'Labour MPs email petition for Brown to quit'

[Dr Gonzo]

'Labour MPs email petition for Brown to quit'
24 mins ago

Labour MPs are reportedly circulating a draft email urging Gordon Brown to stand down. Reports suggest there are up to 100 MPs who could be prepared to put their names to it.

The email is said to be addressed to the Prime Minister, who is already reeling from the announcements of four departures from his Government in the past two days.

According to reports, the email states: "We are writing now because we believe that in the current political circumstances you can best serve the interests of the Labour Party by stepping down as Prime Minister."

No MPs have so far broken cover to claim ownership of, or support for, the email.  Meanwhile, Mr Brown is being defiant and brushing off calls to quit following the resignations.

Tory leader David Cameron taunted Mr Brown in the Commons, saying his command over his Cabinet had "simply disappeared", and urge him to "get down to the Palace, ask for a dissolution, call an election".

Mr Cameron accused the premier of being "in denial" in the wake of the resignation of Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and other ministerial departures.

And Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said the Government is in "total meltdown" although Mr Brown insisted he is dealing with the problems facing the country.

At Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron seized on Mr Brown's problems saying: "This morning the Communities Secretary resigned from the Cabinet. This follows yesterday's announcement that the schools minister is standing down, the minister for the Cabinet Office is leaving and the Home Secretary is resigning.

"Why doesn't the Prime Minister accept that his ability to command his Cabinet has simply disappeared?"

Mr Brown shrugged off the jibe and instead praised Ms Blears and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, saying: "At a time like this the House should come together to acknowledge contributions that have been made in the public interest."

Ms Blears' departure came hot on the heels of the resignation of Ms Smith, who confirmed she will quit in the coming reshuffle, expected within the next few days.

She had come under pressure after it was revealed she did not pay capital gains tax when selling a property on which she had claimed the parliamentary second homes allowance. She later repaid £13,000 to HM Revenue and Customs.

In a statement, Ms Blears urged voters to back Labour in the Euro-elections and said she wanted to "return to the grassroots where I began, to political activism, to the cut and thrust of political debate".

"Today I have told the Prime Minister that I am resigning from the Government. My politics has always been rooted in the belief that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things, given the right support and encouragement."

She continued: "The role of a progressive Government should be to pass power to the people. I've never sought high office for the sake of it, or for what I can gain, but for what I can achieve for the people I represent and serve.

"In this next phase of my political life I am redoubling my efforts to speak up for the people of Salford as their Member of Parliament. I am returning to the grassroots (where I began), to political activism, to the cut and thrust of political debate.

"Most of all I want to help the Labour Party to reconnect with the British people, to remind them that our values are their values, that their hopes and dreams are ours too.

"I am glad to be going home to the people who matter the most to me: the people of Salford. Finally, there's an important set of elections tomorrow. My message is simple: get out and vote Labour."

[Dr Gonzo]

I heard this on the radio alternative lyrics to the old Stranglers hit, 'Golden Brown'....

Gordon Brown
Pain in the ass. On his ship
Thats sinking fast,

Throughout the land,
People are panned, they've got a frown for
Gordon Brown...

[twmcat]

I used to like that song, and actually had a letter from Gordon today - don't know why he singled me out 

Personally, I believe his biggest mistake was not barring the "fiddling" brigade from his party. He should have chucked the likes of Jaquie Smith etc as soon as details were made public, not let them resign for their own personal reasons.

I don't believe my local (Labour) MP is fiddling, but she was standing down anyway at the next election.
What I didn't like was the waste when I sent her a query via email.
I had a reply via normal mail on House of Commons paper and their prepaid first class envelope telling me she'd passed the query to James Purnell, head of DWP.
Then, got another posted reply including a photocopy of a reply from a certain under-secretary who seemed more concerned with her artexed ceiling than what I was asking - just a cut and paste job from their website - what a waste of taxpayers' money! 

Then, yesterday, I saw in last week's local weekly newspaper that the (Tory) MP for the next-door constituency, just a few miles away and where I used to live, had claimed £339 for a Tomtom satnav, as he found it difficult finding some local addresses.

