Meanwhile modest, balanced Al is still on his crusade to get back in good books...
Toby Young@toadmeister1h Just received an email request to sign a petition demanding that @campbellclaret appear on television – *again*. The ego of the man!
Alastair Campbell@campbellclaret1h .@toadmeister just remember Toady, you say yes to every bid I say no to 95percent. Am assuming post Sun sack you hope crawling to Mail<job
Toby Young@toadmeister1h @campbellclaret So you don't think getting up a petition to *demand* Paul Dacre debate you in public is just a tad vainglorious?
Alastair Campbell@campbellclaret26m @toadmeister me or a professional broadcaster it says - like you'd like to be if you weren't so crap on telly
@JoeWatts_ Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
'But yet another of your posts is dependent on searching for mine'
Couldn't resist from hero to zero in 9 hrs,a record & excellent comedy all rolled into one..
You can't even see how Dacre releasing his private correspondence from job applicants makes him look desperate can you.
I can see how he might soon regret it since the Mail is not short of ex journos who left in less than ideal circumstances and were somewhat unimpressed with Dacre's 'vagina monologues'.
'He said Dulwich’s own staff were not equipped to help academy pupils and when a teacher from the independent school was seconded to the Isle of Sheppey it had “not entirely” worked.'
@JoeWatts_ Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
haven't they dropped cost of living ?
I thought they had to as they're following all of Osborne's economics anyway ?
@JoeWatts_ Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
@JoeWatts_ Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
I don't accept that, Mike; specifically, I don't think it's going to stop people seeing him as weak, let alone "blasting out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual". It could be the start of reversing the narrative, but doesn't take Ed that far along it.
Pre-conference, 39% of people considered Ed "weak" with YouGov. How much do you expect that to fall by?
@JoeWatts_ Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
I thought that tactic had backfired irretreviably after Ed took on Murdoch?
It won't take too long when Miliband fails to rise to some occasion, probably related to the economy, for the tag to be resumed. And the Mail will be poised to pounce. And the Sun.
You have become far too partisan yourself these days, which is a shame. But you still run a great site.
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
Quite right, Mike.
Ed crying for a week that a nasty man had been mean to him doesn't make him look like Walter the Softy, At ALL.
@JoeWatts_ Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
Er how ?
He's been forced into the fight from a position of weakness by having to prove he's tough and has had to start it at a time not of his choosing.
He still hasn't decisively cleared up any of his previous efforts Leveson, McCluskey and now he's off on a battle with business and the press. Picking a fight with everyone at the same time isn't tough it's stupid. he's got the headlines but the fights aren't over, he's now got 4 monkeys on his back not one and the government gets off with crap policies announced this week and no scrutiny. Back to the LDs being the competent and effective opposition methinks.
'He said Dulwich’s own staff were not equipped to help academy pupils and when a teacher from the independent school was seconded to the Isle of Sheppey it had “not entirely” worked.'
"“The profile of the students on the Isle of Sheppey is very different and there are certain points when you need people who understand that profile and how to help that profile.”
Can't think why Rothermere doesn't want all that dragging up, he must be so pleased with Dacres work, particularly his "vengeful God of Deuteronomy" reference in his editorial. Can see no reason whatsoever why a family name associated with organised anti semitism would be discomforted by that
There's been brief periods of open hostility amongst the proprietors before they all calmed down (usually when they belatedly realise none of them have any moral high ground to speak of) and during those spats such information does indeed get aired.
But around week or so of this kind of intense focus already and Dacre stubbornly keeping it going for all it's worth? Rothermere might not want to throw Dacre to the wolves right now but Dacre's standing is diminishing every second this goes on because Rothermere is notoriously touchy about his private life, his family and their past, ironically enough.
@JoeWatts_ Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
All that has happened this week is that Caesar Miliband's motto has changed.
@JoeWatts_ Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
I thought that tactic had backfired irretreviably after Ed took on Murdoch?
It won't take too long when Miliband fails to rise to some occasion, probably related to the economy, for the tag to be resumed. And the Mail will be poised to pounce. And the Sun.
You have become far too partisan yourself these days, which is a shame. But you still run a great site.
