't recall having heard of any problems.
I guess there're different rules for business and leisure.
If it's as reported, then she's been really silly. At best.
It's extremely difficult to get into Israel. They suspect everyone travelling privately of being a terrorist. When I went they were pretty unpleasant even though I had accreditation from Yad Vashem that I was visiting them for scholarly reasons. It's one reason why their tourist trade, which should be off the scale given that Israel is not only a sacred and historic country but is also quite stunningly beautiful, is actually pretty underwhelming.
Without going into details, if it is found that she was able to have her path smoothed for this holiday by agreeing to meet senior officials, she's toast.
Is it really that difficult? I thought you didn't even need a VISA to visit Israel...
In this current climate TM could finish her main rivals careers.
Boris asked me to ...............
David was staring at my ................
The current climate is dangerous for every male MP
Every male schoolteacher I think fears that one day a child will make malicious allegations against them. It is a nasty weapon and it gets used more often than is widely admitted. (There is a child protection officer in Gloucester who thinks children never lie about such things. He should never have been released from whatever secure institution he was spending time in.)
That said, I would not consider somebody who had behaved as Fallon admits he has behaved fit to work in a school. That further said, he doesn't.
On a different topic, how are things with you? Was there ever any resolution of that disaster over the hotel bed?
If it's as reported, then she's been really silly. At best.
It's extremely difficult to get into Israel. They suspect everyone travelling privately of being a terrorist. When I went they were pretty unpleasant even though I had accreditation from Yad Vashem that I was visiting them for scholarly reasons. It's one reason why their tourist trade, which should be off the scale given that Israel is not only a sacred and historic country but is also quite stunningly beautiful, is actually pretty underwhelming.
Without going into details, if it is found that she was able to have her path smoothed for this holiday by agreeing to meet senior officials, she's toast.
That's odd. I can't say I can recall anyone who has travelled to Israel for a holiday outside of religious reasons, but I do know lots of people who have travelled there on business - Israel has some very good tech firms. I can't recall having heard of any problems.
I guess there're different rules for business and leisure.
I did some voluntary work in East Jerusalem and in the West Bank, staying with Palestinian Christians. I flew El Al, and apart from the vetting at the airport in both directions no issues at all.
You don't need a visa, but they are pretty sticky unless you have accreditation from the person you are visiting (I'm guessing that's how your friends got in, Josias).
Even then as I found they ask some pretty searching questions. One member of the party was even strip-searched.
If it's as reported, then she's been really silly. At best.
It's extremely difficult to get into Israel. They suspect everyone travelling privately of being a terrorist. When I went they were pretty unpleasant even though I had accreditation from Yad Vashem that I was visiting them for scholarly reasons. It's one reason why their tourist trade, which should be off the scale given that Israel is not only a sacred and historic country but is also quite stunningly beautiful, is actually pretty underwhelming.
Without going into details, if it is found that she was able to have her path smoothed for this holiday by agreeing to meet senior officials, she's toast.
That's odd. I can't say I can recall anyone who has travelled to Israel for a holiday outside of religious reasons, but I do know lots of people who have travelled there on business - Israel has some very good tech firms. I can't recall having heard of any problems.
I guess there're different rules for business and leisure.
I did some voluntary work in East Jerusalem and in the West Bank, staying with Palestinian Christians. I flew El Al, and apart from the vetting at the airport in both directions no issues at all.
The BBC has Ms Hartley-Brewer saying 'that if he had gone because of her knee, it would be "the most absurd reason for anyone to have lost their job in the history of the universe”. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41854582
There’s GOT to be more to it than that
There is. Post Hartley-Brewer Fallon was fine. Post Leadsom he was not. See thread header.
The BBC has Ms Hartley-Brewer saying 'that if he had gone because of her knee, it would be "the most absurd reason for anyone to have lost their job in the history of the universe”. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41854582
There’s GOT to be more to it than that, but is it a manufactured plot to take our attention from the Horlicks of Brexit?
You think Theresa May is capable of doing that?
Can we please have some evidence to support this remarkable suggestion that she's sufficiently intelligent and well-organised to do so?!!!
More likely a too clever twonk in CCHQ who thought it would be a brill wheeze, without thinking through the consequences.
In this current climate TM could finish her main rivals careers.
Boris asked me to ...............
David was staring at my ................
The current climate is dangerous for every male MP
Every male schoolteacher I think fears that one day a child will make malicious allegations against them. It is a nasty weapon and it gets used more often than is widely admitted. (There is a child protection officer in Gloucester who thinks children never lie about such things. He should never have been released from whatever secure institution he was spending time in.)
That said, I would not consider somebody who had behaved as Fallon admits he has behaved fit to work in a school. That further said, he doesn't.
On a different topic, how are things with you? Was there ever any resolution of that disaster over the hotel bed?
Mrs BJ is moving to her sister today thankfully.
We now have a problem when we return home next week.