I sent him an email asking why he couldn't have got a cheaper one (there are plenty for less than £100) and if he would give it to some charity when he steps down or gets booted out.
I omitted my address so as he couldn't waste money sending a reply by post 

Incidentally, that Tory used to be a solicitor, and lived (maybe still lives) just inside my constituency, and wasn't liked by many people.
He had a large house and garden next to a farm, and arranged a garden party for something or other.
The adjoining farmer (who despised him, apparently) realised the wind was in the right direction, so did some (literal) muck-spreading while the party was on 

Btw - I had a postal vote for Europe, and didn't vote for either of the above-mentioned parties 

[Dr Gonzo]

I think its a shame that everyone is crying about MPs expenses yet few people complained about them lying and making all sorts of rediculous bollocks in the lead up to the Iraq war which led to 100,000 dead...  I hope Labour get a real kicking today...its just a pity that its only Euro elections up here...Still, don't know were to vote as the school they normally use as a polling station is closed because of the swine flu, ha...

[shlj]

I might vote on Sunday if I manage to go via Paris.

[Gooner]

The democratic process in this country has really taken a beating over the past couple of weeks due to the Telegraph’s publication of MP’s expense claims, and rightly, most of us are pretty outraged over the levels of greed which have been uncovered. The majority of us have finally woken up to the fact that some people in public office aren’t there to serve – well maybe only themselves.

However, even though our anger is fully justified, there’s a danger that it could be channeled into the wrong places with disastrous effects. Namely, that we punish our elected officials in the upcoming European Elections by voting for minority parties with less-than-ideal ideals. The two which come under the brightest spotlights are the UKIP and the BNP.

The UKIP seem to be delusional about the role of Europe in the ‘downfall of Britain’. They seem to believe that most of the ills of our society stem from our integration with Europe and only breaking with Europe will ‘free our nation’. Even though most of these ideas are fundamentally flawed, UKIP are still fairly innocuous. This is stark contrast with the BNP. Most of the mainstream press has shied away from giving too much time to the BNP from fear of giving voice to their ideas. However, I’m of the opinion that the only way of defeating fascists is through free and clear outcry of their hatred.

Over the past few years, under the leadership of Nick Griffin, the BNP has tried to smarten up it’s image and shake off it’s reputation as a hang-out for National Front skinheads. Their representatives wear ties and hold family fun days. This smartening of racism is the kind of behaviour which may trick some voters suffering from feelings of apathy and anger at the current Government into voting for the BNP. Griffin’s gang has become quite good at putting on the front that they care for the British worker, the British taxpayer, and the British soldier. Even though this may be the case, the shoddiness of their latest Party Political Broadcast still suggests that intelligent and creative individuals refuse to work for racists (see Charlie Brooker’s Guardian column: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/may/18/charlie-brooker-bnp-racism) - which is a great sign.

Even if you are feeling angry at Labour, Conservative, or Liberal Democrat expense claims, just think what a BNP MP’s expense claim might look like:

£50 for White Cape and Hood,

£10 for 10 meters of Lynching Rope,

£75 for a Wooden Cross (including lighter fluid).

Don’t think that a vote for the BNP is ever going to lead to anything other than a country that is intolerant and bigoted, and that really isn’t what being British is about.

http://liamsharratt.wordpress.com/

[Dr Gonzo]

Well I wasn't suggesting that anyone vote BNP.... and when it came to playing the race card Labour and the Lib dems were usually the first on the job...Up here they characterized the SNP as a racist party and said that a vote for them would pave the way for right wing extreamism...But its Labour and the Arseminster system thats paved the way for the racists where as the SNP government at Holyrood are one of the few organisations thats in any way competent....Labour are a scum party that deserves no support at all its strange that its taken 30 years for people up here to see throught them...

[Alan]

OK so we have lost our way and stumbled on to www.oldwivesbellyachingaboutpolitics.com.   But you must not imagine the 'other side' is any better.  What about 'slick Dave', the man of the people?

A series of facts have come out about David Cameron over the past fortnight – but they have been virtually unreported.  Isn't it time for journalists to start exposing the facts about Cameron that will affect us even more bitterly than the stench from the Fees Office?

