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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted -  28/04/2011  :  07:37
Political comment is a high risk activity on the site these days so I thought I'd try again to give those who are interested in politics a safe haven!


Stanley Challenger Graham




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stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
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Tardis
Regular Member


453 Posts
Posted - 14/10/2011 : 10:36
Vetting should be carried out where appropriate.

It didn't seem to be an issue with the same tabloids during the last 13 years with Michael (now Lord) Williams, Lord Levy, John Birt, Mark Leonard

The issue remains that Mr Werrity was not involved in the day to day running of the department.

With Coulson, are you saying that he was at meetings where his vetting was inappropriate? That evidence is not in the public domain.

I still think the issue is that Dr Fox did not accept "the standard way of doing things" (Civil Service) and used exactly the same methods as previous people have done without reproach.

Mr Werrity is unpaid by the Crown, if Dr Fox received benefit then there is a problem, outside the MoD and basically paid as a lobbyist by his supporters.

The greater problem here is that our system allows the Unions to both fund and advise (only) the Labour Party. In fact the Unions also benefitted hugely from monies and contracts handed out by the last government.

Are you saying that there are problems so great that they need addressing through primary legislation?


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Tardis
Regular Member


453 Posts
Posted - 14/10/2011 : 10:39
Sounds like Mr Letwin was doing inappropriate recycling whilst  attempting to multi task and failing miserably.

I wonder if the Mirror has contacted any of the constituents on the paperwork, or was it just party political stuff about his seat?


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Tardis
Regular Member


453 Posts
Posted - 14/10/2011 : 10:44
The debacle of the NHS continues apace.

Certainly echoed by all my contacts with it.

I think it was very brave of Mr Lansley to actually allow the unannounced visits to actually get a real picture of what happens everyday, so that there isn't enough management time to patch things up.

I would like to know if those authorities who "transgressed" the law will actually be prosecuted? Will they actually lose their job or be disciplined?


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Bradders
Senior Member


1880 Posts
Posted - 14/10/2011 : 16:50
Fox may have gone (PM is in the same boat), but still waiting for Huhne to be charged over "points".....Wonder what the CPS are waiting for ......

 


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thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt


2021 Posts
Posted - 14/10/2011 : 18:00
Fox may have gone! Is there not a possibility that he has succumbed to the "baying" hounds of the media, had enough and thought "bugger it", Moribund will be pleased of course, as will all those who's views of who should be in Government are at odds with who is, and we get plenty of that on here. Its all right carping on about what is wrong, but if any of you think that you could do a better job, then step up and have a go, but make sure there is absolutely no trace whatsoever of any skeletons in your own personal cupboard.


thomo Go to Top of Page
Bradders
Senior Member


1880 Posts
Posted - 14/10/2011 : 19:33
Fox's resignation now , smacks of damage limitation.......Awkward parallels with the Coulson issue. (P M 's judgement called into question again.....having appointed both )

It seem to me that to be an effective member of HMG , these days , a person needs to be (among many other things)...

Highly intelligent......

Supported by the "right " people.....

and able to vouchsafe that one has never been "naughty".

..........rules me out , on all counts , thank goodness...!



PS  Thomo , I think you just might be taking a bit of a teeny-weeny risk in mentioning L.F. and " bu**er it  " in the same sentence! Wink



 



Edited by - Bradders on 14/10/2011 10:31:25 PM


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thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt


2021 Posts
Posted - 14/10/2011 : 23:12
Cheeky s-d! and anyway, if one or both are "batting for the other team" that according to the HRA is their affair, whoops. What I would like to see in these government posts, are men and women who have high levels of experience relevant to the job, and not knowledge gained in universities, or some totally unrelated past occupation. For instance I would make a lousy finance minister, but could probably handle defence, or environment, immigration!!! nah, I would upset too many. If each post had three people, one with the knowledge of what it was all about, and another who's occupation was finding the right tools for the job, with the third sourcing the funding, then maybe, just maybe, without constant meddling, the system would be stronger. But we have to remember, that even if all were perfect, there would still be those who would oppose it on political principle. C'est La Vie.


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Bradders
Senior Member


1880 Posts
Posted - 14/10/2011 : 23:44
Yep !.........

..and I'll happily take "Cheeky " ....( I Never  mean to be offensive ) ...Ta!

Edited by - Bradders on 15/10/2011 12:00:00 AM


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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 15/10/2011 : 04:38
Michael all questions of Coulsons vetting were kicked into touch by Cameron. See this LINK. If he had the answer would have been a simple yes. This is still a ticking time bomb in respect of judgement.

Liam Fox resigned yesterday afternoon and the news hit the wires at 16:10. The general view is that this is probably because Werrity was interviewed again and produced documentary evidence which showed precisely who Fox's backers were. The significant thing about this is that these wealthy people were, in effect, financing an alternative foreign policy. Fox has a track record of being a maverick in this field. He has a strong following in the party on the extreme right wing and has been tipped as a possible leader. This is why he is still being defended by senior Tory politicians who share his views. Everyone keeps mentioning 'no wrongdoing ' but this is a distraction. He clearly demonstrated lack of judgement in allowing Werrity access to his diary and one assumes, sensitive papers. This alone qualifies him for dismissal under the ministerial code.

