A Quiet Insurrection…

Afternoon,

I use that term above, rather loosely following some news which has not been that widely reported over the past few days, that being that whilst Chairman Brown says that he is '”getting on with the job”, election strategists for both Alan Johnson and Ed Miliband have been put on stand-by for a possible leadership election kick-off for the weekend of the 16th June. 

The thinking behind it has to be that with Labour almost certain to get pummelled at the upcoming Euro and Local elections, where in some polls, they might be trailing in third behind the Tories and UKIP at the very best – and according to a poll for the Sunday Telegraph, they are trailing both the Tories and the Liberal Democrats for the first time for 22 years. 

When that is the case, people need to start getting their finger out and prepared to pull the lever.

A Stressful Week

Afternoon,

The last week has been stressful for myself in more ways than one, and the constant pressure that I am putting on myself is beginning to ebb away all the confidence that I have found in recent months as a result of the weight loss achievements that I have accomplished. I am starting to worry that for all the hard work that I have put in to get myself to the weight that I am, that sooner rather than later I will begin piling it all back on.

I don't know about you, but when you put weight on, you can actually feel yourself doing just that. Obviously, with my constant gym work amongst other things that is not happening, but still when you're as down as I have felt in recent days then you think strangely! I think that our brain reacts differently dependent on how we feel physically, mentally as well as emotionally - if work and life in general is getting to you then it is going to have an effect, ditto if it is the opposite.

As for today, after watching "Drag Me To Hell" at the cinema in Ashford yesterday evening, with some of the lovelies from work, I am currently on a bus heading back into Folkestone after getting a few more Superdry tops and some Calvin Klein Boxers and Pringle socks (the last two items at the behest of Mother Dear! - still any excuse...!).

Once back in town, I've got my hair appointment at Carter & Co, probably having some more blonde put into my locks, before heading home and ordering some 501s in from the States online. So dirt cheap to buy Levis that way, even after the postage comes into play, you're still paying a tenner less than you would in Debenhams.

It would be criminal not to take advantage of the exchange rate, which is in our favour right now!

Speak laters,

Rob :(

Mes Que Un Club

Barcelona, like Liverpool is just a football club, not the multinational conglomerate that the Dirty Mancs have become. 

For that reason alone, I think that Barca should win tonight, probably in some classic.

I think it’ll be 3-2 Barca.  Expect Thierry Henry to score at least once tonight. 

And expect a red card or two…

Still Here!

Don't want you to think that I have gone! Have been taking time to digest the latest madness that is going on regarding so many things!

I'll be giving my thoughts hopefully just before the Dirty Mancs get thumped by Barça!

What If Gordon Presses The Neutralise Button?

A thought came into my head about ten seconds after I posted the previous post. Probably because of what I wrote about Chairman Brown in regards of the lack of control that he has on events.

There is an argument in my mind for him to make a move in regards of a cabinet reshuffle BEFORE the elections on June 4th. One thing that Gordon needs to show to the electorate before that day is that he is in control of events, or for that matter have a grasp on them, because right now he does not.

In my opinion, the wolves are circleling around the Prime Minister, in a way probably not too dissimilar to the last days of the Thatcher regime - ministers are briefing the lobby against each other for their own benefit, and that is Btown's fault for not having the cojones to stand up to them.

There has always been a grain of thought in the Parliamentary Labour Party, that the best thing that Brown could have done last summer was to sack David Milliband when he pretty much laid his cards on the table and declared war on Chairman Brown.

If Brown had quashed the rebellion there and then, ministers would be more reticent to criticize the Prime Minister - as there is a precendent to follow, that is no longer the case.

Brown needs to get control of the media narrative. A cabinet purge, is probably the only way he can. For now.

Who Will Fall Into The Trapdoor?

Afternoon,

Bob Bob is watching the Survival Sunday coverage on Sky Sports, whilst keeping an eye on Big Sami’s Hurrah at Anfield.  He does not start, Don Rafa wants to be sewing second up before letting the great Finn have his ovation…

Think there’ll be tears at Villa Park and the Boleyn Ground as I think the Magpies and ‘Boro will go down…but I have been wrong on this before now…

We Need A General Election, Now!

Good Evening,

Up until now, it has only been those on the right of the political spectrum, the likes of the Scum and the Daily Rant who have been calling on Chairman Brown to finally give the British people the election that they have not been allowed to have – even though Brown was not elected in the first place.  With The Telegraph almost seemingly joining in the chorus demanding a vote immediately, there has to be questions about just how much longer can Gordon get away with it, without going to the country.  For all the failings of the Conservative government, at least Major went to the country within 18 months of being elected leader, in the aftermath of the Wicked Witch’s departure.

The ever-continuing sleaze allegations is threatening to make the current parliament almost senile in being able to adopt any laws and legislature as MPs are going to be more concerned at being found stealing honey from the jar.  Admittedly, there is the worry and distinct fear that if we were to go to the polls now or even in three months, then the likelihood of a parliament which could be held up as being responsible, for what would be some serious reform, would be negligible as it would have been voted through people’s genuine anger over the whole affair.

I agree a kneejerk reactionary vote isn't desirable, but it is inevitable that some people will be inclined to take their vote and use it as a protest against the current parliament and dare I say it, the system in general.  It is after all - the system, that in the words of several MPs is in desperate need of repair.  Some people however have argued that such a reactionary vote, might keep MPs on their toes, and that would not a bad thing – they would not be in a position to argue whether or not the seats that they represent were genuinely marginal seats or was it because people were angry about expenses?  Over to you, Gordon…

How The Americans See Duck-Gate...

Yes, it is official.

The situation at Westminister is so embarassing for this country, that even the Americans after the fiasco regarding hanging chads can afford to have a dig at us...