A few days ago, the Leader of the Opposition was asked how many homes he owns. "I own a house in North Kensington and . . . in the constituency in Oxfordshire and that is, as far as I know, all I have," he said.  He then started to get confused, said he might own four homes after all, and pleaded: "Do not make me sound like a prat for not knowing how many houses I've got".

He might have lost count of his houses, but he has been bang up-to-date on the mortgages . . . hehe.

The fact is that David and Samantha Cameron are worth an almost-entirely-inherited £30m, according to financial expert Philip Beresford.  And Cameron is advocating policies that will benefit his tiny class of super-rich Trustafarians at the expense of the rest of us.  He is committed to spending billions on a massive tax cut for the richest inheritees, paid for by the bottom 94% of us.

If you bother to read Cameron's statements, it's clear how he will pay for these cuts for himself and his friends – by slashing the few redistributive programmes for the poor built up over the past decade, like the Educational Maintenance Allowance for poor kids to stay on to sixth form.  They belong to a world he has never seen, or shown any interest in.

Let's just think of that if we want to describe people as 'scum', when they are not even in the BNP it is not a word that belongs in political debate.

I'm just looking for pictures of the Cameron 'family seats'.

[Alan]

Found it.  'Dave' has a few, but this one of them, in the constituency:

[attachment deleted by admin]

[John]

Labour are a scum party that deserves no support at all its strange that its taken 30 years for people up here to see throught them...

A rather extremist view.

A series of facts have come out about David Cameron over the past fortnight – but they have been virtually unreported.  Isn't it time for journalists to start exposing the facts about Cameron that will affect us even more bitterly than the stench from the Fees Office?

A very interesting bit of info on David Cameron.

[twmcat]

Anyone who can't count his houses he owns is obviously incabable or running a country.

Currently, I'm listening on Sky News about Purnell resigning - and bloody good riddance too.
If Gordon had more sense, he'd have got rid of these tories (Blairites) as soon as he became PM - they are now taking him for a ride 

I'm so glad I didn't vote for one of these 2 parties (or BNP or UKIP either - I'm not a racist).

[Alan]

From what I read, Dave's London house is worth more than twice as much as the one in the picture   So any readers who are seriously into property development might care to vote for Dave's party.  Everyone else would be better off to pick a different party (there a plenty to choose from

[twmcat]

From what I read, Dave's London house is worth more than twice as much as the one in the picture   So any readers who are seriously into property development might care to vote for Dave's party.  Everyone else would be better off to pick a different party (there a plenty to choose from

I did the latter, as I said earlier

I read that UKIP are complaining that in one area (I forget which) they were below the fold in the voting form and people would miss them out.
They know that many over the voters are idiots - remember a "Literal Democrat" getting votes somewhere off the Liberal Democrats so they complained? 

Lots would get really confused if they had, say "Conservatite Party" and "Labuor Party" on the form 

People were even moaning that the thing showing how to vote showed an "X" in the top box, and said that voters would vote for the first candidate.
Unfortunately, they're not really wrong when they think people are stupid. 

Btw - the town where I used to live in North Wales has just appointed Abdul Khan as mayor.
I believe he's an excellent councillor regarding the help he gives his constituents, and is a Plaid Cymru member.

I hope it sends the BNP into fits (not that I've come across any around here, thank goodness) 

[Dr Gonzo]

Labour are a scum party that deserves no support at all its strange that its taken 30 years for people up here to see throught them...

A rather extremist view.

Well with the ecconomy in terminal decline and unemployment rising at the rate of over 40,000 per month all the labourists can do is cry about their own position...Caroline Flint is the latest example supporting Brown then savages him the next day when she finds out she's not being offered a cabinate post... And remember most of the freaks that are being forced out of their seats, queued up to vote for the stupidest war in world history, the true number of casualties for which will probably never be known...Scum under those circumstances is actually quite a mild comment, its also fair comment....

From what I read, Dave's London house is worth more than twice as much as the one in the picture   So any readers who are seriously into property development might care to vote for Dave's party.  Everyone else would be better off to pick a different party (there a plenty to choose from

I did the latter, as I said earlier

I read that UKIP are complaining that in one area (I forget which) they were below the fold in the voting form and people would miss them out.
They know that many over the voters are idiots - remember a "Literal Democrat" getting votes somewhere off the Liberal Democrats so they complained? 

