Blears is latest to scurry away from Brown's Cabinet

The UK edged closer to having to set up a rota to run the country this morning as another Cabinet minister bolted from Gordon Brown's beleaguered government. Hazel Blears's resignation as Communities Secretary this morning came hard on the heels of Jacqui Smith's resignation as Home Secretary and, tragically, the revelation …

[John Bayly]

Smug bint has finally gone

But how the hell can she say that "the Labour Party has lost its connection with the British people.", this is a woman who owns 3 houses (or as she put it "I only own one house in LONDON"), scammed HMRC out of £13,000 CGT, and claimed for every available penny in expenses.

She's got about as much connection with the British people as Hitler had with the Jews. However, I for one hope that she becomes leader of the Labour Party, that would really destroy the bunch of fuckwits.

We need a sniper icon, because sometimes a headstone really doesn't say "die" properly.

[Winkypop]

Rats +

Ships +

Sinking

[richard]

the witch and now the poison dwarf gone!

excellent news, just get rid of the badger and we're nearly there....

[h4rm0ny]

If you're sick of the main parties...

...please be careful how you vote. It's gratifying to see the evil cabal fleeing home (even if they are fleeing rather slowly due to being weighed down by heavy pensions bonuses). But historically, governments being routed for corruption in times of economic downturn, tend to be followed by more extreme groups capitalizing on people's disgust with the main parties. Everyone recognizes that the Tories aren't much different and wants an alternative. But groups like UKIP and the BNP are leaping up to be that alternative. I'll probably vote Green because I'm an over-educated idealist. And the pragmatists will probably vote Lib Dem or not at all. But its the people who are disgusted enough to vote in BNP councillors, etc. that concern me.

Smiley - because at least Jaqcui is out.

[Scott]

LOL

Now i know what that stupind acronium was made up for, articles like this....LOL.

Sad Scak, you sir deserve a beer.

I'll be PM, scrap all these stupid Gov.UK projects and spend it on health, education and housing, oh wait thats what they surpose to spend it on, stupid me.

If the on line forums don't work maybe we could vote for our next PM, well its a thought anyway.

[Anonymous Coward]

Good.

Good riddance to the tax avoiding greedy ginger porker.

[Matthew Smith]

Show your support

Show your support for Jacqui at what must be a terrible time for her.

www.dearjacqui.co.uk

[Ragsnot]

*DING*

Abso-bloody-lutely fantastic idea...having spend hours trying to work out the best way to replace the Gov't, you have answered the puzzler with a peach!!

Facebook FTW....I think thats what you're supposed to say in circumstances like this! I'm too busy being lEEt to know for sure!

/coatdoorroutine on

[Anonymous Coward]

Is there anybody left?

Is there a labour MP left who hasn't held a ministerial post? Given the calls for an elected house of lords I doubt Broon will have the nerve to shuffle any more lords into his cabinet so what's left? Is he going to shuffle in previously disgraced and sacked (sorry, resigned) ministers?

On the subject of the Euro elections bear in mind that MEPs voted to block the publication of their expenses so the main thing we need to do is make sure every sittin MEP is booted out.

The recent problems with our lords and masters (sorry, elected representatives) have forced the whole concept of "consent to be governed" into the forefront. It's a key concept of any electoral system, but one which doesn't get discussed much in the UK. It is clear that there is no consent among the UK population to be governed by this bunch of muppets. What is needed is some officially recognised way of bringing this to the attention of the government so that it can't be ignored. Opinion polls don't count, local and european elections have no effect on Brown, nor did they effect Blair. What is needed is some way for the population to force a general election.

[Charlie Mason]

Comedy

You Britisch people make the best comedies.

[amanfromMars]

Changed Days and Brilliant Knights in an Altogether Completely Different Climate.......

....... Intellectual Property Environment.

"and, tragically, the revelation that Tom Watson has quit his post as minister for digital engagement."

Given the complete and utter lack of digital engagement, pray tell where is the tragedy. Seems to me more like another cuckoo and fraud . finally being turfed out of the nest.

And there is a growing perception and realisation that the Government actually runs precious little and merely does as exactly as it is told to do by ...... well, HM has described them as forces about which she knows very little.