In the 1970s, Britain was seen by the world as 'The Sick Man Of Europe'. Times seem not to have changed much in the last 30 years....

with thanks to politicalbetting.com

I Get A Visit!

Afternoon,

I have just finished having an conversation on the doorstep with Tom McNeice who is the Liberal Democrats hopeful for the Folkestone North-East seat at the upcoming County Council elections on the 4th June – it was very good of Tom to take some time out from what is probably going to be a hectic last few weeks of electioneering. 

I won’t get into the general gist of the conversation that I had with Tom, but let’s just say this, it was along the same stream as the e-mail that I sent him last night.  Conclusions, are I think I have a rider!

I’ll probably post again in a few hours, once I have watched the rest of the rugby on Sky. 

Off topic, a massive congratulations to Gillingham FC, who have got themselves promoted to League One this afternoon after a last-minute winner at Wembley against Shrewsbury!  It will be Elland Road, St Mary’s and Carrow Road, rather than Gigg Lane and the Pirelli Stadium next season…

Stormy Waters Ahead...

As I head to the swimming pool for a bank holiday dip, with the clouds gathering Folkestone, producing the first rain-drops for a few weeks, I wonder just what the upcoming weeks will bring to an already damaged nation.

Whatever it is will continue to cast questions over Chairman Brown is able to lead the government and indeed the country, through what is remaining of the recession.

As further revelations are revealed in the Telegraph this morning, this time alleging that certain cabinet members used tax-payers money to pay accountants for their own private use, surely now more than any other time since he came into office, his authority has to be questioned...

Just who is running the country right now? Chairman Brown or the Barclay brothers? Because right now, the country is in need of some leadership, and they are not getting any...

Amusing…but true…

Why Should I Vote?

Something different for tonight’s posting.

The following is a e-mail which I have sent to the Liberal Democrats hopeful for my area at the upcoming County Council elections.

As soon as I have his response, it will be up here!

Tom,

I'm a disaffected person of an age where recession and depression are words that I thought were of a time before me.  I am of a political persuasion that in a previous time before now, would have me heading towards the polling station and voting Labour - those on my father's side of the family were members of the NUM at the time of the miners' strike, whereas my Uncle, before he joined the Marines, took part in the Seafarers' strike of the late eighties. 
As a teenager, I went to boarding school and saw with my own eyes the class system in

all its warts and all - the way middle-class parents are able to manipulate the system for their own means to the detriment to everyone else is disgusting and puts those of us unfortunate to have come from a different world at such a massive disadvantage. 

This continued after I left school, being left to fend for myself and pay for my college education myself, and because of the school I went to (I went to boarding school, purely because of my speech and language problems) having had no qualifications - meaning getting a job was nigh on impossible. 

So yes, I have had a difficult upbringing, as has most young people from this part of the world.  You no doubt know, that this area that you are wanting to represent includes parts of which are in the lowest 10% per GDP in the country, and yet it is astonishingly in one of the Tories' safest seats. 

Such a contradiction in terms, I think we would both agree!

I have been in the past tempted to vote for the Liberal Democrats in the past, like his fellow Welshmen Lloyd George, my father is a Liberal, of the old-school kind, I find, whereas my views can be describe as Pinko-Liberal.  You can guess the mantra. 

• Pro Gay Marriage and solidarity for those persecuted, whatever their creed or colour at the hands of fascists.
• Pro Europe, however anti-federalist.
• Internationalism, and support for fellow workers throughout the world
• Anti Capitalist, and I admit I could not help but have a wry smile at those anarchists smashing the RBS building during those G20 protests.

What this message is about however is not about me.

It is why I should vote for yourselves on June 4th.  Unlike 75% of the eligible electorate, I have every intention of voting that day, either in a protest vote (i.e spoilt my ballot paper, as my sister intends to) or I hope for a party or someone who I can say to myself I can look back and say, yes I can support him or her.

It is said that people around the country did not vote for Labour in 1997, they voted for Tony Blair - I think it is time that we cut the personality politics once and for all.  It is not like it has done us any good in the intervening 12 years.

Note, that I have not mentioned the sickening scandal involving MPs expenses.  I think that there are some who have done some serious and criminal things.  Obviously, I cannot expect you to comment on that for obvious reasons - it is clear that Labour will get more than a bloodied nose, and so they should.  The Chickens are coming home to roost, something that your man Mr Cable has been saying would happen, for more than I can remember.

I look forward to your response,

I do hope it will not be the bog-standard response…

I’m going to watch the rest of HIGYFY now.

Night, Night

Rob

Another Night At The Collisseum.,.

Just finished watching Question Time as well as reading the various blogs online, and the general consensus amongst us was that if the mood of those in the audience in the genteel city of Salisbury is anything to go by, then we could see some very nasty flashpoints between now and the General Election, whenever that will be.

There seems to be a feeling in the country that some members need to do some serious time at Her Majesty's Pleasure and with good reason. William Hague on the aforementioned Question Time described some expense claims as bordering on fraud. That is an understatement, young Willie. What we are seeing is the uncovering of an awful lot of dirty underwear.

Do members not realize yet what is going on in the country? The country is going through a recession and with people losing their homes and jobs, the likelihood of extremist parties getting a seismic breakthrough was very possible. In the light of the avalanche of sleaze and fraud allegations which is submerging parliament, the chances of a Fascist MEP getting elected at the forthcoming European elections is more likely than not - I would suggest somewhere in the North Of England as being at greatest danger of the slime getting a seat.

The public are getting very restless, we have seen the anger of a mainly middle-class audience tonight. Just imagine how those of the population who live in the poorest areas of the country are feeling right now. It can be argued that they would be excused to kick off right now - it is those who live in the poorest 10% of the country who would be the targets of the benefit cheat adverts and yet the very same people who have been accused of stealing taxpayers and have supported the government's hardline on those who are on benefits, are fiddling the system for their own wanton greed.