You are missing the other half of the equation - that Cameron is weak in the face of power. And the Suns impact, and now the Mail had been blunted
Which one is it tim - are the press dying dinosaurs ( in which case kicking basket cases isn't tough ) or are they vicious beasts ( in which case they're still alive and biding their time ) ?
@JoeWatts_ Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
@JoeWatts_ Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
All that has happened this week is that Caesar Miliband's motto has changed.
@JoeWatts_ Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
I thought that tactic had backfired irretreviably after Ed took on Murdoch?
It won't take too long when Miliband fails to rise to some occasion, probably related to the economy, for the tag to be resumed. And the Mail will be poised to pounce. And the Sun.
You have become far too partisan yourself these days, which is a shame. But you still run a great site.
You are missing the other half of the equation - that Cameron is weak in the face of power. And the Suns impact, and now the Mail had been blunted
First sentence is meaningless, just you being too clever by half. We shall see about the second as the election draws closer.
The current imbroglio doesn't really affect Dave at all, as he has broadly (and rightly) supported Ed's original broadside. He is certainly at his strongest within the party for quite some time, not that he was ever in any danger of being toppled.
I think Mike's right that the past week has thoroughly undermined the concerted effort to present Ed M as a weak, weak man (which never really sat well on him to be honest, given he was also castigated for being ruthless in standing against his brother), although I think that is part of a strategy change unconnected to the Mail story, which may just be another part of it.
The Tories have now been pushing that Ed M is something to be feared, not mocked, since the Syria debacle perhaps where no matter the rights or wrongs, the opposition could not be presented as being weak, so a new tactic was adopted. The Mail attack was a part of that shift perhaps, either miscalculated or part of a wider attempt to make anything Ed M says about press regulation appear undermined by his personal anger (but I don't credit them with the balls to try something that risky).
At best for the Tories no one is caring all that much about Ed M and the Mail dragging this out, at worse he looks like a decent man sticking up for someone not able to defend himself anymore, giving him so much needed personality in the eyes of the public.
@JoeWatts_ Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
I thought that tactic had backfired irretreviably after Ed took on Murdoch?
It won't take too long when Miliband fails to rise to some occasion, probably related to the economy, for the tag to be resumed. And the Mail will be poised to pounce. And the Sun.
You have become far too partisan yourself these days, which is a shame. But you still run a great site.
You are missing the other half of the equation - that Cameron is weak in the face of power. And the Suns impact, and now the Mail had been blunted
tim
Ed's problem is that he tries to appear "strong" in battles he doesn't need to win.
And appears "weak" in those which are essential to winning the war.
What are his fights with the Murdochs and the Rothermeres gaining him? What did he win from his dithering position on Syria?
A winning general choses the right enemies and the right fights.
I think Mike's right that the past week has thoroughly undermined the concerted effort to present Ed M as a weak, weak man (which never really sat well on him to be honest, given he was also castigated for being ruthless in standing against his brother), although I think that is part of a strategy change unconnected to the Mail story, which may just be another part of it.
The Tories have now been pushing that Ed M is something to be feared, not mocked, since the Syria debacle perhaps where no matter the rights or wrongs, the opposition could not be presented as being weak, so a new tactic was adopted. The Mail attack was a part of that shift perhaps, either miscalculated or part of a wider attempt to make anything Ed M says about press regulation appear undermined by his personal anger (but I don't credit them with the balls to try something that risky).
At best for the Tories no one is caring all that much about Ed M and the Mail dragging this out, at worse he looks like a decent man sticking up for someone not able to defend himself anymore, giving him so much needed personality in the eyes of the public.
And in a nutshell that's it Ed has no personality with the electorate, bookish, a geek a bit weird even among his own supporters. He has been forced to go out and pick fights to make himself relevant but he can't change who he is ( a sort of backroom boy ) and accumulating fights isn't clever. So when the headlines die down he'll fall back to type and the fights will simmer on.
O/T Regarding the election of the Deputy Speakership, I was incorrect to say that the electorate is confined to Tory MPs. Only the candidates are but the entire House will decide. That must shift the odds to Laing but Simon Burns may get the lions share of the Tory vote. I do hope he wins.