They are refusing on safety grounds to return the gantry hoist we have been using for the last 10 month and which they agree we need. Although of course we could buy the exact same model privately. They have agreed to provide and fit a ceiling hoist but that may take 12 weeks!!
I am up at Director of Adult Care level so far and seriously considering involving my MP
If it's as reported, then she's been really silly. At best.
The whole Tory government is in hock to a number of unsavoury ME regimes, so from their perspective, Patel has done nothing wrong. If Corbyn was PM, he would take a much more principled approach, and I can imagine that a Labour government would have issued an apology for the infamous letter issued by a former foreign secretary 100 years ago yesterday.
In this current climate TM could finish her main rivals careers.
Boris asked me to ...............
David was staring at my ................
The current climate is dangerous for every male MP
Every male schoolteacher I think fears that one day a child will make malicious allegations against them. It is a nasty weapon and it gets used more often than is widely admitted. (There is a child protection officer in Gloucester who thinks children never lie about such things. He should never have been released from whatever secure institution he was spending time in.)
That said, I would not consider somebody who had behaved as Fallon admits he has behaved fit to work in a school. That further said, he doesn't.
On a different topic, how are things with you? Was there ever any resolution of that disaster over the hotel bed?
Mrs BJ is moving to her sister today thankfully.
We now have a problem when we return home next week.
They are refusing on safety grounds to return the gantry hoist we have been using for the last 10 month and which they agree we need. Although of course we could buy the exact same model privately. They have agreed to provide and fit a ceiling hoist but that may take 12 weeks!!
I am up at Director of Adult Care level so far and seriously considering involving my MP
That's awful. Just what you don't need. Really sorry to hear this and I hope that you and your MP if needed can get this mess sorted out.
Hope Mrs BJO feels better once she's back with family. Best wishes to you both.
I have to go to work. Have a good morning everyone.
If it's as reported, then she's been really silly. At best.
It's extremely difficult to get into Israel. They suspect everyone travelling privately of being a terrorist. When I went they were pretty unpleasant even though I had accreditation from Yad Vashem that I was visiting them for scholarly reasons. It's one reason why their tourist trade, which should be off the scale given that Israel is not only a sacred and historic country but is also quite stunningly beautiful, is actually pretty underwhelming.
Without going into details, if it is found that she was able to have her path smoothed for this holiday by agreeing to meet senior officials, she's toast.
That's odd. I can't say I can recall anyone who has travelled to Israel for a holiday outside of religious reasons, but I do know lots of people who have travelled there on business - Israel has some very good tech firms. I can't recall having heard of any problems.
I guess there're different rules for business and leisure.
I did some voluntary work in East Jerusalem and in the West Bank, staying with Palestinian Christians. I flew El Al, and apart from the vetting at the airport in both directions no issues at all.
When was this?
It was a few years back, before the wall made such work much more difficult.
Hebron was the only really threatening place to visit. The IDF didn't like us going there, but apart from being rude at thr roadblocks didn't stop us.
If it's as reported, then she's been really silly. At best.
It's extremely difficult to get into Israel. They suspect everyone travelling privately of being a terrorist. When I went they were pretty unpleasant even though I had accreditation from Yad Vashem that I was visiting them for scholarly reasons. It's one reason why their tourist trade, which should be off the scale given that Israel is not only a sacred and historic country but is also quite stunningly beautiful, is actually pretty underwhelming.
Without going into details, if it is found that she was able to have her path smoothed for this holiday by agreeing to meet senior officials, she's toast.
Is it really that difficult? I thought you didn't even need a VISA to visit Israel...
Try for a ticket on El Al and your name and id will be checked against a data base, if it is flagged, a more thorough investigation takes place and appropriate action is taken. The Israelis, for many good reasons, are very careful about who visits.
If it's as reported, then she's been really silly. At best.
It's extremely difficult to get into Israel. They suspect everyone travelling privately of being a terrorist. When I went they were pretty unpleasant even though I had accreditation from Yad Vashem that I was visiting them for scholarly reasons. It's one reason why their tourist trade, which should be off the scale given that Israel is not only a sacred and historic country but is also quite stunningly beautiful, is actually pretty underwhelming.
Without going into details, if it is found that she was able to have her path smoothed for this holiday by agreeing to meet senior officials, she's toast.
That's odd. I can't say I can recall anyone who has travelled to Israel for a holiday outside of religious reasons, but I do know lots of people who have travelled there on business - Israel has some very good tech firms. I can't recall having heard of any problems.
I guess there're different rules for business and leisure.
I did some voluntary work in East Jerusalem and in the West Bank, staying with Palestinian Christians. I flew El Al, and apart from the vetting at the airport in both directions no issues at all.
When was this?
It was a few years back, before the wall made such work much more difficult.
Hebron was the only really threatening place to visit. The IDF didn't like us going there, but apart from being rude at thr roadblocks didn't stop us.
