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Can Cameron make Sunak’s election challenge any easier – politicalbetting.com
Can Cameron make Sunak’s election challenge any easier – politicalbetting.com
Ever since Cameron stopped being PM after the UK voted for Brexit there have been a series of stories about how he has been earning a living. I have always ignored such reporting but it could be relevant now given his return to the political stage.
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Sunak obliged.
But I wonder if he'll get as much credit for doing so as he might have? The papers today are understandably full of Lord Cameron's resurrection...
He can't be too content with whatever he's doing at the moment if he's happy to jack it all in for such a comparatively paltry return...
Foreign affairs are not the major problem facing the government, perception wise, and won't change the fundamental issues of economic malaise, policy failures, and the weight of 14 years in office.
If there's a big shift to a more Cameronesque tone and approach maybe it'll help a bit, but there's leakage on the right and I'm not sure they can sustain that in a desperate last stand.
https://nitter.net/SawyerHackett/status/1724149557007618513#m
Amusingly their description that although unstated until now it represents codifiction of principles they've long regarded as governing their conduct is how they tend to operate - make something up and insist it was the case all along.
And, yes, Greenshill is going to haunt him and Sunak. This is not a scandal that either he, or Sunak, will be allowed to ignore. Not just because Labour won’t let them but because the Serious Fraud Office are still investigating as are other agencies, including the German Government.
https://news.sky.com/story/camerons-greensill-connection-risks-haunting-ex-pms-return-to-government-13007212
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67401551
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/nov/13/greensill-scandal-david-cameron-cabinet
It’s a very murky affair. ‘Sleaze' doesn’t really do it justice.
Things always come in threes. Whatever next?
"No doubt Labour is digging furiously to find if there are any negatives that would undermine him and of course the PM."
Is there any need to dig? On the podcast, Campbell had a list immediately (and Stewart was scathing about Cameron's history in foreign affairs).
But then I’m not the target market, am I? As many others have said, deckchairs and the Titanic comes to mind.
The guy should just bow out of the public eye, given what he did. And I mean Campbell, not Cameron.
...I suppose I would have to start playing it first?...
We've had the pandemic, but we've not had the zombie apocalypse yet.
I do agree it seems a bit unfair for the Tories to be criticised by nasty, devious people when they are so nice and straightforward themselves, though.
Given many of our PMs in recent decades were on the younger side too, its good to see Cameron offering his expertise in what many would now consider a 'lesser' role but is still a Great Office. Historically former PMs were more willing to stick around and help, and I think that's no bad thing.
But on an electoral basis? That die is probably cast already. Might help save some constituencies though on the margins.
Possibly a university chair in Sports Science for David Beckham?
He'd be better off spending a few years listing the things he's done wrong, and the lives he's ruined, rather than listing those of other people.
It won’t change the outcome of the election materially but it is about long term positioning
https://twitter.com/KyleWOrton/status/1724174270438257142
The fact the Labour attack dogs are going for him so strongly, shows they think he is a threat.
Greenshill stinks.
It is WELL worth reading Suzanne Heywood’s ‘What Does Jeremy Think?’. In fact, I’d urge everyone on here to read it if they haven’t already done so. Although Suzanne is careful, Cameron comes out of it smelling like excrement.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Does-Jeremy-Think-Heywood-ebook/dp/B081ZJCJ3M
p.s. It’s difficult to see how anyone posting on here about the politics of the last 25 years in this country can do so without having read this book.
I was thinking about when Gordon Brown brought Peter Mandleson back into Government as first lord of everything (or whatever title he gave him). That was a bold move that did move the needle. It also showed that Brown was fighting to stay in Number 10, and was willing to bury hatchets to do so. Mandleson was not well liked and brought, arguably more, baggage than Cameron.
Can Cameron do the same? I am not so sure. Firstly his job is Foreign Secretary so absent a concerted effort will have no need to get involved in domestic politics. He also will be out of the country a fair bit, he won’t be chairing daily strategy sessions. Finally, I am not sure he has the “dark arts” skills that Mandleson has. Osborne on the other hand.