The French know how to get their politicians to listen.

Perhaps we should take a leaf out of their game-book.

Night, Night.

The Nadir Gets Ever Deeper…

Evening,

After a lot of thinking, I think tonight’s title is about right – following the past 72 hours of what seems to be constant blood-letting on the behalf of the Commons and the Party Leaders of all the main political parties.  Question is though, just how much more of this do we have to take, until it all calms down. 

With news coming out tonight that Dr Ian Gibson, the Labour MP for Norwich North and someone who I would have thought would know better, having announced that he is prepared to stand down as a MP at the next election, it seems that pretty much anyone could be next for the Telegraph treatment.  I have just switched over to BBC1 to watch they are calling a ‘special edition’ of Question Time from Salisbury – it will probably be the programme’s biggest watched edition for some years such is the anger that there is tonight in the country.  Ed Balls was supposed to representing Labour tonight.  He isn’t.  Leaving it to Ben Bradshaw, that is what I call a public execution in all but name…revealing that William Hague has already mentioned the word ‘Fraud’ to describe some of the expense claims…mmm.

I do wonder what on earth is going to come out next…

What's On Top...

Afternoon,

Hope you have noticed the new header which I have quickly done on Photoshop this afternoon. Thought that we needed to make the website that little bit more individualistic as more and more people get online and pen their own thoughts.

Have had a day off today away from work and am now beginning to update my CV as I have seen some position, both in my current place of work and outside town - so am wanting to get that updated.

I do intend to do a much more fuller post later this evening in light of the weeks events in Parliament. Question Time is on at 9pm tonight which includes Hague and Balls, if he hasn't pulled out for some unknown reason.

The Labour government is beginning to have the feel of the last days of the Saddam government - with countless Baghdad Bobs saying everything is fine with the world. I do wonder whether their truly believe that nonsense? When is Chairman Brown going to sack Blears? Sounds like he's running scared...

Something? Someone? Somehow...

Evening,

Living at home, you would think would replace the brutally obvious void of not having the joy of sharing your life with someone, whether that is a girlfriend, wife or soulmate.

Let me be frank with you on this. It does not - in fact it shows the inadequence that there is my life. See when you are at home, there is me, my sister and my mother. Three singletons, I think in the case of my mother and sister, destined to remain single for life after their treatment at the hands of my father whilst I was at school.

I do not want to grow old lonely, as that is probably going to end with me ending my life early - sad as that might be. Obviously, if you have such an hectic lifestyle, then being single is probably not a bad call to make - however, the longer I stay at home and with my work situation changing, so I am with a lot more people of my generation - the true realisation of my own inadequencies are beginning to show in all of its colours.

What it is showing to me is that sooner, rather than later I am going to have to make a big call on where I am going to take myself, whether that is to get a flat in town whilst still working where I am, which would make things bearable - however knowing that my family will always be there to make my life hell, like it is now - or to leave everything.

The latter option was the preferred option of mine, when I had to go back home, when my former housemate had
to go return to her hometown for personal reasons - my own plan was to move to the Isle of Wight, however with so little time this was not a realistic option sadly.

This option is hopefully going to become open again in the next six to eighteen months for various reasons, and I am beginning to think of ways to make this as a easy decision to make as possible.

It might be the case that I have to launch my "Scorched Earth" option. In essence it when I become as much of a shithead/cunt/wanker as possible to everyone - at home and at work.

Everytime I have used this option, it has worked without fail. And frankly, with the way I have been treated by some people in recent years, it's probably the very least they deserve.

At least then it would not be a bug-bear to leave this shit-tip of a town.

Every cloud...

Night, Night

Rob :(

Incitement To Disobey…

Evening,

Well today has been fun hasn’t it!

Speaker Martin went to the Commons, all expected to resign with a semblance of grace and dignity.  That he did not.  What he did do was to go against the grain of MPs and the people of this country.  Questions must be asked what has he got left to do.  The integrity of the Speaker’s chair is at stake and yet we have seen scenes today which are truly without precedence. 

"We all know that it's the tradition the Speaker speaks to the whole house but I also want to say to the men and women of the United Kingdom that we have let you down very badly indeed and to the extent that I have contributed to that situation I'm profoundly sorry,"

Wise words, indeed.  But whether you like it or not – Parliament as a institution will not be able to start even recovering without a change in leadership.  A general election will only do something.  It will get rid, hopefully of those members who have had their figures caught in the pie, but a radical shift in the culture that Parliament works in, would have far more fundamental positives.

One prominent Conservative grandee suggested during the debate that the “condition of the house today is rather like the condition of the country at the time of the Norway debate”.  That is the sort of situation that Parliament is in right now.  What is topping Chairman Brown from cutting Martin loose and lead him to be fed to the wolves?

The speaker’s comments followed on Call Me Dave calling for the dissolution of Parliament ahead of a possible General Election, probably for early July.  More discerning for Chairman Brown, Cameron also urged the general public, including Labour and Lib Dem supporters, to join in and start their own petitions or write to local and national newspapers. "Through the power of our collective pressure, we can force Gordon Brown to act," he said. 

A sizeable majority of voters say Chairman Brown has handled the crisis over MPs' expenses badly and most believe David Cameron has dealt with it well, a Guardian/ICM poll reveals today.

Labour's showing is its worst in a Guardian/ICM poll since July 2008, and it is also the Tories' worst performance in the poll this year. But the findings demonstrate that most voters are still more concerned about the economy and other issues and regard the crisis besetting Westminster as a second-order issue.  How long will that last, not long I suspect…

And still it gets worse for Labour with reports tonight, saying that Labour’s Chief Whip’s own expenses are going to come under scrutiny in tomorrow’s Telegraph.  It has been Nick Brown’s own decisions to suspend those MPs who have been caught with their fingers in the till…

I’m off to watch 24.