I would quite like to go back and see more.
I would also love to go back, but I'm wary of it! Travelling entirely independently, rather than just going alone to join up with a group there, might be sticky.
My visit was just after Protective Edge, so perhaps they were extra jumpy. Strange was that once I got through it was fine!
A bit too suggestive about how she could warm her hands it seems.
Thus ends a political career.
As a one off in a work setting or official-social event this would be a bad comment, but probably not a resigning matter.
But if as has been suggested this was a joke made as one of many many inappropriate comments, and Leadsome had not encouraged the behaviour, then yes it should be a resigning matter. The latter scenario is sexually controlling and manipulative.
But, in this case, he denies it "categorically".
Don't get me wrong, I have no sympathy for Fallon whatsoever, but the manner of his resignation is deeply unsatisfactory.
Meanwhile, Jess Phillips was on R4 basically shrugging of the decision to appoint Kevin Hopkins to the Shadow Cabinet despite having been disciplined for what seems to have been an actual sexual assault.
If it's as reported, then she's been really silly. At best.
It's extremely difficult to get into Israel. They suspect everyone travelling privately of being a terrorist. When I went they were pretty unpleasant even though I had accreditation from Yad Vashem that I was visiting them for scholarly reasons. It's one reason why their tourist trade, which should be off the scale given that Israel is not only a sacred and historic country but is also quite stunningly beautiful, is actually pretty underwhelming.
Without going into details, if it is found that she was able to have her path smoothed for this holiday by agreeing to meet senior officials, she's toast.
That's odd. I can't say I can recall anyone who has travelled to Israel for a holiday outside of religious reasons, but I do know lots of people who have travelled there on business - Israel has some very good tech firms. I can't recall having heard of any problems.
I guess there're different rules for business and leisure.
I did some voluntary work in East Jerusalem and in the West Bank, staying with Palestinian Christians. I flew El Al, and apart from the vetting at the airport in both directions no issues at all.
When was this?
It was a few years back, before the wall made such work much more difficult.
Hebron was the only really threatening place to visit. The IDF didn't like us going there, but apart from being rude at thr roadblocks didn't stop us.
I would quite like to go back and see more.
I would also love to go back, but I'm wary of it! Travelling entirely independently, rather than just going alone to join up with a group there, might be sticky.
My visit was just after Protective Edge, so perhaps they were extra jumpy. Strange was that once I got through it was fine!
Have a good morning.
It certainly isn't an average destination. I have wandered about quite a bit independently in Africa and Asia so perhaps am a bit more blase about roadblocks with soldiers etc than others.
Next summer I am off to the World Cup so am anticipating Russian security as part of the experience. I got SF tickets in the lottery.
I do fear that the ridiculousness of some of these claims, and the confusion of them with more serious cases, might mean that all such accusations are automatically devalued and we end up with the same-old, same-old.
A bit too suggestive about how she could warm her hands it seems.
Thus ends a political career.
As a one off in a work setting or official-social event this would be a bad comment, but probably not a resigning matter.
But if as has been suggested this was a joke made as one of many many inappropriate comments, and Leadsome had not encouraged the behaviour, then yes it should be a resigning matter. The latter scenario is sexually controlling and manipulative.
But, in this case, he denies it "categorically".
Don't get me wrong, I have no sympathy for Fallon whatsoever, but the manner of his resignation is deeply unsatisfactory.
Defence sources acknowledged that Sir Michael had made sexist references about other women’s looks in Mrs Leadsom’s hearing, but denied he made the specific remark attributed to him.
You get the feeling the febrile atmosphere is here for a while.
I see someone in their last day at Twitter deactivated Trumps account LOL
I wonder if the person responsible should get the Nobel Peace Prize? After all, removing Trump from Twitter means he won't be able to say anything that might cause a war ...
Can anyone think of a time when the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition were both forced to resign in the same week? Because these stories are starting to look terminal for both party leaders (and it's easy to imagine Cable could be in trouble too).
I doubt either are going anywhere. Wandering hands may well cut a swathe through May’s potential replacements, and there are no problems in the Labour Party - just ask Lady Chakrabati for a whitewash report.
According to reports, the Labour Party Chief Whip, Rosie Winterton investigated the complaint and the MP concerned was reprimanded. That during one of Chicken Coup attempts, Corbyn temporarily appointed him to the Shadow Front bench to fill a necessary position is on record.
That he was punished for inappropriate behaviour, rather begs the question of where do you stop. If, in different times you were spanked as a child for misbehaviour, is that enough to stop or curb any future career, on the other hand, if you were spanked in a house of ill repute.... An exaggeration certainly, but?
So, more than a few of her potential replacements have the Sword of Damocles hanging over them and two (Fallon & Leadsom) are out of the equation...not been an altogether bad week for the PM..
I do fear that the ridiculousness of some of these claims, and the confusion of them with more serious cases, might mean that all such accusations are automatically devalued and we end up with the same-old, same-old.
