June 30, 2007
by Paul
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TweetRichard Lugar has been US Senator for Indiana for 31 years and is a former Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. This week he created a major stir by being the first leading Republican to break ranks on Iraq. … Continue reading
June 30, 2007
by Paul
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Tweet This is worth watching. The newscaster on MSNBC, Mika Brzezinski (daughter of Zbigniew – for political anoraks), refuses to read the lead story about Paris Hilton. She tries to burn the script on air, before ripping it up and … Continue reading
June 30, 2007
by Paul
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TweetTurkey is warning of plans to invade northern Iraq. This is a worrying escalation of international military action. Goodness knows what impact it will have on Turkey’s application to join the EU. An EU member country, the United Kingdom, has … Continue reading
June 30, 2007
by Paul
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TweetEaling Conservative councillor Phil Taylor admits he has never met Tony Lit, the Conservative candidate at the forthcoming Ealing Southall by-election. He also describes the candidate as “controversial and high risk”. Hat-tip to Tom Watson. Tweet This Post Tweet
June 30, 2007
by Paul
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TweetBalderdash and Piffle, BBC2′s word origins programme is going from strength to strength. It never ceases to amaze me how we use phrases without even thinking for a second what they mean or how they originate. Last night’s edition about … Continue reading
June 30, 2007
by Paul
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TweetWhen the issue of Shirley Williams’ offered advisory role on nuclear proliferation came up, Menzies Campbell issued this statement: There will be no Liberal Democrats in Brown’s Government. I have no objection to and indeed welcome an initiative which results … Continue reading
June 30, 2007
by Paul
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TweetEarlier this week I enjoyed an excellent game of Twenty20 cricket at the Rose Bowl near Southampton. It was great to see newcomer Adam Voges score a brilliant 66 not out. Also, Hampshire’s Chris Tremlett clean bowled (one of the … Continue reading
June 30, 2007
by Paul
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TweetTwo British drivers have lost a test case at the European court of human rights in Strasbourg. Their case was supported by Liberty: Liberty’s legal director James Welch said vehicle owners had two choices when presented with a speeding notice … Continue reading
June 29, 2007
by Paul
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Tweet“Wozza” is celebrity chef Antony Worrall-Thompson,whose full name is Henry Antony Cardew Worrall Thompson. He once said that he wanted to be a Conservative MP. More than that, he said that he quite fancied succeeding Michael Heseltine as MP for … Continue reading
June 29, 2007
by Paul
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TweetThe BBC reports: …former CBI head Sir Digby Jones is to be made minister for trade promotion…Sir Digby is to be given a peerage and will have to join the Labour Party in order to serve as a minister. So, … Continue reading
June 29, 2007
by Paul
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TweetThe spin is that David Miliband was against the Iraq war so we should all be cheering in the streets now that he has been appointed Foreign Secretary. Today’s Guardian puts it this way: (Miliband) is not publicly associated with … Continue reading
June 28, 2007
by Paul
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TweetIain Dale is getting remarkably steamed up about Shirley Williams. The very helpful holding statement from the party makes it clear that Williams was not offered, and would not have accepted, a government post. The offer Brown made, which has … Continue reading
June 28, 2007
by Paul
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TweetThe Times reports that Gordon Brown is discussing a “foreign affairs advisory” role with Shirley Williams. I seem to remember some Liberal Democrats acting as advisors to Labour office holders before – for example, Susan Kramer on the Transport for … Continue reading
June 27, 2007
by Paul
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TweetMichael Crick played the part of the “cheeky monkey” on BBC2 Newsnight for years. This is the rather ham-acted role of an errant reporter who skirts the fringes of politicians’ entourages with a microphone shouting questions. The point of the … Continue reading
June 26, 2007
by Paul
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TweetDavid Cameron ascended to the leadership of the Conservative party promising an end to “Punch and Judy politics”. Anyone wondering if this was a sincere promise need only to have watched Newsnight tonight. Alan Duncan was up against Quentin Davies. … Continue reading
June 26, 2007
by Paul
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TweetI agree with Clare Short (interviewed on Radio Four’s PM) that it is not entirely necessary for Blair to stand down as an MP purely because of his Middle East envoy role, which is not full time. It doesn’t involve … Continue reading
June 26, 2007
by Paul
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TweetThe Hillary Clinton campaign has taken a bit of a risk with a video which parodies The Sopranos (see below and here on the Hillary campaign site). I say “risk” because I find the thing so schmaltzy it is enough … Continue reading