Neither man came out of it well, but I don’t think Corbyn’s answer to the question Morgan was asking can be inferred from it, unless your views on Corbyn are already set.
Labour will take him seriously, but the outcome of the next GE looks as nailed on as ever. Tories to lose about 150 seats is what I am predicting now.
That's possibly good news. He was a reasonable Secretary of State under May, although not quite as good as Greening (who was the only really good one of the last 20 years) and he understands educational matters in a way Gove, Gibb, Cummings, Freedman, Spielman, Acland-Hood, Wormald don't (because they have never tried to).
Unfortunately a lot of the good work he did in reining in the decidedly unholy bargain between OFSTED, the DfE and academy chains to force all schools to academise has been undone, and has led both to a cratering of governance standards in schools and more publicly to Ruth Perry's suicide. It's hard to see with that idiot Keegan still in overall charge how he'll be able to repair the appalling damage, but there's always a faint hope he'll at least know the problems are and be willing to call them out.
I would take issue with this. I had many good words for her.
I just didn't want to say them on here because OGH would have banned me.
Cameron was naive and greedy, and taken in by Jeremy Heywood’s reference. He made a fool of himself and perhaps tried to leverage contacts a little hard.
But at the heart of it, he was taken in by a smooth talking shyster.
So it was bad judgement rather than corruption.
Up early with stuff to do
I repeat my analogy from yesterday. Sunak has sacked the sad trombonist on the Titanic. And replaced it with a robot elephant playing moog synthesiser. For a few moments the strangeness might divert and amuse…..
But the ship is still definitely sinking, and the band is now actually worse
Red Len next to him had no troubie saying it - in that same clip
I mean, really? That's what you get from that? A simple question, with a simple yes/no answer. Avoiding answering makes it quite clear what he thinks.
It's such a simple question, so I'll ask it of you: do you consider Hamas a terrorist group? Yes or no?
Glad to see Barclay gone at DoH. He had no interest or aptitude for the NHS. Hopefully Atkins can negotiate an end to the strikes and do something about the retention crisis. Otherwise going nowhere on waiting lists.
As a counter-example, at one stage ISIS controlled a vast territory. Were they suddenly a country, and not 'terrorists'?
None of the 5 (or 6 if you count Barclay twice) Health Secretaries since have cared much.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-67411822
It'd be interesting to know more details on this after they (hopefully!) rescue the men. Was it bad tunnel design/construction, or just bad luck that a landslide occurred whilst it was under construction, when tunnels are at their weakest? The pictures from the interior of the tunnel seem slightly odd from a construction POV, but I'm not an expert.
(Though I'd argue the construction system should be designed to cope with likely events such as landslides...)
Edit: this report from the Indy indicates health and safety might not have been quite as stringent as we might hope:
"“Just a day before, when we were removing a lattice girder, we saw some debris falling. On Saturday night, a piece of concrete fell from the roof. We informed our seniors. But before they could do anything, the incident happened,” he added. The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is the agency engaged in building the tunnel."
If you have concrete falling from the roof, I might argue you get the workers further down the tunnel out...
Odd that the key "talking not doing" roles (McVey, Holden, is Anderson still there?) have gone to Red Wall types.
F1: apparently the Las Vegas race, starting around 10pm locally, will be 5-10 degrees Celsius. I wonder if that means Haas might be value, as overworking tyres, in such temperatures, might be advantageous.
“This seems a good day to remind everyone that Corbyn's trip to Tunisia, to lay a wreath on the grave of Munich Massacre planner Salah Khalaf, was paid for by the Council for European Palestinian Relations, the European arm of Hamas.”
https://x.com/barnyskinner/status/1724325162516890076?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw
It will be interesting to see how much of a role Cameron is given outside if his direct brief. I am guessing his appointment signals a deliberate change in the political complexion of Sunak's government.
“What kind of creature bore you - was it some kind of bat?
They can’t find a good word for you, but I can: ‘tw*t”
I don't see much rationale or strategy in the reshuffle, just a desperation to get bums on seats for the next round of chaos.