Speak tomorrow.

Rob :(

Does This Have A Ending?

Evening,

We are heading towards what is promising to be an explosive and symbolic week in British Political history, with reports coming out this evening that Speaker Martin is going to be doing the decent (and probably, the only thing that he could do now) and resign from his post – and possibly triggering a by-election in his Glasgow constituency.  He is expected to speak to the Commons sometime tomorrow, and it is expected then, that the inevitable will come a-pass.  Just what Chairman Brown needs like now, like a bullet to the head…now that’s not a bad idea.

Although nothing shocking has come out in the press today, you cannot help but feel that there is an awful long way to go in this, particularly when you consider that individual police forces are fielding calls from disgruntled members of the public reporting their own MP in for expense fiddling – this has happened in more than one case, as far as I am aware.  That must be of concern to Gordon, he is going to be facing meltdown before the Euro elections, potentially.  As mentioned earlier today Labour are now in equal second place with UKIP ahead of the elections in a fortnight…

What also must be worrying Brown, in fact it is probably causing him sleepless nights, right now is the realisation that several of his cabinet are up to their neck in the brown stuff as it is an open secret that certain cabinet ministers have been, shall we say, saving for a rainy day.  Just like those third-world dictators who would take the IMF’s money for their gold-plated palaces, just instead it’s our money that they are sponging off.  The Cunts.

So where do we stand right now?  With at least one Minister of State already gone, two influential MPs suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party, as well as the resignation of an aide of Call Me Dave, we have a situation of unparalleled precedence.  The Speaker of The Commons, is more or les certain to fall on his sword within 24 hours, the Prime Minister’s own position must be in question, particularly if any of his cabinet are caught fiddling on a similar scale as those previous unknown MPs who have been caught with their fingers in the till.  What will be interesting is if Mr Martin decides he has nothing to lose and decides to go out all guns blazing.  That could be fatal for Brown and for Labour…perhaps Mr Martin knows something that we don’t…but The Telegraph does…

Intriguing thought, that.  Whatever happens next, one thing is sure.  Brown is still not in control…

Rob :(

Some Memories...

Afternoon,

Got into a conversation yesterday online, with a fellow trancer about the great tracks that we have had the joy of listening to over the past decade and a half, and there has been some real special ones out there.

The thought of listening to For An Angel whilst being at college takes me back to those days of halcyonic freedom and youth - mention that track, as I'm listening to that on the iPhone now whilst having found my copy of the very first 'Euphoria' album.

Pure joy and heaven!

Rob :)

Knifing The Voice....

Morning, Just!

The news this morning that the leader of the Liberal Democrats has called on the Commons Speaker to resign, does not come as much of a surprise to me. Michael Martin's position in my opinion has been untenable ever since his dressing down of Kate Hoey, the veteran Labour MP for Vauxhall in the chamber on Monday.

The way that Speaker Martin has dealt with the expenses scandal has been on a par with Chairman Brown. Why is it that he has not bought Scotland Yard to investigate the fraud accusations against certain MPs. What is there to hide?

Of course, Chairman Brown's behaviour in this has been nothing but woeful in itself. It seems that the collective brain within the Labour Party has lost its marbles in the past week. Something that is shown and agreed with in the two polls released today.

Level with UKIP? Fucking hell...

Rob :(

What Happens Next?

Afternoon,

After watching the Dirty Mancs win the title this afternoon, my immediate attention is going to be on what else the Telegraph have got on our elected representatives this evening…

The rumour is that Chairman Brown is to be interviewed on Monday – it would be seventeen days until the Euro elections – also worth pointing out that it is written in the stature books, that an incumbent Prime Minister has to call a potential General Election within a minimum timeframe of seventeen days ahead of the presumptive date of the vote…

Originally, Brown was supposed to be interviewed tomorrow on the Andrew Marr show, on Pravda…perhaps he has a very important announcement to make…

One Rule For One…One For Another

One question comes to mind this evening.  Why is it that Shahid Malik has to resign his post due to contradictions in the ministerial code of conduct and not Hazel Blears?

I for one am staggered to see what is different in what both have done…

…For One Night

I’m forgetting all the sleaze and criminal activities that our elected representatives have been indulging in, and am instead going to watch the Hillsborough Memorial Match which is on ITV4 – involving some of the greatest players ever to have played for the Redmen and being coached by, in my opinion, this country’s greatest footballer…

The likes of Shearer and Sheringham are going to be in the same team as the likes of Joe Calzaghe and those players from Everton and Nottingham Forest who were playing in 1989.

Justice will be done.

Do As We Say…Not As We Do….

Morning,

I cannot help but think that the above tagline pretty much sums up where we are in the expenses scandal this morning, after even more lurid allegations were released by the Telegraph last night.  Out of the nine MPs that the Telegraph said were going to named and shamed last night, only five of them have been up to now, been named.  Leaving the best (in the worse sense) to last, I can only presume…

The most recent allegations which have been release include as I mentioned last night, Fabian Hamilton, the aforementioned MP for Leeds North-East, who was accused by the Telegraph of continuing to claim on a mortgage for his constituency home, even though at the time, his main home was named as a property owned by their now-deceased mother, who had a property in London. 

He spent thousands of pounds decorating and furnishing the “second home” where his wife and children lived in Leeds, before “flipping” his designation to a new London flat, which he then also did up at the taxpayer’s expense.

When he was challenged by the newspaper, the backbench MP said he had made a genuine mistake, but could not be certain whether or not he had also over-claimed for previous years.