I'm still wondering why The Strongman of Westminster didn't give us a hint of a clue of how he's planning to change his party's relationship with the unions during his conference speech.
Is it because they haven't yet told him what he's allowed to get away with?
Which one is it tim - are the press dying dinosaurs ( in which case kicking basket cases isn't tough ) or are they vicious beasts ( in which case they're still alive and biding their time ) ?
I imagine many animals are most vicious in their death throes, 3 ton carnivorous dinosaurs especially.
@JoeWatts_ Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
I thought that tactic had backfired irretreviably after Ed took on Murdoch?
It won't take too long when Miliband fails to rise to some occasion, probably related to the economy, for the tag to be resumed. And the Mail will be poised to pounce. And the Sun.
You have become far too partisan yourself these days, which is a shame. But you still run a great site.
You are missing the other half of the equation - that Cameron is weak in the face of power. And the Suns impact, and now the Mail had been blunted
tim
Ed's problem is that he tries to appear "strong" in battles he doesn't need to win.
And appears "weak" in those which are essential to winning the war.
What are his fights with the Murdochs and the Rothermeres gaining him? What did he win from his dithering position on Syria?
A winning general choses the right enemies and the right fights.
dammit Pole I'm agreeing with you again.
Ed's latest battle of choice on cost of living is a poor choice imo since he can do nothing practical this side of a GE bar moan and whine. The Coalition can happily spend money they don't have and put it in people's pockets in time for a GE justifying it on the strength of rewarding the nation for the sacrifices they have made.
Just to maintain my sanity though Osborne's still useless.
I think Mike's right that the past week has thoroughly undermined the concerted effort to present Ed M as a weak, weak man (which never really sat well on him to be honest, given he was also castigated for being ruthless in standing against his brother), although I think that is part of a strategy change unconnected to the Mail story, which may just be another part of it.
The Tories have now been pushing that Ed M is something to be feared, not mocked, since the Syria debacle perhaps where no matter the rights or wrongs, the opposition could not be presented as being weak, so a new tactic was adopted. The Mail attack was a part of that shift perhaps, either miscalculated or part of a wider attempt to make anything Ed M says about press regulation appear undermined by his personal anger (but I don't credit them with the balls to try something that risky).
At best for the Tories no one is caring all that much about Ed M and the Mail dragging this out, at worse he looks like a decent man sticking up for someone not able to defend himself anymore, giving him so much needed personality in the eyes of the public.
And in a nutshell that's it Ed has no personality with the electorate, bookish, a geek a bit weird even among his own supporters. He has been forced to go out and pick fights to make himself relevant but he can't change who he is ( a sort of backroom boy ) and accumulating fights isn't clever. So when the headlines die down he'll fall back to type and the fights will simmer on.
Probably, but he doesn't need to change in order to win in 2015, as its more about the factors being stacked against the Tories than being in favour of Labour, and one thing Ed M does seem to have down is not making, so far, a major screw up that really resonates. This affair might help him, it might not, but it won't harm him, and that is enough. That may as well be their slogan for 2015. Labour: It's enough.
Which one is it tim - are the press dying dinosaurs ( in which case kicking basket cases isn't tough ) or are they vicious beasts ( in which case they're still alive and biding their time ) ?
I imagine many animals are most vicious in their death throes, 3 ton carnivorous dinosaurs especially.
even worse, stupid as well as weak. If you can walk past a dying vicious beast what's the benefit in picking a fight with it ?
I think Mike's right that the past week has thoroughly undermined the concerted effort to present Ed M as a weak, weak man (which never really sat well on him to be honest, given he was also castigated for being ruthless in standing against his brother), although I think that is part of a strategy change unconnected to the Mail story, which may just be another part of it.
At best for the Tories no one is caring all that much about Ed M and the Mail dragging this out, at worse he looks like a decent man sticking up for someone not able to defend himself anymore, giving him so much needed personality in the eyes of the public.
And in a nutshell that's it Ed has no personality with the electorate, bookish, a geek a bit weird even among his own supporters. He has been forced to go out and pick fights to make himself relevant but he can't change who he is ( a sort of backroom boy ) and accumulating fights isn't clever. So when the headlines die down he'll fall back to type and the fights will simmer on.