Although that is par for the course, is it not? And digital engagement is most definitely and most definitively Real SP00KEY Red Team Territory ......... Best Mastered with a White Hat and Cloudy Cloak?

[Simon]

Returning to the grassroutes, my arse!

Blears, gah, whenever she appears on TV connected with the expenses scandle she alway appears with a smug look on her face and tries to put a positive spin on the fact her employment prospects just went into melt down.

Blears, you got caught fiddling expenses, ok so you paid it back but I don't recall you actually apologising about it. Her comments were rather along the lines of "Ooh, looky me, I paid the money back, I'm such a good girl now, vote for me!"

She now wants to "Return to the cut and thrust of grassroots, on-the-street politics" Because yeah, people on the streets will really appreciate that now...

Wow, Labour are really in a mess now, time to call an election. Well, the only problem is now we all suspect the other parties may be just as useless, someone please prove me wrong.

Maybe then this could also be the end of the ID card schemes and the other "Surveillance society" schemes Labour has been cooking up in the last few years, together with all the money they have wasted on them.

[Anonymous Coward]

@h4rm0ny

"I'll probably vote Green because I'm an over-educated idealist."

Being over educated obviously doesn't over burden you with common sense. The Greens have of late become one of those parties that will say anything to win votes. Yes I think they used to have the environment at heart, but any unbiased observer can surely see that they now have their own electoral interests at heart.

They can twist the "green" status of any issue to win votes. If the residents round here are against something on the lead up to an election then our local candidate is opposed to it on environmental grounds, no matter what it is they can find a reason why the proposal is bad for the environment. Equally if the populace want something then the canditate is in favour of it, due to it's sound environmental credentials.

For example we've been promised a bypass where I live for decades, even central government got in on the promise as long ago as 1973, but nothing ever happens the usual excuse being a a lack of funding. The latest communication we had from the Greens it that if elected as our MEP they will campaign in favour of building the bypass. Of course anybody foolish enough to vote them in on that basis will soon find that there is no way to build the sub-mile long road without it cutting through woodland and then they'll suddenly find the Greens campaigning against the building of the bypass. The same applies across all sorts of issues local and national.

[N]

Good riddance

Im not sure who I like least out of the lot of them but she is certainly near the top of the dung heap

[Anonymous Coward]

Is it me...

Or is politics so much more interesting when the ship is sinking? This makes the fall of Rome look little league. Even poor old John Major never crashed and burned as bad as this (he only had a few dodgy crooks and deviants).

Almost makes you want to shed a tear for our Fuhrer and his former minions, including the late and lamented Reichfuhrer-SS Blears.

[JayB]

Ding Dong (another) Witch is Dead...

"So, for the time being, we have no-one in effective charge of the government's strategies on ID cards, IMP, smart meters or, crucially, ensuring that Whitehall is up to speed with Twitter and the importance of turning their PCs off at the end of the day."

Now now Mr Fay, don't go confusing everyone. The above applies that someone was in EFFECTIVE charge. Frankly that useless shower of loonies would be hard put to be effective at anything.

The problem is who is Loonie Broonie going to replace this bunch of venal, unethical, butt ugly vermin with? Another bunch of venal, unethical but possibly marginally prettier vermin?

Pirates 'cos I can't see Paris or Bill dancing a jig, but I am getting to see lots of troughing vermin walk the plank!!!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

More good riddance to more bad rubbish.

Again a shame she's going for minor corruption rather than for being a smug, incompetent, twittering idiot who failed spectacularly in every office she was shoved into. She behaved like she was running a Parent Teachers Association. Completely unfit for purpose from Day 1.

[David]

Sarah Bee for "Moderator in Chief"!

Can anyone think of a good reason why not?

[Maurice Shakeshaft]

A little care...

While the MPs are away the Civil Servants will play... but they did anyway.

When you are given enough rope by Consultants and Civil Servants even the best - and the ones that have gone are very far from the best! - stand a fair chance in of tying themselves up in knots.

It really annoys me to hear elder statesmen(?) like Hattersly dissing independents as, in effect, irrelevant and wasteful because what is needed is National political parties with an agenda for the country. Like NL & Tories I presume.... Excuse me but I think not! Then that clown Clegg (?) comes along and demands that the MPs of all parties stay on as long through the summer as it takes to fix the system. The very same folks who abused and messed it up it in the first place! Again, Excuse me but I think not!