And I thought that, that in itself was bad enough…oh no, it gets far worse than that…

For those of you at the back who are not aware who Mr Morley was/is, he is the former agriculture minister – and it seems that he will be remembered as someone who will (hopefully) do some serious jail time, I don’t know about you but this would be seen in the real world as theft.

And to that extent - Lawyers last night said that the claims could constitute a criminal offence under the 2006 Fraud Act and the 1968 Theft Act.

The paper says that it is the most serious revelation to come out so far, but I cannot help but think that there is still something out there, waiting to thrown in.  

In other developments, this morning it has also been revealed that John Maples, the deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, declared that a room in his private members’ club in Pall Mall, London, was his main home. This allowed him to spend money on his family’s Oxfordshire home.

Stephen Crabb, a Conservative MP, claimed his “main home” was a room in a flat rented by another MP, after buying a new house for his family in Wales and claiming £9,300 in stamp duty. He had previously “flipped” his second home to the family house from another London flat that was sold for a profit after more than £8,000 in taxpayer-funded refurbishments.  Mr Crabb was in the spotlight last week for crucifying Chairman Brown during PMQs.  The video has subsequently gone viral…I am not going to post it, as I don’t want to give the oik anymore publicity…

More than 20 MPs have said they will pay back claims totalling nearly £130,000, amid public anger after days of revelations from leaked receipts.  This follows the Parliamentary Labour Party chairman Tony Lloyd writing to all the party's MPs, urging them to publish their expenses themselves instead of waiting for House of Commons authorities to release them.  Hmmm…as if that’s going to calm the public’s anger about their theft…

Seriously, what would happen to a member of the public, if they tried to pull off any of the tricks that our elected leaders have been able to wrangle off the public purse.  Any chance of making room for 647 prison places?

In related news, that no confidence motion in House of Commons Speaker Michael Martin is to be tabled by a Conservative backbencher.  Douglas Carswell, who has written an appalling book with that Conservative Maverick, Daniel Hannah (him of Brown Humiliation fame) is to make the move following a furore over Mr Martin's handling of leaks of MPs' expenses. 

What must be of concern to Chairman Brown is that there are several Labour MPs who are going to back this motion, and it has been reported this morning that although Nick Clegg has said publically that he will not call on the Speaker to go, he has said to his MPs, that he would have no problems with any of them doing it for him.  That is very ominous for Mr Martin, and considering the furore regarding his own expense claims, could we see something happening to him?  Shame really, I always have enjoyed the way he pisses off the Daily Fascist…

Today is also Tax Freedom Day, the day that we begin working for ourselves and not for the state…actually that’s a pretty depressing thought…

Rob :(

Need A Mortgage…Even If You Live With Your Mother???

Sky are reporting that Labour MP Fabian Hamilton over-claimed for a Mortgage for his family house in Leeds, even though he was living with his mother at her London house.

Hamilton, who came into Parliament in the aftermath of Labour’s landslide victory in 1997, is said to have attempted to justify his arrangement by saying that he spent the majority of his time in the house owned by his mother, a retired judge, until her death in 2005.

He spent thousands of taxpayer’s money decorating and furnishing the “second home” where his wife and children lived in Leeds, before “flipping” his designation to a new London flat, which he then also did up at the taxpayer’s expense.

On his official website, Mr Hamilton said that he wanted to expose the “widespread misunderstanding concerning MPs’ expenses” by detailing his own claims.  The image on the right hand-side of this blog is his expenses that he has claimed.  I think you will agree that it beggars belief.

 They do say that it’s the quieter ones, that you need to keep an eye on….

The Grand Finalé

Evening,

There is real anticipation within political circles, that we are about to see the final load of MPs expenses released in the Telegraph, with Westminster Couples in the firing line…Cooper/Balls and from the infamous Wintertons come to mind…I have the Telegraph website up and am awaiting to see what is there, imminently…

Sky are reporting that the Daily Telegraph will be:

“reporting on some of the most serious abuses of expense code – disclosures will relate to Nine Conservative and Labour MPs…”

I am intrigued to see what the Telegraph mean by that as well as what they have got on those mentioned above – obviously Cooper and Balls have already been exonerated in front of a Parliamentary Standards committee, just last year – whereas the Wintertons have always been seen as having a dubious past.  I have to recall Mrs Winterton’s remarks following the Cockles Pickers Disaster on Morecambe Bay…

The Telegraph continues…

“In one case, an MP representing a northern constituency “repaid” part of a substantial over-claim on his mortgage by submitting receipts for household items he had previously purchased”

Whoever that MP is, is probably in their last year as a MP…

These new allegations come thick on the news that Phil Hope, a junior Health Minister, announced that he would repay £41,709 for furniture and fittings claimed on his second home and Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader, promised to return nearly £1,500 he had paid to an interior designer to work on his flat.  

So far, more than £100,000 has been returned by 20 MPs from four parties as a direct result of the investigation.  That’s like putting crumbs back into the biscuit barrel, after stealing the cookies…

Some people need to do some jail time for their misdeeds…

Further updates as it breaks…

Rob :)

 

 

Some Other Thoughts...

On the iPhone and listening to the radio whilst on the laptop, in offline mode I cannot help but think that the juicier claims are going to be revealed towards the end of the week. Tom Bradby on ITN has pretty much confirmed this to be the case - inclinating that two Labour ministers, could well be in the crosshairs of the public, when their expenses are released into the public domain...

Chairman Brown appeared for interview with the media outlets just before 10pm to coincide with the late-night news schedules. Almost certainly because of Call Me Dave's earlier press conference - and not inspire of it. Another example of Brown not being able to control and lead events and being forced into decisions because of Cameron being able to continue to take the intiative.