I haven't been particularly following the rumours, but both Hopkins and Fallon seem to have been leery old men with wandering hands rather than anything more aggressive. Possibly more will come out.
A culture where that is tolerated does create space and opportunity for real offenses though, as we saw with Saville and Harris.
Can anyone think of a time when the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition were both forced to resign in the same week? Because these stories are starting to look terminal for both party leaders (and it's easy to imagine Cable could be in trouble too).
I doubt either are going anywhere. Wandering hands may well cut a swathe through May’s potential replacements, and there are no problems in the Labour Party - just ask Lady Chakrabati for a whitewash report.
According to reports, the Labour Party Chief Whip, Rosie Winterton investigated the complaint and the MP concerned was reprimanded
Mr. Jessop, I agree entirely. It's in danger of becoming like the expenses scandal, which was horrendously misreported and tarred the innocent or mildly guilty to the same degree as the very guilty, which allowed the latter to go without the full scrutiny they deserved.
Mr. B, quite. I was going to make a sarcastic comparison along the evil Tory cuts versus kind Labour cuts line, but it's rather too serious a subject.
Can anyone think of a time when the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition were both forced to resign in the same week? Because these stories are starting to look terminal for both party leaders (and it's easy to imagine Cable could be in trouble too).
I doubt either are going anywhere. Wandering hands may well cut a swathe through May’s potential replacements, and there are no problems in the Labour Party - just ask Lady Chakrabati for a whitewash report.
According to reports, the Labour Party Chief Whip, Rosie Winterton investigated the complaint and the MP concerned was reprimanded
So, more than a few of her potential replacements have the Sword of Damocles hanging over them and two (Fallon & Leadsom) are out of the equation...not been an altogether bad week for the PM..
Why would this damage Leadsome? Is being the target of smut now a crime?
Morning all, so more revelations overnight about MPs not being able to keep their hands to themselves - this could be much bigger than we thought a few days ago after all.
Meanwhile one former Twitter employee has ensured that he never get another job anywhere in the tech sector ever again!
So, more than a few of her potential replacements have the Sword of Damocles hanging over them and two (Fallon & Leadsom) are out of the equation...not been an altogether bad week for the PM..
Why would this damage Leadsome? Is being the target of smut now a crime?
You don't need a visa, but they are pretty sticky unless you have accreditation from the person you are visiting (I'm guessing that's how your friends got in, Josias).
Even then as I found they ask some pretty searching questions. One member of the party was even strip-searched.
Worth it when you get in though.
I travelled independently to Israel this summer with my daughter and had absolutely no difficulty at all. We weren’t even questioned on entry, let alone be regarded as terrorists. My daughter has been there several times, again with no problems. A very interesting country. I fully intend to return and explore some more. I would also love to explore more of the Middle East, once it becomes safe to do so.
I do fear that the ridiculousness of some of these claims, and the confusion of them with more serious cases, might mean that all such accusations are automatically devalued and we end up with the same-old, same-old.
I haven't been particularly following the rumours, but both Hopkins and Fallon seem to have been leery old men with wandering hands rather than anything more aggressive. Possibly more will come out.
A culture where that is tolerated does create space and opportunity for real offenses though, as we saw with Saville and Harris.
Indeed. Tittle-tattle of consensual activity and dirty old men is crowding out genuine complaints of sexual assault and relationships of power.
The most serious allegation, made against at least two political parties so far, is that of covering up complaints rather than addressing them.
So, more than a few of her potential replacements have the Sword of Damocles hanging over them and two (Fallon & Leadsom) are out of the equation...not been an altogether bad week for the PM..
Why would this damage Leadsome? Is being the target of smut now a crime?
Read the reported reaction of Tory MPs in OGH linked article.
So, more than a few of her potential replacements have the Sword of Damocles hanging over them and two (Fallon & Leadsom) are out of the equation...not been an altogether bad week for the PM..
Why would this damage Leadsome? Is being the target of smut now a crime?
Yes - she’s a woman who didn’t agree with the boys that this was just “banter” and, really, why doesn’t she just get a sense of humour etc ? (Sarcasm alert....)
Can anyone think of a time when the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition were both forced to resign in the same week? Because these stories are starting to look terminal for both party leaders (and it's easy to imagine Cable could be in trouble too).
I doubt either are going anywhere. Wandering hands may well cut a swathe through May’s potential replacements, and there are no problems in the Labour Party - just ask Lady Chakrabati for a whitewash report.
According to reports, the Labour Party Chief Whip, Rosie Winterton investigated the complaint and the MP concerned was reprimanded
Can anyone think of a time when the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition were both forced to resign in the same week? Because these stories are starting to look terminal for both party leaders (and it's easy to imagine Cable could be in trouble too).