Probably, but he doesn't need to change in order to win in 2015, as its more about the factors being stacked against the Tories than being in favour of Labour, and one thing Ed M does seem to have down is not making, so far, a major screw up that really resonates. This affair might help him, it might not, but it won't harm him, and that is enough. That may as well be their slogan for 2015. Labour: It's enough.
it's a bit early to say whether it will harm him or not. At the moment Ed's ahead but with 18 months to go he's in a marathon not a sprint.
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
Quite right, Mike.
Ed crying for a week that a nasty man had been mean to him doesn't make him look like Walter the Softy, At ALL.
What an inadequate comment. Frankly when I see such ill-thought out parisan rubbish like that I start to ask what is the point in me running this site.
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
Quite right, Mike.
Ed crying for a week that a nasty man had been mean to him doesn't make him look like Walter the Softy, At ALL.
What an inadequate comment. Frankly when I see such ill-thought out parisan rubbish like that I start to ask what is the point in me running this site.
My patience is coming to an end.
If I might say so Mike, it's not a case of one or t'other. In my opinion, Miliband's challenged perceptions of him as weak, but he hasn't overthrown them. Scott's comment, with which I do not agree, exemplifies why: "Weak" is poisonous, like "argumentative". We have some swallows but not a summer, yet, on changing that.
No. You are reading this from a narrow partisan perspective.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
Quite right, Mike.
Ed crying for a week that a nasty man had been mean to him doesn't make him look like Walter the Softy, At ALL.
What an inadequate comment. Frankly when I see such ill-thought out parisan rubbish like that I start to ask what is the point in me running this site.
My patience is coming to an end.
If I might say so Mike, it's not a case of one or t'other. In my opinion, Miliband's challenged perceptions of him as weak, but he hasn't overthrown them. Scott's comment, with which I do not agree, exemplifies why: "Weak" is poisonous, like "argumentative". We have some swallows but not a summer, yet, on changing that.
The problem is as it always has been, the thicker PB Tories drive out the intelligent ones (you're in the second camp) And they never, ever, learn
Of course Tim you've totally hit the nail on the head there.
The Now Show at 6.30 R4 was not the kind of result that Ed will have expected after his weeny-flexing all week.
@Mike Smithson - If you're tempted to give up the site because one poster posts an "inadequate comment" then you'll understand when lots of us despair at the endless spume of bilge and bile that comes from the likes of tim.
Comments
Meanwhile modest, balanced Al is still on his crusade to get back in good books...
Toby Young@toadmeister1h
Just received an email request to sign a petition demanding that @campbellclaret appear on television – *again*. The ego of the man!
Alastair Campbell@campbellclaret1h
.@toadmeister just remember Toady, you say yes to every bid I say no to 95percent. Am assuming post Sun sack you hope crawling to Mail<job
Toby Young@toadmeister1h
@campbellclaret So you don't think getting up a petition to *demand* Paul Dacre debate you in public is just a tad vainglorious?
Alastair Campbell@campbellclaret26m
@toadmeister me or a professional broadcaster it says - like you'd like to be if you weren't so crap on telly
Toby Young@toadmeister19m
@campbellclaret That would be a good put down – if you were a 10-year-old
Alastair Campbell@campbellclaret2m
@toadmeister three tweets is my limit for exchange with toadies and pygmies tata
'But yet another of your posts is dependent on searching for mine'
Couldn't resist from hero to zero in 9 hrs,a record & excellent comedy all rolled into one..
Is anyone else thinking that rather than get involved in DailyMail saga, Lab would've been more astute to concentrate on the cost of living?
'He said Dulwich’s own staff were not equipped to help academy pupils and when a teacher from the independent school was seconded to the Isle of Sheppey it had “not entirely” worked.'
Lol.
http://news.tes.co.uk/news_blog/b/weblog/archive/2013/10/04/leading-independent-school-pulls-out-of-academy-sponsorship.aspx
I thought they had to as they're following all of Osborne's economics anyway ?