Meanwhile, the reckless and pointless IT spend continues in the hands of Civil Servants who have no interest in slowing it down as they are not accountable and have very helpful mates in the industry they've just come from - new CIO HMRC being a case in point.

[Anonymous Coward]

I like this idea

But rather than a rota can't we just appoint the Moderatrix as Dictator? Tough on crime, tough on the causes of inappropriate postings.

[Anonymous Coward]

ok Salford

finish it...

[G Murphy]

Blears and Wacky Jacqui?

I'm tempted to hop skip and dance, getting rid of these two (particularly wacky jacqui, who I'm pretty sure read the Daily Mail every day and used it as some sort of bible) is the best thing that could have happened to Labour at the moment.

Gordon should be thaking the heavens.

In truth they are all probably resigning so that they don't have the disgrace of being dumped out of the cabinet by Brown. you know it's true...

[Les Matthew]

Before you all cheer

just remember that The Dark Lord is sitting in the wings.

[Anonymous Coward]

Ding dong

the witches are out of here, another one bites the dust, and counterfeit we figured you out.

Labour should dissolve and call the election now, the longer they wait the more that gets prepared against them, it is going to be an interesting election.

Now, what do the Greens stand for, they are sort of liberal but with a bit more guts, it could be just what the country needs. Oh someone else is pushing there, they could do it.

Business at its best is an ecosystem, could do with some more trees, as long as they don't tax us for it, get people to volunteer or offer grants, remove road tax, tax petrol directly, more bike lanes perhaps.

And it would be interesting to see how they deal with the environment problems that are in opposition with each other, it is a dilemma no mater who gets in, but hey they might do the big things, force companies to tele commute, and that means IT is going to be in huge demand, as you service people in your local area, and get used to working remote.

Greens for the win, smoke me a bowl, be home in time for breakfast.

[N]

Nothing quite like

The smell of burning witch!

[Anonymous Coward]

I wonder why?

Maybe there are differences between being ousted in an election and resigning before an election.

The usual truculence displayed by an MP enroute encroute to resignation seems to have been displaced by a ready willingness.

Hence it seems reasonable to observe: there has to be some money (or pension rights) in it for them?

[John Imrie]

Re: first comment

What is needed is some officially recognised way of bringing this to the attention of the government so that it can't be ignored.

My I suggest getting 100 or so Face Book friends to dress up in Guy Fawkes masks and walk up and down the themes opposite the house of commons :-)

[Anonymous Coward]

(untitlled)

Perhaps now is the time to get rid of this current government.

I propose two ideas.

1. Scrap the government completely and go back to an absolute monarchy operating in the interests of it's people.

2. Start again from scratch. Scrap parliament, the house of lords and retire the Monarchy and move to an elected presidential system ala America but with the ability of hindsight we can learn from their mistakes.

Any process that leaves vestiges of the current government is still going to carry over all the problems that are currently affecting it.

I have been wondering recently if there are ways to remove a overbearing governmental system that isn't basically a revolution?

[Richard]

@David

I'll vote for that.

All Hail Sarah Bee! Hail!

Less seriously, I'm confused as to how Ms Blears got into the cabinet in the first place - every time I watch BBC Parliament she seems unable to make a coherent speech, even when she's reading a prepared statement.

I thought speechmaking was a critical part of the job?

[Anonymous]

Is this a Democracy ?

We are ruled by a goverment that has no public trust that steered the people into the way of misery and our forces into the way of harm, have an unelected primeminister and an unelected upper house and yet we extol the glories of democracy to the third world, who are we deluding them or ourselves?

[Jason Bloomberg]

Spoilt ballots

It's the only way to get a vote against what we have counted.

Otherwise they'll blame poor turnout on some external reason and largely remain in denial. Far better than having to be resigned to the fact that if voting made any difference they'd ban it.

[Dan]

"Return to the cut and thrust of grassroots, on-the-street politics"

Sounds more likely to tempt someone to 'cut and thrust' a local politician.

Blears trying for new health minister maybe?

[Pyrrho Huxley]

Absolute Monarchy?