I doubt either are going anywhere. Wandering hands may well cut a swathe through May’s potential replacements, and there are no problems in the Labour Party - just ask Lady Chakrabati for a whitewash report.
According to reports, the Labour Party Chief Whip, Rosie Winterton investigated the complaint and the MP concerned was reprimanded
So why’s he now been suspended?
"Further allegations"
So the first intervention wasn’t an unqualified success..
So, more than a few of her potential replacements have the Sword of Damocles hanging over them and two (Fallon & Leadsom) are out of the equation...not been an altogether bad week for the PM..
Why would this damage Leadsome? Is being the target of smut now a crime?
Asked that same question half an hour ago
For two reasons. The minor one is that she is damaging the party at a a time it is in difficulty. The fact she's probably in the right isn't that important.
The major reason is that being at the top in politics means you need to form personal (non-sexual) relationships, just as we all do at work. Anyone working with Leadsom from now on will be too busy watching their mouths and wondering whether anything they say - however innocently - will be misconstrued.
Basically: she will not be trusted. And given her sick and backward views, that's all to the good. She's not fit for any office, yet alone high office.
So Fallon apologies for something that the recipient was not the least bothered about, then is accused of making inappropriate comments 6 years ago that are in a “dossier “ prepared by Leadsome who doesn’t seem to have complained about it in the interim, the PM then loses confidence in him and asks him to resign? This gets ever more bizarre.
I think that the only way this makes sense is if Fallon has an existing reputation for making such comments and now someone has stuck her head above the parapet it is assumed others might come forward with other examples.
I think that the only way this makes sense is if Fallon has an existing reputation for making such comments and now someone has stuck her head above the parapet it is assumed others might come forward with other examples.
The Mail quote “Defence sources” acknowledging some off colour remarks...
So, more than a few of her potential replacements have the Sword of Damocles hanging over them and two (Fallon & Leadsom) are out of the equation...not been an altogether bad week for the PM..
Why would this damage Leadsome? Is being the target of smut now a crime?
Yes - she’s a woman who didn’t agree with the boys that this was just “banter” and, really, why doesn’t she just get a sense of humour etc ? (Sarcasm alert....)
I've seen groups of women together making comments that are deeply misandric. Should I just get a sense of humour? In one case, I just told them to p*ss off and grow up.
It's important to address such things as early as possible. If you say something you object to, tell them. It's then up to them to decide if you're being silly, or apologise, or alter their behaviour in future. Letting it fester just allows the behaviour to worsen.
Mrs J works in a very male environment, and there are such comments made. In some cases, she joins in because they're a reaction to a situation, and light-hearted, amongst people she likes and trusts. In a previous job she and others were bullied (non-sexually), and any such comments would have got a very different reaction.
I've no doubt the men making the comments at this company would not make them to strangers, or in different company. Its the mutual trust that helps.
So, more than a few of her potential replacements have the Sword of Damocles hanging over them and two (Fallon & Leadsom) are out of the equation...not been an altogether bad week for the PM..
Why would this damage Leadsome? Is being the target of smut now a crime?
Asked that same question half an hour ago
For two reasons. The minor one is that she is damaging the party at a a time it is in difficulty. The fact she's probably in the right isn't that important.
The major reason is that being at the top in politics means you need to form personal (non-sexual) relationships, just as we all do at work. Anyone working with Leadsom from now on will be too busy watching their mouths and wondering whether anything they say - however innocently - will be misconstrued.
Basically: she will not be trusted. And given her sick and backward views, that's all to the good. She's not fit for any office, yet alone high office.
Are you really saying that a woman has to shut up and put up with disgusting/demeaning/insulting comments in the workplace or not be trusted? Really?
Sheesh.....
If anyone has sick and backward views it’s those who think it ok for grown up men to behave like oafs around their female colleagues. And, to be clear, around their male colleagues since (a) men can be the target of abuse and (b) most men are decent human beings who don’t approve of this sort of behaviour.
In a word, yes. He’s been known about and covered up for decades.
There’s also a bunch of other Hollywood names waiting to be exposed for some very shocking and deviant sexual behaviour. Probably only a matter of time for most of them.
So, more than a few of her potential replacements have the Sword of Damocles hanging over them and two (Fallon & Leadsom) are out of the equation...not been an altogether bad week for the PM..
Why would this damage Leadsome? Is being the target of smut now a crime?
Yes - she’s a woman who didn’t agree with the boys that this was just “banter” and, really, why doesn’t she just get a sense of humour etc ? (Sarcasm alert....)
Quite - while I strongly dislike Leadsom, I don't blame her for this (though the categoric denial of the one specific allegation we've seen is every bit as unsatisfactory as Fallon's resignation statement). The problem for me is that the whole debate over sexual harassment is descending into a confused morass, and no one is providing clear leadership.
The contrast with the way in which Cameron rather adroitly managed a change in social attitudes over gay marriage is notable.