"You can't even see how Dacre releasing his private correspondence from job applicants makes him look desperate can you"
Not sure that I do either. The Daily Mail is like a snake, it bites when it sees the chance. I doubt if desperation comes into it.
But the prospective Daily Mail reporter, Medhi Hasan, has certainly taken a bite.
Anyway, this schoolyard squabble has gone on too long - it's demeaning all involved now.
The main Crosby strategy of the past nine months has been to attack and undermine EdM. Hence the repeated "weak, weak".." attacks. This was going to play a key part in the blue effort to win the election.
What the last week has done is to totally undermine the Tory campaign plan for GE2015. Whether EdM has been wise from a policy angle is one thing - but he's sure blasted out of the water the CON attempts to protray him as weak and ineffectual.
Pre-conference, 39% of people considered Ed "weak" with YouGov. How much do you expect that to fall by?
It won't take too long when Miliband fails to rise to some occasion, probably related to the economy, for the tag to be resumed. And the Mail will be poised to pounce. And the Sun.
You have become far too partisan yourself these days, which is a shame. But you still run a great site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlTggc0uBA8
Ed crying for a week that a nasty man had been mean to him doesn't make him look like Walter the Softy, At ALL.
He's been forced into the fight from a position of weakness by having to prove he's tough and has had to start it at a time not of his choosing.
He still hasn't decisively cleared up any of his previous efforts Leveson, McCluskey and now he's off on a battle with business and the press. Picking a fight with everyone at the same time isn't tough it's stupid. he's got the headlines but the fights aren't over, he's now got 4 monkeys on his back not one and the government gets off with crap policies announced this week and no scrutiny. Back to the LDs being the competent and effective opposition methinks.
Can see no reason whatsoever why a family name associated with organised anti semitism would be discomforted by that
There's been brief periods of open hostility amongst the proprietors before they all calmed down (usually when they belatedly realise none of them have any moral high ground to speak of) and during those spats such information does indeed get aired. But around week or so of this kind of intense focus already and Dacre stubbornly keeping it going for all it's worth? Rothermere might not want to throw Dacre to the wolves right now but Dacre's standing is diminishing every second this goes on because Rothermere is notoriously touchy about his private life, his family and their past, ironically enough.
From:
Weeny, Weedy, Weaky
To:
Whiny, Weedy, Weaky
Your creepy obsession is not healthy
The current imbroglio doesn't really affect Dave at all, as he has broadly (and rightly) supported Ed's original broadside. He is certainly at his strongest within the party for quite some time, not that he was ever in any danger of being toppled.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24405622
The Tories have now been pushing that Ed M is something to be feared, not mocked, since the Syria debacle perhaps where no matter the rights or wrongs, the opposition could not be presented as being weak, so a new tactic was adopted. The Mail attack was a part of that shift perhaps, either miscalculated or part of a wider attempt to make anything Ed M says about press regulation appear undermined by his personal anger (but I don't credit them with the balls to try something that risky).
At best for the Tories no one is caring all that much about Ed M and the Mail dragging this out, at worse he looks like a decent man sticking up for someone not able to defend himself anymore, giving him so much needed personality in the eyes of the public.
Ed's problem is that he tries to appear "strong" in battles he doesn't need to win.
And appears "weak" in those which are essential to winning the war.
What are his fights with the Murdochs and the Rothermeres gaining him? What did he win from his dithering position on Syria?
A winning general choses the right enemies and the right fights.
Is it because they haven't yet told him what he's allowed to get away with?
Ed's latest battle of choice on cost of living is a poor choice imo since he can do nothing practical this side of a GE bar moan and whine. The Coalition can happily spend money they don't have and put it in people's pockets in time for a GE justifying it on the strength of rewarding the nation for the sacrifices they have made.
Just to maintain my sanity though Osborne's still useless.
My patience is coming to an end.
As someone once said, the PB Tories never learn, the PB Tories get everything wrong.
Have a good weekend, comrades.
@Mike Smithson - If you're tempted to give up the site because one poster posts an "inadequate comment" then you'll understand when lots of us despair at the endless spume of bilge and bile that comes from the likes of tim.