1. Another huge uturn from Sunak. His "the last 30 years were crap, I am Mr Change" agenda never took off. Bringing back his Great-Great-Great-PM as FS kills it completely.
2. Lord Pigbotherer isn't remotely comparable to Lord Mandy. The latter slimed his way into the machinery of government and brought stability, the former will be sent off to try and sort out Israel and Ukraine and America.
3. Firing Cruella has lit the fuse on the next round ot the Tory civil war. Bringing McVile in as Bigoted Opinions Czar won't appease them, and is about as laughable a role and hire as could have been done.
I know that Cameron has fanbois. But his time is long over - we're on our 4th PM since he flounced. Nor will the things I liked about him be allowed to flourish. No progressive politics allowed in today's Fuck Off Tory Party.
A few people have now posted views that this will only accelerate the Tory collapse towards ELE. Its certainly possible.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/nov/13/tony-blair-discussing-situation-in-bid-to-end-israel-and-palestine-crisis
https://twitter.com/Hromadske/status/1724329093875802543
Most of their current supply is reportedly from S Korean stocks.
Hunt will no doubt spring out and claim he has done all this hard work and followed Rishsi plan so we can have a bit of our own money back before an election. Bribing us with our own money as the saying goes. But it will be market day and he wont have done enough to fatten the pig.
We will go in to an election with three parties trying to claim the same space and choice only available at the extremes.
Perhaps Lord Greensill's first trip should be to S Korea.
There is no original political thought out there, nor coherent plan for the country.
Would anyone want the talking not doing role now? You only embarrass yourself. IIRC James Heappey was sent out by the party yesterday morning to prattle on about how Sunak has faith in Braverman, only for her to be fired whilst he was on air defending her...
But that’s not the line that Heathener is playing
Germans getting worried their country is no longer fit for business
https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article248524320/Hohe-Energiekosten-Attraktivitaet-des-Industriestandorts-Deutschland-nimmt-laut-Untersuchung-rapide-ab.html?source=puerto-reco-2_ABC-V33.0.B_with_teaser_seen
Remember, he resigned from government *twice*. Once over a dodgy loan; the other over a dodgy passport application.
Plus it is a bit of antisemitic trope to accuse a Jew of being money obsessed.
Apparently declaring war on France isn't Dave's priority for his stint in the Foreign Office.
Australia recently finished a major plant, though.
https://www.australiandefence.com.au/defence/general/first-exports-roll-out-of-rheinmetall-nioa-munitions-factory
Get Osborne back and things might actually liven up for the Tories
Rishi Sunak will be unusually sharing the cabinet table with a former prime minster. But how do Britons think the current PM compares with his predecessor?
36% think Sunak has been a worse PM than Cameron, while 16% think he has been better, and 34% about the same.
https://twitter.com/YouGov/status/1724033343967080888/photo/1
Time to Make the UK Great Again by having a PM from the Lords.
And good morning, everybody
I don’t think that Mandelson was that obsessed with personal wealth - but he very much liked the lifestyle associated with it (which is a fine distinction).
But @JosiasJessop’s criticism was entirely to do with him as a person, not him as part of a race
I generously accept this is unlikely to mollify the 10m Remoaners driven mad by Brexit. And they have a point
But the passports are better now - aesthetically. As promised
Because the easiest decision most people will have is to not vote for the current very tired Government that is utterly out of ideas. The more difficult decision is to then where to cast your vote - Labour / Lib Dem or true protest vote.
I really do think Carol Vorderman encouraging telling people who to vote for tactically will give the Lib Dems a few seats they may well have otherwise lost by a few hundred votes..
As @Cicero pointed out on the previous thread - it's perfectly possible for the Tories to end up with 200 seats in the next election or equally 25...
There are also plans to build production in Ukraine, but again that's unlikely to happened before 2025.
The reason the Foreign Office is called that is that represents the interests of Foreigners.
Pretty much everything the Russians have pointed to as being a Western weakness, turned out to have been a massive strength compared to their own army. Pointing fingers at Westen ammo shortages is merely a way to distract from their own.