Chairman Brown is ever being made to try and play catch up again, and we are left with the unedifying scene of the Prime Minister trying to talk himself up, trying not to look as if he has been behind the curve on the issue all along.

Really it seems to me that every time he opens his mouth he just make things worse and worse for Labour...

I cannot help but conclude that Brown seems destined to be out of office sooner than he would like. Particularly if these two ministers who are reportedly going to be nailed by the Telegraph on Thursday are done for....

Unless he uses his nuclear option...

Not In Control….

With one decisive and possibly election-clinching press conference, Call Me Dave has taken the initiative in the expenses fiddle – saying that all his MPs will be forced to pay back their expense claims, as well as setting out stringent new guidelines for Conservative MPs.  Isn’t it weird that only now that certain Labour Ministers are saying that they will do likewise…saying that, some people are far, far worse than those mentioned already….

What does this do in regards of the media narrative?  The argument being that Chairman Brown is now following Cameron in everything that he does on this and pretty much every other important issue right now.  Labour needs someone who can lead right now, something that Gordon is not exactly doing too well….

Of course, it is good that Blears has now decided to pay back all £13k of her Capital Gains Tax, but that is not the point, it is what it shows to the electorate.  Gordon is following Dave, and is not in control…

And as I said last night, it seems that the knives are out for the Speaker… and it will only get worse, my stomach thinks something even dirtier is going to come out sooner rather than later…

Rob :(

An Incredible Day

Key Points:-

• Speaker Martin shows his anger at MPs Expenses leak…but not at MPs fraud….
• Tories find themselves caught in the trough….now we see why Cameron has been quiet…
• Brown apologises for expenses fiasco….at last someone saying sorry…

And still the shit keeps on flying.  The Telegraph are reporting tonight that a senior Tory backbencher claimed claimed from the public finances for cleaning his swimming pool at a country residence.  He has reportedly said that he intends to repay the amounts back….only apologetic when caught, like all criminals….

We are also beginning to see the first signs of discontent from backbenchers of both sides in regards of the Speaker…

The Speaker did not even try to apologise for troughing with the rest of the greedy piggies instead using his time in the limelight to criticise those MPs who have spoken against the grain of the majority of those in power…oh to have Betty Boothroyd back in her chair…..

…and the sickest thought of the day was these bastards getting some power.  Some people have an awful lot to answer for…

Shit Sticks…

Afternoon,

As I alluded to yesterday afternoon, further revelations are continuing to be flooding out regarding our politicians and their expenses.  There seems to agreement by all parties that as more of the, shall we say lurid expenses come to light that Ministers are going to have to resign – in fact, if you believe reports in the press today, only three Ministers of State, Alan Johnson, Hilary Benn and Ed Miliband come out of this relatively clean, so to speak.  Chairman Brown does not need any more of this coming out, with the European elections in barely a month – analysis for the Sunday Times shows Labour is now trailing the Liberal Democrats as well as the Tories as it heads into the June 4 elections in 34 English local authorities.

Some other things that comes out of this poll, disturbs me very much as someone who would normally be voting for a party of the Left.  The Conservatives have a 14% cushion ahead of Labour, within the 18-34 age bracket – it has tended to be the case that young people tend to have more of a Left-Wing slant and have voted Labour or for one of the Far-Left parties, such as the SWP or in the case of the last election, Respect.  The Left in this country has been well and truly shafted by this government, it isn’t just the fascists who are getting support from disaffected Labour voters, those anarchists are as well…

The sleazy way that this government has tried to cover its tracks, whether it was the Murder of David Kelly, the Lies regarding WMD in Iraq, or the shambolic way that it has treated Gurkha veterans is amongst the most obscene episodes in British Political History.  And we are seeing it again, in regards of MPs expenses. 

When Labour rode into power in 1997 among a wave of euphoria, the Party promised that they would promised us a new era of fair play, but they have treated the parliamentary rulebook as if it were a “daisy-chain of loopholes” as described as such by Matthew D’Ancona in the Telegraph this morning.  Not wanting to forget that senior Tories and Lib Dems, are up to their necks in the brown stuff but why on earth wasn’t something done when Labour got into power in the first place?  They had used ‘Tory Sleaze’ almost as their chief electoral card when getting into office in the first place. Or is the truth was that the grass was always greener on the other side?

The bottom line is this though, Labour will never be able to use the term ‘Tory Sleaze’ ever again in their election literature.  Because as we all finding out to our cost, they are just as bad as each other…

Rob :(

Talking From The Other Side

Morning,

Went out last night to watch the Redmen score three without reply against the Hammers, and then proceeded to get plastered.

Although I had gone out to have a good night and get slammed - there is a part of me which wonders from time to time why I bother knowing what awaits on the other side!

Take this morning, I found myself on a grassy bank not far from my Nan's old place at 1.15am talking to myself - utter lunacy!

Why Bother!

Hideous And Repugnant

Afternoon,

We were promised a shit-storm in regards of MPs expenses, and so far we are not being disappointed.