I do fear that the ridiculousness of some of these claims, and the confusion of them with more serious cases, might mean that all such accusations are automatically devalued and we end up with the same-old, same-old.
I haven't been particularly following the rumours, but both Hopkins and Fallon seem to have been leery old men with wandering hands rather than anything more aggressive. Possibly more will come out.
A culture where that is tolerated does create space and opportunity for real offenses though, as we saw with Saville and Harris.
The allegations against Hopkins are that, at the age of 73, he rubbed himself up against a girl in her 20’s. A touch aggressive, I’d have thought, as well as a high yukk factor.
If it's as reported, then she's been really silly. At best.
The whole Tory government is in hock to a number of unsavoury ME regimes, so from their perspective, Patel has done nothing wrong. If Corbyn was PM, he would take a much more principled approach, and I can imagine that a Labour government would have issued an apology for the infamous letter issued by a former foreign secretary 100 years ago yesterday.
What is there to apologise for? We should be proud of the Balfour Declaration.
So, more than a few of her potential replacements have the Sword of Damocles hanging over them and two (Fallon & Leadsom) are out of the equation...not been an altogether bad week for the PM..
Why would this damage Leadsome? Is being the target of smut now a crime?
Yes - she’s a woman who didn’t agree with the boys that this was just “banter” and, really, why doesn’t she just get a sense of humour etc ? (Sarcasm alert....)
I've seen groups of women together making comments that are deeply misandric. Should I just get a sense of humour? In one case, I just told them to p*ss off and grow up.
It's important to address such things as early as possible. If you say something you object to, tell them. It's then up to them to decide if you're being silly, or apologise, or alter their behaviour in future. Letting it fester just allows the behaviour to worsen.
Mrs J works in a very male environment, and there are such comments made. In some cases, she joins in because they're a reaction to a situation, and light-hearted, amongst people she likes and trusts. In a previous job she and others were bullied (non-sexually), and any such comments would have got a very different reaction.
I've no doubt the men making the comments at this company would not make them to strangers, or in different company. Its the mutual trust that helps.
Context matters of course. But there’s a time and place for everything and in a work environment you need to behave around your colleagues in a civilised and polite manner. It is possible to be funny without being sexually insulting.
I do fear that the ridiculousness of some of these claims, and the confusion of them with more serious cases, might mean that all such accusations are automatically devalued and we end up with the same-old, same-old.
I haven't been particularly following the rumours, but both Hopkins and Fallon seem to have been leery old men with wandering hands rather than anything more aggressive. Possibly more will come out.
A culture where that is tolerated does create space and opportunity for real offenses though, as we saw with Saville and Harris.
The allegations against Hopkins are that, at the age of 73, he rubbed himself up against a girl in her 20’s. A touch aggressive, I’d have thought, as well as a high yukk factor.
Something for which his party gave him a slap on the wrist, followed by a promotion a few months later.
I do fear that the ridiculousness of some of these claims, and the confusion of them with more serious cases, might mean that all such accusations are automatically devalued and we end up with the same-old, same-old.
I haven't been particularly following the rumours, but both Hopkins and Fallon seem to have been leery old men with wandering hands rather than anything more aggressive. Possibly more will come out.
A culture where that is tolerated does create space and opportunity for real offenses though, as we saw with Saville and Harris.
The allegations against Hopkins are that, at the age of 73, he rubbed himself up against a girl in her 20’s. A touch aggressive, I’d have thought, as well as a high yukk factor.
I agree, and such activity is not to be tolerated and is probably not isolated.
We are not yet at Saville, Harris or Weinstein levels though. My point is that a workplace culture that considers the first as banter, creates a climate where much worse can happen.
I do fear that the ridiculousness of some of these claims, and the confusion of them with more serious cases, might mean that all such accusations are automatically devalued and we end up with the same-old, same-old.
I haven't been particularly following the rumours, but both Hopkins and Fallon seem to have been leery old men with wandering hands rather than anything more aggressive. Possibly more will come out.
A culture where that is tolerated does create space and opportunity for real offenses though, as we saw with Saville and Harris.
The allegations against Hopkins are that, at the age of 73, he rubbed himself up against a girl in her 20’s. A touch aggressive, I’d have thought, as well as a high yukk factor.
I agree, and such activity is not to be tolerated and is probably not isolated.
We are not yet at Saville, Harris or Weinstein levels though. My point is that a workplace culture that considers the first as banter, creates a climate where much worse can happen.
Agreed. It’s not difficult to behave politely around people. I’m not entirely sure why people find this so hard. Did people turn into baboons when I wasn’t looking?
If it's as reported, then she's been really silly. At best.
The whole Tory government is in hock to a number of unsavoury ME regimes, so from their perspective, Patel has done nothing wrong. If Corbyn was PM, he would take a much more principled approach, and I can imagine that a Labour government would have issued an apology for the infamous letter issued by a former foreign secretary 100 years ago yesterday.
