And Another Thing…

Saucer of Milk for Mr Harris.

Why did the Government release the black wednesday cabinet discussions, also less than 30 years ago?

“Most people seem to have forgotten that she actually voted for the war.”

No Tom, we remember exactly who voted for what.

That said, I also wish she’d just bugger off and leave us all alone.

Colin – I’m sure you do remember who voted for what. But last year she was introduced onto a political discussion programme (I think it might have been This Week with Andrew Neill) with the words, “Clare Short, now you were against the war from the start. How did you… blah, blah…”

Cue much shouting at the screen at my end.

Claire Short is an easy target. She thought she could play a mitigating role and after the invasion she realised she’d been manipulated and used in the PR campaign for the war. The promises that had been made to her fell flat.

Personally I would have preferred it if she’d seen Tony Blair as the slick liar that he is 6 years before, but the country can’t really blame her: we all saw it clearly for ourselves in the aftermath of looting and chaos, sectarian violence and lack of WMDs.

I’m glad that you raised the issue of Iraq because it was the greatest failing of the parliamentary Labour Party.

Have you noticed Tom like the rest of Labour never answers the questiond he does not like the answers to. just like Thomas’ question @ 9.28.
Its a fair question that should be answered.
The answer is of course that one showed the Tories in a bad light. the other shows labour in an even worse light.

As I say never believe what Labour say only what they do.

In spite of possibly worthy intentions, she was a pretty unsuccessful Secretary of state for international development; the department didn’t really get going until Mr Benn took over.

She now has a media career to nurture having lost her ministerial salary. Most people on the chat show circuit are a little careless about some details of the actualities of their pasts especially if doing so makes them seem more interesting and leads to more lucrative bookings.

Heh! Nice one Thomas!

I agree totally about Claire Short though. Just a totally repugnant woman. How she ever got a cabinet post is beyond me.

I guess Claire Short and Jacqui Smith must travel back on the same train every Thursday to their home/second home(honest).

You can imagine the conversation “Hi Jacqui, I’m Claire – I resigned from cabinet because I have principles…”.
“Sorry Claire – that seat’s reserved for my bodyguard.”

Still neither will be an MP after the next election. In the meantime, as noted, they both are trying to maximise their income.

I remember the passionately compassionate Clare when she was International Development secretary and the Montserrat volcano blew. Her response to requests for more aid was ‘They’ll be wanting golden elephants next’.

As with so many failed politicians her biggest gripe is that she never got the recognition she thought she deserved. Attention-seeking old bat.

Oh miaow Tom. Clare’s an ambitious woman, lacking in a bit of grey matter but still ambitious.

Couldn’t agree more, Clare Short certainly has a brass neck, which is even more apparent when compared to the dignified and principled way Robin Cook responded to the war.

Clare Short?

A dreadful woman who fortunately proved by her non resignation that she was what many of us suspected: all voice and no backbone.

In my view she has as much credibility as Tony Blair- i.e. none.

The minutes aren’t being released because the meetings in question were substantially less than 30 years ago; the government’s decision is in line with long-accepted policy on these matters, which is why the Conservatives agree with the decision.

I thought the FoI act was supposed to put an end to that particular folly. Why 30 years? So that hopefully you’d all be dead and not face a war crimes tribunal?

Claire Short is a Labour Politician – you can judge her ‘exploits’ based on that alone.

BTW – Tom, what say you to Jack Boot Straw’s failure to live up to the Freedom of Information Act over release of the cabinet minutes which lead this country into an illegal war in Iraq.

Are you going to answer Thomas’ question or are you just going to ignore it?

As you’re a ‘Labour politician’; I take it that we needn’t hold our breath. LOL

I think I’ve made clear in this post what my view is. Not every bit of information held by any government should or can be subject to the FoI Act. Those who opposed the war refer to it as “illegal” and will always do so, whatever new information becomes available. No-one’s mind would be changed by the release of those documents – mine wouldn’t and I’m pretty sure yours wouldn’t either.

“But isn’t it remarkable that Clare Short has managed to reinvent herself as some sort of anti-war figure? Most people seem to have forgotten that she actually voted for the war.”

No one forgot, we keep crib sheets. How is her voting record related to the veracity of what she told the MoS ? It’s not, is it ?

Straw tried to conceal the truth, Short outed it, and you’re suggesting that the issue is that she voted for the war, not that there was no debate as to it;s legality.

What _is_ remarkable is that labour MPs seem to think that they can keep on avoiding facing up to serious issues by erecting straw men and making ad hominem attacks on people, for ever.

Not so. The game is up. Without Blair at the helm your SU level political bickering is exposed for the childish waste of everyone’s time (and money) that it is. That is what Blair managed to keep hidden from the electorate.

With the lid off, you’re sunk, and you know it. Just try not to break anything else before you go, eh ?

She’s my MP. I appreciated this quote from her “In addition to the arrogance and lack of principle of New Labour, there is an incredible incompetence. Policy is announced from No 10 to grab media attention and nothing is properly thought through”. I presume that the attack dogs are only unleashed on Labour politicians who have rejected the party.

Not only did Clare Short vote for the war, and write to every Labour MP urging them to vote for war, she also had meetings with wavering MPs on the day of the great Iraq war vote urging them to support it. It’s a fair guess that she must have persuaded a few to change their minds and support the war.

I notice that you haven’t actually denied her main accusation, that there was no discussion at the cabinet meeting.

A nice attempt at distraction, but rather missing the point.

I thought it was common knowledge that the Commons were allowed 7 hours to discuss to the Iraq War and but spent 700 hours discussing fox hunting. Why should the Cabinet be any different?

“Why did the Government release the black wednesday cabinet discussions, also less than 30 years ago?”

Wait patiently. They’ll be coming out in about 14 months…