Lots would get really confused if they had, say "Conservatite Party" and "Labuor Party" on the form 

People were even moaning that the thing showing how to vote showed an "X" in the top box, and said that voters would vote for the first candidate.
Unfortunately, they're not really wrong when they think people are stupid. 

Btw - the town where I used to live in North Wales has just appointed Abdul Khan as mayor.
I believe he's an excellent councillor regarding the help he gives his constituents, and is a Plaid Cymru member.

I hope it sends the BNP into fits (not that I've come across any around here, thank goodness) 

I don't think the BNP did that well not even in Preston where they thought they would....They no support up here at all except for a couple of Rangers supporters clubs.... I heard that Ken Livingston on the eve of polling that if people didn't vote Labour it would let in the BNP, which of course didn't happen..

[Alan]

But the word 'scum' is not fair comment, it is not comment of any kind.  It says nothing other than that you dislike Labour.  But everyone knew that anyway, and (without being personal) individual opinions are not really of any interest, we are more interested in the parties' policies.  

I would reserve 'scum' for parties who stand only for hatred (naming no names .  And then it isn't comment, it is an epithet, or an expletive    

[John]

Caroline Flint is the latest example supporting Brown then savages him the next day when she finds out she's not being offered a cabinate post

I am afraid that you have got your facts wrong about Ms Flint.

Please read the following extract from her resignation letter to Gordon Brown:

"It has been apparent for some time that you do not see me playing a more influential role in the Government. Therefore, I have respectfully declined your offer to continue in the Government as Minister for Europe attending Cabinet."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/5454526/Caroline-Flint-resignation-letter-in-full.html

[twmcat]

Caroline Flint is the latest example supporting Brown then savages him the next day when she finds out she's not being offered a cabinate post

I am afraid that you have got your facts wrong about Ms Flint.

Please read the following extract from her resignation letter to Gordon Brown:

"It has been apparent for some time that you do not see me playing a more influential role in the Government. Therefore, I have respectfully declined your offer to continue in the Government as Minister for Europe attending Cabinet."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/5454526/Caroline-Flint-resignation-letter-in-full.html

It's been one of Gordon's problems having a whole pile of people who Tory Tony picked, and not wanting to make wholesale changes.
I think a lot of these are true Bliarites who are sticking their knives into Brown now.

I'm not a fan of New Labour, but hate the Tories also.

I was checking up, after reading what I thought was an incorrect post on teletext (and it was), and found that Tories had no seats outside England after the 1997 election.

OK - Bliar got in by a landslide then, but he tried to influence Wales by wanting Alun Michael as leader of the Assembly, Frank Dobson as London Mayor etc, but people didn't like to be ruled by his puppets - just like people later regarded him as a puppet of GW Bush.

The Labour party made a lot of mistakes by having "women only" selections.
Choices should be made on merit, not gender.
But, people who always vote Labour will vote for whoever is put before them - even Blears etc 
(And I don't know if she was on a "women only" list - I just don't like her).

[Dr Gonzo]

Caroline Flint is the latest example supporting Brown then savages him the next day when she finds out she's not being offered a cabinate post

I am afraid that you have got your facts wrong about Ms Flint.

Please read the following extract from her resignation letter to Gordon Brown:

"It has been apparent for some time that you do not see me playing a more influential role in the Government. Therefore, I have respectfully declined your offer to continue in the Government as Minister for Europe attending Cabinet."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/5454526/Caroline-Flint-resignation-letter-in-full.html

You got you facts wrong about my previous post.... Ms Flint already had a minor cabinate post and when she wasn't offered a major one she cried off....

[twmcat]

I was just thinking about the excuse that many make when they leave their cabinet post - "I want to spend more time with my family."
I liked that comment on "Have I got News for You" years ago about someone returning to a cabinet post - "He wants to spend less time with his family" 

[smithy]

haha

Wished i voted now , didn't go due to protesting and the bloody Tories have got in down here.  That will taech me. Labour never get in so no-one votes for them.