Blunkett resigns

[Iceni]

But why is no minister ever sacked ?

John

p.s. as well as returning his company car, will the dog have to go  back ?

 

[Quillan]

Come on John when any PM of any party says they back a MP who is involved in something a bit iffy it's like the kiss of death. As soon as TB said he backed him a couple of weeks back you must of guessed he was guilty of something and was on his way out.

[Richard-R]

Bet he never saw that coming! Funny the difference between French and British politic's. Here people would have said good on him and just made a joke of it.

[0BRIAN WOODHEADI,m here in franceddMMyyyy0Falseen-USI,m here in franceTrue]

So he,s gone as he,if the the dog goes back will he get a puppy to keep him company and just maybe it wont be love sickThe"lady" involved,well I hope she gets whats coming to her,if the book had thrower hit someone would they still have immunity from hate crime.

[Dick Smith]

It's his dog, of course. His second since he was in government (Lucy retired a year or two ago).

I agree that whatever he did or didn't do, it doesn't seem much. A member of the public with a good sob story could probably get things speeded up if they went about it the right way - I know, I've done it with the passport office. It is interesting to look at the value he has to the government (and possibly the country) and balance that against getting a visa more quickly for an employee of his mistress as a 'crime'. It doesn't really, does it? But that's the English way - and I won't even mention the hypocrisy of journalists who affect such shock and horror at behaviour such as this...

In answer to John's question he wasn't sacked because the enquiry into what he did and didn't do hasn't reported yet. Unless you want people sacked on rumours and newspaper stories alone?

[Clarkkent]

Bet he never saw that coming! Funny the difference between French and British politic's. Here people would have said good on him and just made a joke of it.

But that isn't why he has had to resign. If that's all it had been he would have ridden out the storm. He ratted on his mates to his biographer so they are now refusing to work with him.

Anyway, good riddance. I doubt there was an idea in his head that hadn't been approved by the editor of the Sun.

[Dick Smith]

"He ratted on his mates to his biographer so they are now refusing to work with him."

That wasn't the cleverest of moves. Also on BBC this evening his personal arrogance came across loud and clear. Something else that he and the editor of the Sun share is that they don't have the word 'hubris' in their vocabularies.

[Russethouse]

I never thought the day would come when I agreed with outcast but >>>The"lady" involved,well I hope she gets whats coming to her<<< me too !

I think the 'lady'( I use the term loosely ) in question has behaved disgracefully, and is lower than the belly on a rattle snake.

As for those who suggest that the children should remain and be bought up in the Quinn family I think its unrealistic in the extreme given the interest they will always attract.

What a pickle!! With two innocent children bearing the brunt....

[Clarkkent]

By the way, Dick, I think you'll find that Lucy died.

I wouldn't want to fall out with my "friends" in Parliament. According to the Independent, Bob Marshall-Andrews - a Labour MP - said:

"I think one is dealing here with somebody who it appears, certainly to many people in the Commons and the country, is quite seriously unbalanced."

The MP told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It is the Caligula principle really. Caligula made his horse a senator.

"He did it not because he thought his horse would be a good senator but because he wanted to demonstrate he could do what he wanted to do."

Et tu Brute.

 

... And Russethouse, where should they live: with their putative father? Be farmed out for foster care? Be forcibly adopted? Mr Quinn seems prepared to take them!

[Mazan]

The UK is well rid of this vindictive, two-faced creep. One of the nastiest ever to darken the Commons.

I do hope Prescott will be next.

[Miki]

I do agree that Mr Blunkett had to resign but more for his probable inability to do the tough job that the Home Secretary has, correctly in the coming months. He has lost a lot, whether he deserves it, well not really worth the investigation, he will return in another model, it's called politics after all.

He certainly changed his stance from being an early socialist member to what he had become today but aren't all politicians constantly on the move to find "higher" ground in their search for votes and ultimately power?

Can someone tell me, why does anything on politics often attract pathetic jibes and childish names, Bliar etc. Wouldn't a good argument against the person be a better way of putting across a point. Or better still, putting across a good point for one of the opposition parties to be in power, would be a nice read. One could even tell us the policies they are proposing.

Mazan, 30 years living out of the UK you stated on the forum, long time isn't, it so why the nasty pop about those two ? Does it really concern you that much and if so why, after so long a period of being away ?

 

[Deby]

Politics aside.