However, like anything else in the murky world of politics there will be more to this than meets the eye. Possibly the most serious matter as far as the collective party memory is concerned is the fact that one of the backers was a rabid anti-EU cmpaigner and Fox openly shared these views. Remember that it was the anti-EU faction that brought John Major down. This has not been forgotten. The other sensitive matter is lobbying and party funding. In 2010 Cameron said that lobbying was the next big scandal and had to be addressed. He attacked Labour for their close links to industry and  the financial sector. The Fox affair and the sources of funding the Tories are 'enjoying' demonstrates that nothing has changed and could possibly be even greater now. I have been banging on for a while about this and it could be that this is the greater problem.

Notice the quick fix of shifting Phil Hammond from transport to defence. Is he really the first choice for the job? Was Nick Clegg consulted? How did William Hague regard what was in effect of an alternative foreign policy being conducted by Fox? We shall never know but you can be sure that there have been fairly heated 'conversations' in private. 

Oliver Letwin....  I agree with Richard and Letwin himself has admitted, that it is insensitive at least to deal with correspondence from constituents and even fellow MPs by chucking them in waste bins in the park. Remember that Ollie has to say the least, a chequered career, remember when he vanished? A bit of an oddity.

As for the press, intrusion and harassing.  This is par for the course when you have a free press and a government which is looking inept. The curious thing about it this time is that it is happening far earlier in the cycle than usual. I can understand people getting worried about this but you have to admit that they have a track record of exposing corruption and real wrong-doing. Remember the Telegraph and Expenses? I'd rather have it this way than any system that allowed crooks to get away with behaviour that would not be tolerated in the real world.


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 15/10/2011 : 05:38
John Moulton surfaces to say that after the election Fox approached him asking for funding for a company set up at arm's length from him by Werrity  to enable Werrity to act as his fixer, advisor and conduit for lobbying.  This is really serious. Fox was in effect looking for finance to pursue his own agenda while in office. How many extreme right wing Tories knew about this?


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
Tardis
Regular Member


453 Posts
Posted - 15/10/2011 : 10:36
Seems to be universal agreement that it was the stuff in the Times that did for Dr Fox, and several of the backers getting a bit jumpy.

What needs to be answered now is why there was an investigation into the granting of the peerage for the 3M chairman


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Tardis
Regular Member


453 Posts
Posted - 15/10/2011 : 10:40
The issues in the NHS have allowed this to gain airtime:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF03yKDEn1U


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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 16/10/2011 : 04:37
Have a look at this LINK for more murky facts of what goes on behind the scenes of politics. Evidance of Fox's activity and links on the far right which were well-known in the Tory party. The reason I hate it is that it is alternative government outside the checks and balances of our unwritten constitution. Right wing DNA runs deep in the party and is behind much of the thinking that targeted the cuts. Liberals are staying too quiet.

It appears I am not alone in distrusting links between the financial sector and governments. Yesterday there were demonstrations all over the world, including London. This protest is deep-seated and should not be ignored.


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 17/10/2011 : 04:42
I was heartened by the fact that the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral asked the police to stop harassing the protestors outside the church as they were doing no harm and were welcome. The plolice went away....

Did you hear William Hague being interviewed about Fox yesterday? He had evidently been put up as the firewall and basically said "I don't know anything about that" to almost every question. He denied that Fox was interfering in foreign policy. If he knows nothing about Fox's activities how does he know that? It would appear that the gravity of the situation has sunk in. Cameron has suddenly remembered that he promised to attack lobbying and 'unhealthy links between industry and finance' and the process of governance. How opportune. Don't hold your breath, the Tories are getting the bulk of their party funding from these sources. Remember 'Cash for Questions'? The brown envelopes? Hamilton? Not good. Tuesday's report from Gus is expected to tear Fox to shreds.

Gus is known in government by his initials; 'GOD', reports are that he is to retire and go to the Lords. He will then be 'Lord GOD'.

Meanwhile in another part of the forest the EU finance ministers prepare for their away break in Cannes.  Optimistic noises from Ossie. More hope than expectation I suspect. This juggernaut of debt rolls on inexorably, it ain't over yet. My worry is that the western governmenets appear to have gambled on a successful management of the debt in Europe when they should be addressing their own. This is a symptom, not the disease.


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
Tardis
Regular Member


453 Posts
Posted - 17/10/2011 : 10:32
I will take what the Guardian says with the proverbial pinch of salt Stanley. I would not take their word if they backed the only horse in a race.

People seem to be going on about meetings in the Fox affair, and yet his friend appears to have been at none of the government meetings where rigorous representation is required.

Others seem to be moving on to why the civil service did not intervene. Maybe we will find out in the report document. The MoD certainly seems to be a shambles and it is remarkable that Dr Fox had such a strong reputation amongst the armed services which can not be said for some of the previous incumbants under the last administration.

As I have previously said the lobbying is well known, and led to the forced intervention of Mr Brown over Geoff Hoon and the other former cabinet member.

What does strike me as odd, however, is that Dr Fox was in one of the key government roles and thus had protection, but his friend knew of his movements to arrange meetings, which to all intents and purposes circumnavigates all attempts at security.


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