Bonkety Bonk: Quotes of the Weekend
Great North Pun
Steve “The New Murray Walker” Cram doing his usual witty and incisive commentary on the Great North Run, giving full value for his fee and simultaneously educating that athletic ignoramus Brendan Foster:
“The reason he has such a big lead, Brendan, is that he has been running very quickly indeed”.
Catflaps ‘R’ Us
Independent on Sunday Gossip (they call it “Comment”):
“Karl Lagerfeld: A weird old man in a ludicrous getup”.
said Janet Street-Porter, the walking, talking definition of “weird old woman in a ludicrous getup”. She’ll be moving into the Reliant Robin just as soon as the catflap has been fitted.
Mandy Pandy Pudding and Pie
David Cameron interview on the Politics Show yesterday.
Question: Is it not true that in the Conservative Party, a “Mandelson” is defined as the time interval between meeting Peter Mandelson, and him being rude about Gordon Brown?
David Cameron: “Yes”.
Ouch. It is worth noting that David Cameron avoided the question until the specific and direct statement. My opinion is that he needs to sharpen his claws, as Peter Mandelson firm reentry back into the tent means that New Labour’s box of dirty tricks is fully back with us. They’ve never gone away, but the difference is that people who get in the way will now be shafted thoroughly and competently - journalists will be bullied, “plausibly deniable” briefings will “emerge”, and straight lies will become much more common - starting with Mandelson’s denial of the statements made to George Osborne and so many other people.
Remember the compulsion on Robin Cooke to tell his wife about his affair on the spot, rather than on holiday - because New Labour needed to “manage the story”? Expect more human casualties of the need to “get presentation right”.
Note that I am drawing a distinction between “New Labour” and “Labour”.
For me the more worrying aspect is the possible reinforcement of the tendency towards centralisation that we have seen over the last decade.
I should also make the point that these are my opinions, and anyone who posts here is welcome to reply and disagree.
It’s all a bit ironic, as I had a soft spot for some of the things done by Peter Mandelson as Minister running the Industry/Commerce porfolio.
Tags: janet-street porter, jsp, karl lagerfeld, labour, new labour, peter mandelson, steve cram
Tags: janet-street porter, jsp, karl lagerfeld, steve cram
Categories: All WW, Humour, Knockabout, Media, Politics
Can you blame governments from being more controlling and centralist approach of their party. Under Mandelson and Campbell the Labour party were virtually untouchable. Since they left the party has unraveled.
Before Coulson came to the Tories they were a mess, but he has made changes there too. He is by no means as aggressive as Campbell was, but he still holds a tight reign over who says what and when.
Like it or not, having or two very powerful figures behind the scenes is an integral part of a strong party and government. The media and electorate indirectly demand this. Brown looks like he might just be working this out.
@Garbo: I don’t hold tight control against them; that is just professional.
I do hold stuff against them that destroys people’s lives or characters. Equally I hold cynical deception against them, and the politicisation of the state.