What did Blunkett do to this woman that made her want to become a scorned woman. My opinion is even if he did fastrack the Visa Application why did this woman see fit to parade all their dirty laundry in public and use this issue to cause trouble, she obviously benefitted from her nanny's services and now she is not happy and wants to shout about it.  I have no respect for her motives whatsoever.

Deby

[wendy james]

"The UK is well rid of this vindictive, two-faced creep. One of the nastiest ever to darken the Commons."

That may be the view of one outsider looking in, but it certainly isn't the majority view in the UK.

I am sorry to see him go, I thought he was a man of great decency and integrity, qualities which not every politician is blessed with. I don't recall Michael Howard falling on his sword when he fast-tracked a passport for a friend as Home Secretary, but doubtless this is who Mazan will be cheering on at the next election.

I agree with Miki about the silly name-calling on this forum when politics comes up. I suppose it comes from people who are frustrated because their party will not be in power again for quite some time.

Would Blunkett have resigned in France? I'd like to think not.

[Dick Smith]

Deby - I saw the news conference tonight, and it seemed to me that DB has an obsession about his son 'the lad' he called him. This is presumably the first child with Ms Quinn with whom he has been going on holiday etc. I think I might be obsessed about keeping in touch with my kids. but he seems even more so, to the extent that he was prepared to stir up the kind of trouble that has cost him his political career. As far as I can see he wants access now that the relationship has foundered and his ex-lover doesn't want him to have it. I believe that it was she who told the press that he had broken the rules by doing HER a favour. As you say, quite despicable.

He is a surprising man in many ways, probably quite insecure under the strict exterior. He signs his letters, for example - what does it take for someone born blind to do that? And he was very much in touch with the kind of law and order issues that affect ordinary people - more so than Jack Straw.

Perhaps a little more thought about whether or not we can afford to just chuck away popular politicians might be called for. I can't see that Charles Clarke will be as good, and David Miliband is also lost to Education as he speeds on to the next step of his cursus honorium to be PM after Gordon Brown. Ruth Kelly - who she?

[Mazan]

30 years living out of the UK you stated on the forum, long time isn't, it so why the nasty pop about those two ?

Because they deserve it. Blunkett is a vindictive and hypocritical creep who would ban everything, control everything, forbid everything yet at the same time abuses his position and cheats the taxpayer for whom he works. No one needs politicians like him. In the light of recent revelations about his personal life I suspect that he is also quite literally insane. We shall see.

"Two-jags" Prescott is just an overweight and incoherent thug who missed his calling as a security guard.

 

 Does it really concern you that much and if so why, after so long a period of being away ?

I hope to have left France and the EU within the next few years, before it goes completely down the pan. I pity the younger generations here.
In fact I never intended to be here so much of the last 10 years but life (and death) doesn't always go as one foresees. I don't intend to return permanently to the UK at least until I'm near death myself but the UK is where I come from and they still issue my passport. Therefore the high jinks of the man who influences the cost of my passport, how many biometric features it should contain and what sort of ID card should go with it is of interest to me.

[Quillan]

I think it's all a bit funny really. Now we will see the Tories say that this proves that Labour has no decent people fit to govern in their party, the pot calling the kettle black.

To be honest I rather like the French approach to this sort of thing in as much as the French press don't really bother with their politions private life. The Frenmch are more concerned about the minister doing a good job which is what he is guaged on.

Sorry to disagree with you Wendy but the majority of the British public did not vote Labour in, only the majority of those who bothered to vote did (around 48% if memory serves me right but willing to be corrected). Most of the young people can't be bothered with voting (neither can a certain percentage of older people either) because the two major political parties are to similar. None of them give what people really want.

Again this is yet another side issue that detracts people away from issues that really need to be dealt with, health, education, immigration, law etc.

As a side issue but more important in my view, did anybody see TB opening the new sports facility for schools to use the other day. Aparently kids only have 2hr of sport/PE every week now and these centes are for after school sport. The reporter went on to say that the reason for the 2hrs was because kids don't like playing sport anymore, they prefer computer games. This is why 500 odd aplications were made in 2004 to build on school playing fields. If this is the case then why spend 2.5 billion (around the country) on something for kids that they won't use? I expect they will sell them off to people like David Lloyd for a pittance after a few years due to low attendance. We used to do around 6 to 8hrs a week when I was at school, I didn't like sport much but we had to do it, no choice, but then we did not have computer games just a tennis ball to play footy with in the playground.

