Another fun night in the Town Hall with the Constitutional changes really biting , deputations banned from the Town Hall and Motion overturned with "delete all" amendments which have now finally turned Council Assembly into a complete of time!!! Over the past 5 years the Lib Dems and Tories have gradually taken away more and more decision making powers leaving in, be enlarge, as a debating chamber, and now they are restricting debate so I really dont understand the point anymore? Apart from the Budget setting and council tax I dont really know what elese is achieved apart from being an ego trip for toy town politicians in a toy town Council Assembly!!! The meeeting was too tedious to go into but I note that Lib Dem apologist Blogger says that we had a bad night from his "objective voice of the people" position but I am sure that politically speaking he did enjoy the sight of the Tories and Lib Dems finally merge into one ill-defined mass!!!! The Tories took the lead all night with seal like clapping from the Lib Dems and sheep like voting from their back benches, even if more and more of them looked uncomfortable again. The Lib Dem lurch to the right is complete in the Town Hall and wqhilst i am sure that right wingers like Andy Meyer and his Lib Dem chums on the Council are happy with it I wonder if Bermondsey voters feel quite as content??
Cllr, Baichoo was again awol and I note that his Lib Dem website has been taken off air so we have come to the conclusion that he is now being held against his will in a Lib Dem bunker somewhere in Rotherhithe so he cant break their whip any more !!!
The Lib Dem Tory Coalition is now complete with an indistinguishable line between where oone group starts and the other ends, great news for Kim and the Tories but what are the Lib Dems doing?????
Best part of the night last night was Susan Elan Jones speech and her comments about Caroline "Caroline-for-London" Pidgeon. I replayed it in my head a number of times afterwards and laughed out loud each time!!!!
There was sad news today in the Southwark news of the sad death of Sheila Carmen, who ran the Senior Citizens Hall on the Brandon 3 . I worked very closely with Sheila and she always told it like it was but would also be very caring especially to her constituents around Grimsell Path. Well done Southwark news on an excellent piece on Sheila! She will be sadly missed and I shall be attending her funeral on Monday. Rest in Peace Sheila.
With the Council Assembly finished by 10pm we made our way down to Harriet's Celebration Party at her home and hopefully can put a few pictures on the Blog when Cleo sends them on! God to see old friends like Angela Eagle there and of course the Guest of Honour Neil Kinnock! It was a good to celebrate with the local party as i know that she made a point during her victory speech thanking the 700+ members of the Camberwell and Peckham Constiuency Labour Party for their hard work and support over the years and clearly Harriet and Jack enjoyed the evening!
The new Cabinet is taking shape and Harriet has been given the Leader of the House job which i am sure she will relish!! I really like the look of the new Cabinet with a healthy mix of experience and new blood so am looking forward to seeing it get down to it!!!
I think that the Labour Party, the Government and the Counctry feel invigourated by the change and good times are ahead especially for us in the opinion polls and the ballot box!! David Cameron and Ming are very very quiet!!!! I wonder why?????
The complet list is below:
NEW CABINET
Prime minister: Gordon Brown
Chancellor: Alistair Darling
Foreign Secretary: David Miliband
Home Secretary: Jacqui Smith
Health: Alan Johnson
Schools and children: Ed Balls
Innovation, universities and skills: John Denham
Justice: Jack Straw
Commons leader: Harriet Harman
Defence and Scotland: Des Browne
Int Development: Douglas Alexander
Work and Pensions: Peter Hain
Northern Ireland: Shaun Woodward
Chief secretary to the Treasury: Andy Burnham
Cabinet office minister: Ed Miliband
Culture: James Purnell
Olympics: Tessa Jowell
Transport: Ruth Kelly
Lords leader: Baroness Ashton
Attorney General: Baroness Scotland
Environment: Hilary Benn
Chief Whip: Geoff Hoon
Business and enterprise: John Hutton
Housing minister (attending Cabinet when needed): Yvette Cooper
Communities: Hazel Blears
Children and youth justice: Beverley Hughes
Africa, Asia and UN: Lord Malloch Brown
3 comments:
Yup John, this whole lurch to the right routine would be more convincing if your own former Chief Whip hadn't just invited to the Tory Leader to join your benches and your new Prime Minister hadn't just accepted a proper social Conservative into your ranks in Parliament.
Further, can you offer any explanation as to why your group voted against the Freedom Pass?
John always an amusing read. you are such a party loyalist and i take my hat off to you for that. you seem to forget that the changes in Council Assembly powers are as a result of your Government introducing Executive arrangements. given that an official complaint has gone in about Susan's tastless comments i really cant you beleive that you really think that was the best line of the night. Though I know I would say it the best put down on the evening was "the six votes you dont have" to peter. the look of amusement from several of your disgruntled members said it all. if you had had the balls after stepanie stood down you would had the potential to be a great leader but unfortunatley you did not have the killer touch to do it. to be be frank your too nice<> best wishes kim
Kim,
I am aware that the new arrangements came for a labour Government but it does not mean that I have to like all of it.In my view stronger safegaurds should have been put in place to stop some of the abuses currently being followed. The Council Assembly is frankly a farse and that is down to the current aministration, no one else!
Susan's comments were really aimed at Caroline's unashamed and unabashed careerism, riding 3 horses at once ready to jump on the one which will go the furthest. There are people from all parties doing this and good luck to them but that does not interest me and never has, whether because I am too nice or that I "dont have the balls!"
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