http://sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2006/01/31/government-defeated-again-and-again Reactionary, ill-informed, fabulous Mon, 21 May 2012 20:06:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2006/01/31/government-defeated-again-and-again/comment-page-1#comment-11771 sjhoward.co.uk » Celebrating defeat Fri, 17 Feb 2006 14:12:44 +0000 http://www.sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2006/01/31/government-defeated-again-and-again#comment-11771 [...] Just because this news means I still can, and to celebrate the rights we are lucky enough to have which millions worldwide are denied… [...] [...] Just because this news means I still can, and to celebrate the rights we are lucky enough to have which millions worldwide are denied… [...]

]]> http://sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2006/01/31/government-defeated-again-and-again/comment-page-1#comment-11551 sjhoward.co.uk » Blair’s plane and engine trouble Tue, 14 Feb 2006 12:09:59 +0000 http://www.sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2006/01/31/government-defeated-again-and-again#comment-11551 [...] Perhaps I’m just too cynical, but it seems rather suspicious to me that in the week that Mr Brown apparently steps up his campaign to take over as leader, and with relations between the PM and the Chancellor apparently smoothed over, he should get this golden opportunity. Just the other day, Charles Clarke came out with a carefully co-ordinated and calculated statement that the two neighbours were now sharing the Prime Ministerial role, then Mr Brown gets to make a hugely important speech on security which is, in reality, way outside his remit as Chancellor, and now he gets to head up one of the most important (though very clearly winnable) votes of the year so far. And anyway, in the event of the PM’s absence, surely it should be his deputy that steps into the limelight. That’s kinda what he’s there for. Not that tradition and the constitution normally count for much in the Blair world. It even makes me somewhat suspicious about Mr Blair’s big loss of a few weeks ago. Labour doesn’t lose votes like this. Could it have been a choreographed attempt to show Mr Blair as losing control, in contrast to yesterday’s vote supposed to show that Mr Brown is well in control of the party? Stunts like this would certainly make the transition of power easier, and isn’t a smooth transition what they both want? [...] [...] Perhaps I’m just too cynical, but it seems rather suspicious to me that in the week that Mr Brown apparently steps up his campaign to take over as leader, and with relations between the PM and the Chancellor apparently smoothed over, he should get this golden opportunity. Just the other day, Charles Clarke came out with a carefully co-ordinated and calculated statement that the two neighbours were now sharing the Prime Ministerial role, then Mr Brown gets to make a hugely important speech on security which is, in reality, way outside his remit as Chancellor, and now he gets to head up one of the most important (though very clearly winnable) votes of the year so far. And anyway, in the event of the PM’s absence, surely it should be his deputy that steps into the limelight. That’s kinda what he’s there for. Not that tradition and the constitution normally count for much in the Blair world. It even makes me somewhat suspicious about Mr Blair’s big loss of a few weeks ago. Labour doesn’t lose votes like this. Could it have been a choreographed attempt to show Mr Blair as losing control, in contrast to yesterday’s vote supposed to show that Mr Brown is well in control of the party? Stunts like this would certainly make the transition of power easier, and isn’t a smooth transition what they both want? [...]

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