What is there to apologise for? We should be proud of the Balfour Declaration.
Exactly, a Jewish state in their ancient homeland after 2/3 of European Jews were murdered in the Holocaust.
Comments
Thus ends a political career.
It all leads back to Brexit.
Efecto mariposa
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5044825/Kevin-Spacey-tried-rape-boy-15.html
And then there is this - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/02/political-correctness-allowing-islamic-terrorism-flourish-government/
The Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, no stranger to trouble already, may well be very close to the chair below the noose being kicked away.
Jared Kushner's positioning is very interesting. There have been rumours he's been pretty co-operative, without quite being a supergrass, but there is talk he is about to come under some very serious pressure from the current investigation.
LD 3 (+3)
Lab 1(=)
Con 0 (-3)
2 more Con defences to come. Not a good night for Cons.
She then quoted a joke she objected to at a local student union many years ago - and claimed people 'like Andrew (Neil)' would have found it funny and accused her of having a sense of humour by pass for objecting to it.
She then told the joke - how do you fit 100 Jewish people in a taxi being the opening line. I won't give the punchline but it involved an ashtray.
Neil then got very angry with her to put it mildly! Indeed she was annoying him the whole show as she wouldn't shut up and allow him to move on to the next segment.
Nothing further from the truth.
A no-deal Brexit should have, if that were true, put us back in the position we had prior to Lisbon (or prior to 1973). Ie, trade deals in place with other countries and possibly even the other EU states themselves.
But it's rubbish. Leaving the EU, especially without a deal, puts us almost as a new state in the world. No trade deals with any other country on day 1. Even if we manage to secure a deal with the EU, it still leaves us on day 1 with no other deals with any other nation.
And the timetable to agree anything with the EU was farcically short. Two years. It took 40 to get where we are. Whilst taking 40 to get out shouldn't be required, it should have been more like 5.
But that's the EU's fault. Put in a provision 'pretending' that you can leave, but make it so difficult to do that no sane government would want to. What the EU forgot about (as they always do) is democracy and a country holding a referendum to leave.
There is briefing that Trump has lost faith in Kushner... previously he has been loyal to family but I wonder if that will change...
If you are going to engineer a social change over sexual garrassmemt, then making a show over an ostensibly trivial case, from fifteen years ago - where the 'victim' herself thinks it beyond ridiculous that Fallon resigned - then you are more likely to split the country down the middle than achieve your aim.
Allowing a list to circulate which conflates stories of genuine harassment with entirely consensual (but potentially embarrassing) behaviour makes the matter worse.
Are we going to end up with US style culture wars where even the most blatant behaviour gets defended by the anti PC group almost as a badge of honour ? That would be utterly toxic to a cohesive society, and would be antithetical to who we are as a nation.
There's a deep sickness in Labour that shows it symptoms frequently - for instance the covering up of its rampant antisemitism.
@britainelects 7h7 hours ago
Liberal Democrat GAIN Braunton East (North Devon) from Conservative.
Duke's (Sefton) result:
LDEM: 56.0% (+28.4)
CON: 26.3% (-9.4)
LAB: 13.9% (-2.3)
UKIP: 2.3% (-13.5)
GRN: 1.5% (-3.1)
@britainelects 6h6 hours ago
Aldwick West (Arun) result:
LDEM: 52.7% (+34.2)
CON: 35.2% (-16.7)
LAB: 8.2% (+8.2)
GRN: 4.0% (+4.0)
LDem GAIN from Con.
East Grinstead Imberhorne (Mid Sussex) result:
CON: 58.5% (-2.0)
LDEM: 22.3% (+22.3)
LAB: 11.9% (-8.7)
IND: 7.3% (+7.3)
No UKIP (-18.8).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41854582
There’s GOT to be more to it than that, but is it a manufactured plot to take our attention from the Horlicks of Brexit?
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-41853561
Does Andrea have a dirty mind?
Can we please have some evidence to support this remarkable suggestion that she's sufficiently intelligent and well-organised to do so?!!!
But if as has been suggested this was a joke made as one of many many inappropriate comments, and Leadsome had not encouraged the behaviour, then yes it should be a resigning matter. The latter scenario is sexually controlling and manipulative.
Doesn't sound she was in the wrong.
Do Tories not like people with cold hands?
Without going into details, if it is found that she was able to have her path smoothed for this holiday by agreeing to meet senior officials, she's toast.
Boris asked me to ...............
David was staring at my ................
The current climate is dangerous for every male MP
And no, I’m not a lizard-maniac!
I guess there're different rules for business and leisure.
I thought you didn't even need a VISA to visit Israel...
That said, I would not consider somebody who had behaved as Fallon admits he has behaved fit to work in a school. That further said, he doesn't.
On a different topic, how are things with you? Was there ever any resolution of that disaster over the hotel bed?
You don't need a visa, but they are pretty sticky unless you have accreditation from the person you are visiting (I'm guessing that's how your friends got in, Josias).