@ Anonymous coward

"1. Scrap the government completely and go back to an absolute monarchy operating in the interests of it's people."

Perhaps on the planet Tharg absolute monarchs "serve the people", but here on planet Earth they look after themselves and the wealthy elite. And if they stop looking after the latter, they'll quickly be invited to fall on their swords.

[Anonymous Coward]

@Sarah Bee for "Moderator in Chief"!

Yay, I, for one, welcome our new Moderatrix overlord and wish her a long a fruitful reign.

Oh, don't forget to keep the receipts for expenses Sarah.

Paris, minister for, like, duh, whatever....

[Anonymous Coward]

@consent

I would just like to take a moment to point out that the plan to allow the electorate to sack MPs was suggested by the loonies some years ago. They called it I'm A Crap Politician Get Me Out Of Here.

www.omrlp.com

[Mike Banahan]

Funniest thing I heard today

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Good f***ing riddance.

[RW]

Absolute monarchy

It's just another system of government. You'd discover some monarchs were good, and interested in their people, others were interested only in feathering their own nests. Historical examples are plentiful, including the tragic state of North Korea today. The Chinese Emperors are a good group to study, as some were very good, others notoriously poor, the Dowager Empress being one of the more notorious examples of what can go wrong.

There's a halfway house: restore genuine authority to the Crown, including the prerogative of appointing ministers, but leave Parliament its long-standing control over taxation. Historically, English history is the story of an ongoing struggle between the monarch and Parliament, sometimes one getting the upper hand, sometimes the other.

But that halfway house differs from an elected presidential system only in that the monarchy is hereditary and for life instead of elective for a fixed term. In the USA, the separation of powers between the executive and the legislature gives rise to considerable creative tension, even when the same party controls both.

Then there's the halfway halfway house where the monarchy is elective, but is for life (being a monarchy) instead of a fixed term. Better look at the history of Poland and its elective monarchy for some clue to the pitfalls involved in such an approach.

While the current political uproar is ostensibly about expenses, isn't it *really* about the erosion of civil liberties, the evolution of the cops into gangs of armed thugs, and so on? Or is that a misapprehension on my part?

[Anonymous Coward]

Roadworks

I wondered why the M42 was closed on Sunday - they must have got wind of the Blair *COUGH* babe (ooooo stretching it) resignations.

They'll be painting it yellow, so we can all dance down in singing

"hey ho the wicked witch is dead!!!"

It's such a shame that Blears isn't from Redditch too. I can't think of a nicer shit hole for all the ex-ministers to get sent to. The best bit is, the road system there is so goddawful, no one can find there way out. It's like a new-town black hole...

[ElFatbob]

@Winkypop

Yeh, +1

[Brett Weaver]

As Douglas Adams said....

"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job."

Never a truer word spoken in jest.

[John Smith]

They will re-elect her in Salford

They'd vote for a pig if it had a Labour rosette on it. They vote for the party, not the representative. She will think its's an endorsement of her work of cours.

Only an order from Labour HO will get her dumped. Of course the local party *could* de-select her.

But that would imply they (I don't know) *didn't * like her.

Failing that the last words are to Arnie

"I'll be back."

[Anonymous Coward]

@ RW - Absolute monarchy

No I don't think it's a misapprehension on your part! I wish the conservatives would have the guts to clearly state now they would roll back the mass of restrictive legislation introduced by this current lot of power crazy control freaks and to reign in the more extreme cops!

There needs to be a re-establishing by parliament of the basic principle that we are both governed and policed by consent.

[elderlybloke]

A British President?

Above an AC posted the idea of a President like USA have.

The Americans have the type of government was thought by a Frenchman to be the English/British

form of Government.

The French were their friends at the time.

You, remember , the Boston Tea Party era and no taxation without representation jazz.

No wonder they have had problems.

[Ascylto]

Hurrah!

At last the £13,000 cheque-waving ginger chimp has left the Cabinet.

She claims not to have been 'in it' for personal gain ... oh, so she forgot about that over the past 11 years did she as she climbed the greasy pole. If the people of Salford vote for her again (and they may ... donkeys with a Labour rosette have done well in the past) they deserve what they get ... a money grubbing, expenses maxing robber with a smile/grimace that brings grown men to tears.