With the millionaire minister, Barbara Follett being revealed to having claimed some £25,000 for ‘security’ and that’s not even scratching the surface – the government are being hit time after time after time, without having time to recover from the unrelenting blows raining on it. The Prime Minister himself has not got away from this lightly himself, having to explain to officials why he felt that he needed to claim some £6,000 off expenses for a cleaner. The same £6,000 which found its way into the hands of brother, Andrew – whom himself is a senior executive of EDF Energy, so surely he himself would not be short of a few quid. And this is from a Prime Minister who is wanting to punish benefit scroungers…

What we are seeing this morning is the complete and utter guttering of the political classes in this country – and not before time. For way too long the government of the day of whatever hue has taken stupendous amounts of money from the electorate and has splurged out on ridiculous things, yet at the same time they have been telling people that to do such things in everyday life is not just wrong, but criminal. Yet the only thing MPs saw as criminal yesterday morning was the whistle blowing which has seen these revelations come out. I suggest that says more about the morals of members of parliament or lack there of…

If our cabinet ministers worked for a private company or public corporation half of them would be out of a job yesterday morning. They would have been shown the door and instructed not to return. Moreover than not, their employers might then call in the police – MPs are the last people who should be calling in the police…The MP for Harrow might be rather worried this morning…

Of course there is a pattern to this – these scandals of shamelessness or which there are many on both sides of the house. The politicians will of course claim, as they always do, that they acted within the rules – rules that they decided upon and they police. But the common thread is an expedient switching from one residence to another of the property that they designate as their second home. So Hazel Blears allegedly uses taxpayers' money to help furnish no fewer than three separate homes. Other home-switchers do the same to maximise the profit. But then other home-owners do not have the privilege of wasting tax-payers money…

As I have previously said, the sleaze spreads across all the benches - but as much as Chairman Brown would wish otherwise, it is always going to look worse for the government because Labour came to office in 1997 on a promise to clean up public life. On entering parliament its MPs, like all the rest, were required to sign on to Lord Nolan's seven principles of public life. These include leadership, selflessness and integrity. Those principles have as much worth as a Didier Drogba apology. These expenses claims have eroded public trust in public life to a point where it stands lower than it did during the worst of the Tory scandals in the 1990s. Remember the Tory MP, found dead with a orange gagged to his mouth…now that was entertainment, this is criminality…

What we are discovering is widespread corruption and fraud at the heart of the Mother of All Parliaments. Whether they are Red, Blue or Yellow, they are at it – and it going to have to come to the point when the people decide enough is enough. Direct Action is probably the only way that those in power will listen, whether the people of this country like it or not. I remember the early part of this decade when the fuel protests paralysed this country for a few days, the government was close to breaking point back then. It would only need to take a few days of non co-operation by people, to bring the bastards to their knees, before they would have no choice but to come to the table…

The government has already been getting its attack dogs ready for the ‘Summer Of Rage’ with ACPO and various other right-wing bodies sharing the fears for the coming few months. Better not disappoint the fuckers now…

Keep your money safe, you don’t want it going to an undeserving shit!

Rob :)

Edit: A Video from Tory Politico....I really do wonder why they are getting so excited, they are next in the cross-fire...

Call Me...

Afternoon,

Just a quick message to whoever it was who sent me a message barely half-hour ago.

Sending a message with the word 'Test' is rather disconcerting, so get in touch with me, as I am intrigued with what it is that you want!

Rob :)

What They Really Mean…

A guide to the lies you will be hearing:

“It has since been corrected” - I knew it was going to come out and it was such a blatant fiddle that I realised I had to repay the fraudulently claimed money before it came out.

“The Fees Office approved the payment“ - the Fees Office always take the word of “honourable” members.  They always make the payment without question.

“It was a clerical error” - it was a small fiddle.

“Lessons have been learned“ - we have got away with it, but we won’t do it again.

“We need to have two homes to do our job properly” - why stay in a hotel when we can build a property portfolio at the public’s expense?

“Claims were made in good faith” - we have always got away with it in the past.

“It was within the rules” - MPs make the rules to suit themselves. MPs are  lawmakers, judge and jury.  It is a joke at our expense.  They really are almost all at it.

Tonight further revelations are coming out about the millionaire minister who is scared of going out of her house.  Guess whose paying for her security….

And This Is Even Funnier....

With thanks to the guys at RAWK...

I promise, normal service will resume shortly....

This Is Funny…

Yes it is Tom and Jerry having a bit of fun at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night…

And as always, Tom loses!!!

And here is a reminder for Mr Hiddink of some, shall we say dodgy decisions that went his way...

Hiddink was South Korean coach at the 2002 World Cup, some Italian and Spanish refuse to see the legitimacy of that tournament, such was the absurdity of some of the decisions made then...

He reeks of hypocrisy...

We Have Seen This Before….

Evening,

The teeth-gnashing of fans and pundits alike following the events surrounding Chelsea’s quite hilarious exit from the Champions League has to be honest fucking hilarious.  The way that the media have tried to somehow justify the actions of Messrs Drogba, Ballack and the like has bordered on hypocrisy.

This is from a club where in a similar fixture some years back the former ref, Anders Frisk was sent death threats from retarded Chelsea fans following an similar outcome to a match against Barcelona in 2006.

There is only one thing that them and their fake fans, with their pathetic plastic fans deserve.

Fuck all.

How fucking funny was that!

I Would Normally Post But…

I cannot be bothered tonight.  Somehow the thought of seeing the Dirty Mancs crumble at the Emirates is a bit too good to miss.

Will probably message tomorrow.

Enjoy the game, may the bitterest drunk lose!

An Legend Amongst Redmen

Today it was announced that the veteran Finn Sami Hyypia was to end his decade-long stint of unblemished service with Liverpool FC.

He has been an rock and an inspiration to Redmen throughout the world, particularly with his well-timed goals and interceptions.  Goals against Juventus and Arsenal in the Champions League are remembered with particular fondness down here in deepest Kent.

I hope that you are back at Anfield when your contract ends at Bayer Leverkusen at the end of 2011.

Sami, Sami!!

Some Thoughts…

Afternoon,

I have been watching the BBC coverage of the 1979 General Election, which happened some 30 years ago this past weekend, and it is interesting to see that although perceptions are nowadays that Thatcher won by a country mile in the end, and that it was never in doubt, looking back on the coverage now, there was a time just a week or so before the actual vote that Labour was in fact ahead in the polls for a very short period of time, before Thatcher won.  So even now, a good year or so before the country goes to the polls, there is always the possibility that Chairman Brown could get back into power for Labour’s Fourth Term, however unlikely it seems today!