[Iceni]

My question of resignation vs sacking was not about Blunkett - I cannot recall any minister ever being sacked, that's all.

The more mature members amongst us will recall the case of "Reggie Perrin" Stonehouse - his constituents could not get rid of him (not mad, ennobled or a bankrupt) until he applied for an office of profit under the Crown - Chiltern Hundreds - so it seems that once an MP always an MP until an election is called.

As is often the case, Blunkett's punishment seems a bit excessive but then, if a Home Sec lies about applying pressure to get his *******s nanny in, I mean what hope is there for us mere mortals ?

John

p.s. using the good old "no smoke without fire" if a person lies about one thing, who says he does not lie all the time.

p.p.s. did a double take on reading Yahoo news - misread Clarke as Clare Short - wishful thinking or just plain looney ?

p.p.p.s the **** above replace my use of the word for children born out of wedlock - good to see that nanny state rules. - but Di says I might be able to use an @ - b@stards

[Tresco]

Funny isn't it, how very offensive the word b@stard is when used in the context john uses it, compared to it's use as a very common swearword?

As for Blunkett, the phrase in the email was something like, "no favours, just a bit quicker than usual". A contradiction in terms?

 

[Iceni]

I find "love child(ren)" more offensive than my "mot juste". Is this what people mean by b@stardizing the language ?

John

 

[Clarkkent]

My question of resignation vs sacking was not about Blunkett - I cannot recall any minister ever being sacked, that's all.

It is just a bit of constitutional flummery and dates to the time when ministers were believed to be gentlemen. Ministers were invited to return their portfolios to the prime minister.

To be honest I rather like the French approach to this sort of thing in as much as the French press don't really bother with their politions private life. The Frenmch are more concerned about the minister doing a good job which is what he is guaged on.

You have been reading too many tabloids, Quillan, this NOTHING to do with Blunkett getting his leg over, but with (a) the extent he used ministerial influence to do his mistress a favour, and (b) upsetting his colleagues by revealing "home truths" about them. The first was a piece of minor corruption and the second a piece of major stupidity which ensured that the corruption would not be overlooked.

The tabloids seem to believe that what people in the public eye do with the contents of their underpants is of major concern. The hoi polloi confirm the tabloids' beliefs by buying this rubbish. There are very strong pressures on French newspapers which prevent disclosure of politician's inappropriate behaviour. In this respect French practice may be preferred, but the cost is an arrogant and corrupt political establishment which can act without any effective control - hence "the crook not the nazi" slogan at the last presidential election.

In a world ranking of perceived lack of corruption UK came 10th and France 25th (only Italy and Greece from the old EU came lower)

[Tresco]

Just read back through the thread, and I think Mazans description of Blunkett is pretty neat. Strange also, a blind guy who's obsessed with surveillance and and the need to know where everyone is and what they are doing at all times.

John Re "B@stard" vs "love child" I have not heard either expression in conversation for maybe 20 years. Surely 'child' is the right way to describe, well, a child?

[Dick Smith]

I am sure that Clark is right. The last 2 sackings I can recall were Enoch Powell being shown the door by Ted Heath and Boris Johnson being given the boot by Michael Howard - but they were both 'shadow spokesman' at the time. Were any of the 'sleaze merchants' (Aitken, Hamilton et al) fired, or did they all resign?

[Russethouse]

John, Can the Quinn, Fortier , Blunkett child actually be described as a 'b@stard. No doubt Quinns name is on the birth certificate?

As for why people use b liar etc - I think its born of frustration......

I might not agree with all Blunketts policies but I respect him as a person, in contrast to Mr Blair who seems to be able to spout policies for popularity whether or not he actually agrees with them.

Sometimes we have discussed 'class' on the forum. AFAIAC concerned Ms Fortier has none, to involve a child in the way she has done is despicable. ( Sorry this sort of thing really brings out the worst in me, )

[Val_2]

Who really cares? I certainly don't,even if they all walked it dosn't affect my life here.

[SaligoBay]

True, Val, but it's obviously a well-recognised phenomenon.   There's a cartoon in Private Eye (them again!), it's a picture of some Brit expats sitting drinking round a table somewhere very sunny and palm-treed.

"What I say is - why sit at home in England moaning about what a crap country it's become, when you can be out here moaning about what a crap country it's become."