Even then as I found they ask some pretty searching questions. One member of the party was even strip-searched.
Worth it when you get in though.
We now have a problem when we return home next week.
They are refusing on safety grounds to return the gantry hoist we have been using for the last 10 month and which they agree we need. Although of course we could buy the exact same model privately. They have agreed to provide and fit a ceiling hoist but that may take 12 weeks!!
I am up at Director of Adult Care level so far and seriously considering involving my MP
Hope Mrs BJO feels better once she's back with family. Best wishes to you both.
I have to go to work. Have a good morning everyone.
Hebron was the only really threatening place to visit. The IDF didn't like us going there, but apart from being rude at thr roadblocks didn't stop us.
I would quite like to go back and see more.
My visit was just after Protective Edge, so perhaps they were extra jumpy. Strange was that once I got through it was fine!
Have a good morning.
I see someone in their last day at Twitter deactivated Trumps account LOL
Don't get me wrong, I have no sympathy for Fallon whatsoever, but the manner of his resignation is deeply unsatisfactory.
Next summer I am off to the World Cup so am anticipating Russian security as part of the experience. I got SF tickets in the lottery.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5044829/Andrea-Leadsom-revealed-Fallon-s-secret-accuser.html
That he was punished for inappropriate behaviour, rather begs the question of where do you stop. If, in different times you were spanked as a child for misbehaviour, is that enough to stop or curb any future career, on the other hand, if you were spanked in a house of ill repute.... An exaggeration certainly, but?
A culture where that is tolerated does create space and opportunity for real offenses though, as we saw with Saville and Harris.
https://twitter.com/WikiGuido/status/926353609981353984
Mr. Jessop, I agree entirely. It's in danger of becoming like the expenses scandal, which was horrendously misreported and tarred the innocent or mildly guilty to the same degree as the very guilty, which allowed the latter to go without the full scrutiny they deserved.
Mr. B, quite. I was going to make a sarcastic comparison along the evil Tory cuts versus kind Labour cuts line, but it's rather too serious a subject.
In Syria, ISIS looks very much on its last legs:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-41856330
Meanwhile one former Twitter employee has ensured that he never get another job anywhere in the tech sector ever again!
The most serious allegation, made against at least two political parties so far, is that of covering up complaints rather than addressing them.
This brave young lady needs her story to stay in the news and not be crowded out by hands on knees from a decade and a half ago.
https://twitter.com/bexbailey/status/925726372730949632
The major reason is that being at the top in politics means you need to form personal (non-sexual) relationships, just as we all do at work. Anyone working with Leadsom from now on will be too busy watching their mouths and wondering whether anything they say - however innocently - will be misconstrued.
Basically: she will not be trusted. And given her sick and backward views, that's all to the good. She's not fit for any office, yet alone high office.
http://www.vulture.com/2017/11/kevin-spacey-alleged-sexual-relationship.html
I think that the only way this makes sense is if Fallon has an existing reputation for making such comments and now someone has stuck her head above the parapet it is assumed others might come forward with other examples.
It's important to address such things as early as possible. If you say something you object to, tell them. It's then up to them to decide if you're being silly, or apologise, or alter their behaviour in future. Letting it fester just allows the behaviour to worsen.
Mrs J works in a very male environment, and there are such comments made. In some cases, she joins in because they're a reaction to a situation, and light-hearted, amongst people she likes and trusts. In a previous job she and others were bullied (non-sexually), and any such comments would have got a very different reaction.
I've no doubt the men making the comments at this company would not make them to strangers, or in different company. Its the mutual trust that helps.
Sheesh.....
If anyone has sick and backward views it’s those who think it ok for grown up men to behave like oafs around their female colleagues. And, to be clear, around their male colleagues since (a) men can be the target of abuse and (b) most men are decent human beings who don’t approve of this sort of behaviour.
(I do hope I’ve misunderstood you.)
There’s also a bunch of other Hollywood names waiting to be exposed for some very shocking and deviant sexual behaviour. Probably only a matter of time for most of them.
The problem for me is that the whole debate over sexual harassment is descending into a confused morass, and no one is providing clear leadership.
The contrast with the way in which Cameron rather adroitly managed a change in social attitudes over gay marriage is notable.
And maybe even stop Brexit.
https://twitter.com/CDP1882/status/926170139053232128
It is unlikely to be Corbyn who stops Brexit. Instead Clegg is hosting a £2000 a table 'Stop Brexit' dinner at a Knightsbridge hotel next week to be addressed by Anna Soubry and Chuka Umunna. They are the real 'Stop Brexiteers'.
https://order-order.com/2017/11/02/clegg-hosting-christmas-dinner-for-remain-elite-at-5-star-knightsbridge-hotel/
We are not yet at Saville, Harris or Weinstein levels though. My point is that a workplace culture that considers the first as banter, creates a climate where much worse can happen.