The first signs of discontent within the cabinet however will make grim reading for the Prime Minister – although it came from an unlikely source.  Hazel Blears has always come across to me as someone who although popular with the Labour grassroots, is someone who the general population would like to punch her face in, with her holier than thou thoughts.

Do as I say, not as I do…

In this instance however, it has to be said that she is utterly spot on in her analysis on Chairman Brown.  The way that he went on YouTube and smiled whilst talking in regards of MPs expenses was absolutely hideous in its approach and pretty much gave Mr. Cameron an open goal to shoot in, which he has duly done so. Seriously, this is one area that you really would have expected Labour to be good at, considering they have recently employed the same people behind the phenomenal Obama internet campaign, which preceded his landslide presidential victory…

This afternoon, Harriet Harman has denied reports in today’s Telegraph that she would fight in any Leadership contest if or when Chairman Brown decided to leave office – going so far as going on the BBC (on a bank holiday!) to say that in any case she would not fight in any leadership contest. Yeah right!

The government seems to be doing a bloody good job in giving away the coming election to the Tories without the Tories really needing to work hard for the victory.  Charles Clarke’s demand that Ed Balls be sacked following the smear scandal that Guido Fawkes instigated is probably the first shot fired in the potentially conflict between Blairites and Brownites that has been brewing for the past two years ever since Tony Blair was ousted by Chairman Brown – it seems that revenge is best served cold…

Finally, I went on BBC Radio this morning as part of a phone-in regarding the suggestion of an Illegal Immigrants Amnesty.  Many thousands of people are demonstrating in solidarity with those people who arrive in this country for a better future.

Here are some brutal facts that the media don’t tell you, which I said in my comments on FiveLive.

• There are between 310,000 and 570,000 illegal immigrants in the UK, according to Home Office estimates
• If allowed to live legally, they would pay more than £1bn in tax each year
• Deporting them would cost £4.7bn and leave acute shortages of cleaners, care workers and hotel staff if allowed to stay, the net benefit of nearly £6bn would pay for 300 new schools, 12 district hospitals or 200,000 new nurses
• Nearly 50% of foreign-born immigrants leave Britain within five years
• Migrants fill 90% of low-paid jobs in London and account for 29% of the capital's workforce. London is the UK's fastest-growing region
• Legal migrants comprise 8.7% of the population, but contribute 10.2% of all taxes. Each immigrant pays an average of £7,203 in tax, compared with £6,861 for non-migrant workers
• There were 25,715 people claiming asylum last year. If allowed to work, they would generate £123m for the Treasury

In this financially barren times for this country, it is not in anyone interests for us to be clamping down on immigrants.  In fact, with British people being very choosy with the jobs that they are willing to do – the immigrant population of Britain are doing a service for this country, certain not a disservice.

And one more thing.  This idea is in the pipeline in the United States, where President Obama has stated this as policy.

Over to you, Labour…

 

The Knives Are Being Sharpened…

Evening,

It is becoming clear as night that Chairman Brown has not got much time left in Number 10 – following constant mutterings from former ministers, as well as rumour and counter-rumour about possible defections to the Liberal Democrats as mentioned this morning by Lord Ashdown in the Torygraph.  Although worrying for the party in general; I cannot help but believe that this is something that could only happen after the election – as surely certain MPs have more pressing issues to hand.  Possibly defending one’s seat?

This is following on from comments from former Blairite Ministers David Blunkett and Charles Clarke who revealingly said that he was ashamed to be an Labour MP – following a week when the government caught the feeling of the country completely wrong and were defeated on the Gurkhas Rights debate and the ever-continuing and embarrassing revelations regarding Members Expenses.

“There have been things that have been done recently which have made me feel ashamed to be a Labour Member of Parliament, which was something I never ever wanted to be in.

“I worked, as you say, over my whole political life to get Labour into a position where it could be a good government and I do see that fading away ... And it feels absolutely appalling” – Charles Clarke

One question need to be asked on the above comments from the former Home Secretary.  What does he mean by feeling ashamed about being a Labour MP – he did vote for the highly illegal and deeply unpopular Iraq War.  War, not something that you would have associated the Labour Party supporting anything like that up to 1997. 

Perhaps it was the abolition of the 10p Tax rate on the lowest earners in the country – but again surprise, surprise he voted for the budget in which it was included in the small print – so much for doing your job properly, eh Charles.

No, he is just upset that the Party decided to go for someone with socialist principles and comes from a working-class background, like Brown did – and that the Party had had enough of the Blairite regime, that him and David Blunkett belonged to.  He is however right on one thing, the party has lost its way and it will need some years out of power to regain its powerbase – away from the merchant bankers and tycoons that Blair brown-nosed in the build-up to the landslide of 1997, and back to the Party’s traditional, working-class roots.

In the meantime, Charles - Get fucking over it.  You like Blair and Blunkett are yesterday’s chip wrapper. 

You have a seat to defend – start working.

Rob :(

Tattoo ‘NONCE’ Onto The Bastard’s Head…

Evening,

I am rarely surprised by the depravity of the lowlife in amongst our population but seriously the news today regarding Baby P’s killer beggars belief.

The stepfather was found guilty of raping a two-year old. A news blackout on the case was lifted after a jury at the Old Bailey found the man, 32, guilty of raping a two-year-old girl. Baby P's 28-year-old mother was found not guilty of cruelty to the same child – but let us be blunt, they are both of the same ilk.

One thought though. Don’t sentence the cunts to jailtime.  Tattoo a suitable word to both of their foreheads…

NONCE.