1. Jonathan Isaby on the pros and cons of local candidates.
2. Anna Raccoon on blogging the limelight.
3. Revolts.co.uk thinks the Government will win Tuesday's vote on AV.
4. Alastair Campbell explains his emotional interview on Andrew Marr.
5. ConHome examines the Ladbrokes prediction of a Tory majority of 33.
6. John Rentoul accuses Fraser Nelson of being the Tory Party's Sarah Palin.

And as a Sunday night Brucie Bonus, read THIS brilliant post by Dizzy, who has dialled N for Vendetta. He accuses the Daily Telegraph of having it in for Nadine Dorries.

The latest edition of the Seven Days Show is now online.

In this weeks show we discuss MP’s expenses (again); Politics on TV with particular reference to the “Mo” drama, Tower Block of Commons and Brown’s interview with Piers Morgan; the recent rise in Climate Change scepticism, and whether the debate really should focus and population;

To listen to the podcast click HERE, or you can also subscribe to the show in the Tory Radio section in the podcast area of Itunes.

Labels: 7 Days Show

There's a lot in the papers today about the amount of severance pay MPs receive if they stand down from Parliament. Depending on length of service, the sum is anything from £30-£65,000. Naturally there is a lot of disquiet about some MPs receiving such sums. The Speaker, John Bercow, says there's nothing that can be done about it. Rot.

Why not introduce a simple Bill which says that anyone convicted of a criminal offence relating to their service as an MP has to forfeit their severance pay? And if criminal proceedings are ongoing at the time of an election, the money isn't paid over until the MP is found innocent?

Simples.

Gordon Brown has uttered many weasel words about the expenses scandal. We can expect a few more soon.

Someone might like to ask him this question. Why is the Labour Party's official solicitor, Gerald Shamash, providing the three disgraced Labour MPs (Messers Chaytor, Devine and Morley) with legal advice? Is the Labour Party paying for it?

Isn't it interesting how the Labour Party and Gordon Brown couldn't wait to hang Peter Watt out to dry and told him "you're on your own, mate", yet these three are treated very differently.

If the Labour Party really wished to disassociate itself from these MPs, wouldn't it have withdrawn the services of Mr Shamash? Just like it did with Peter Watt...

Now, my political antennae may be a bit askew here, but bear with me.


In tomorrow's Observer Gordon Brown has given a long interview, which includes a vicious attack on Lord Ashcroft and sounds just like the kind of interview a PM would give just as he's about to call an election.


And then the Mail on Sunday and News of the World have front pages which tell of the Prime Minister breaking down in tears when talking about the death of his daughter in a pre recorded interview with Piers Morgan.

When I blogged earlier on this week about the Piers Morgan interview I nearly wrote something about Gordon Brown going one better than Katie Price and bawling his eyes out on prime time TV. But I thought it might be considered to be bad taste. That'll teach me. Next time I will go with my instincts.

Anyway, my sniffing of the political winds tells me that the chances of a March election have considerably increased tonight.

1. The Conservative Blog has discovered the Ten Commandments of Blogging.
2. ConHome has the news that Therese Coffey has been selected for Suffolk Coastal and Sajid Javid in Bromsgrove. Congrats to both!
3. Iain Martin on how the expenses sandal has eroded parliamentary sovereignty.
4. UK Polling Report on the Populus poll on climate change attitudes.
5. ConHome has news of an ICM/Sun Tel poll showing the Tories 9 points ahead.
6. EU Referendum on the money that makes the climate change industry go round.

David Cameron has just sent out this video of him talking about how Parliament should be reformed. He reveals that Gordon Brown has blocked Tony Wright's suggested reforms. He suggests that Tuesday's vote on AV should be scrapped and so should the half term holiday. Instead, he says, parliament should spend the week debating how it should be reformed. He also suggests that the powers of the whips should be reduced.

He'll be expanding on all these issues in a speech on Monday.

Oh dear. I don't think Jim Devine did himself any favours by doing this interview. He basically admits to Krishan Guru-Murthy that he provided false receipts to the Fees Office.

It's so cringeworthy that you almost - almost - end up feel sorry for him when he starts digging himself so may holes he nearly creates a sieve.

There is a bigger question which this rasies, though. How on earth did this man ever get selected as an MP in the first place? It's frightening to think that this buffoon legislates over the rest of us.

On Thursday night Total Politics and City Inn Hotels hosted a 90 minute long pre Election Time in Birmingham. On the panel were Andrew Mitchell, Jacqui Smith, John Hemming and Marc Reeves.

If you'd like to listen to it, we have uploaded it. Click HERE.

1. Declan Lyons thinks it could be Ricky Tomlinson MP.
2. Sam Coates on how blogs can fight election spin.
3. Ellee Seymour on Eric Pickels and contaminated blood.
4. MTPT on why Politico.com should have saved their money.
5. Donal Blaney on the legal advice Elliott, Chaytor and Devine might regret.
6. Party Lines reckons corruption in parliament isn't a recent phenomenon.
7. Nick Bryant on climate change in Australian politics.
8. Party Lines interviews Austin Mitchell about his Tower Block of Commons experience.
9. Paul Waugh on how Gordon Brown plans to lose the election.
10. Douglas Carswell on the bankruptcy of the left.
11. Caroline Beavon reports on last night's Total Politics Question Time in Birmingham.
12. Politics.co.uk has a full list of all 135 retiring MPs.

There's a two page rather adulatory interview with Jon Cruddas in this week's New Statesman. It portrays Cruddas as a potential candidate for the Labour leadership and the only one with radical new ideas. However, the interview has three flaws.

1. There is absolutely no mention of Cruddas's failure to combat the BNP in his Dagenham constituency. Indeed, the BNP only gets one passing mention. Margaret Hodge, in neighbouring Barking, tells friends that she has given up trying to get through to Cruddas just how serious the BNP threat is.

2. The interview says that Cruddas lives in Dagenham. He doesn't. He lives in Notting Hill. He has a house in Dagenham which I now understand he rents out, although a friend of his denies this. Whatever the truth, his main home is in Notting Hill not Dagenham

3. The whole premise of the article comes unstuck because of one important thing - again, not mentioned in the entire interview. What is it? The fact that after the election, Cruddas may very well not be an MP, as he could easily lose his seat to the Tory candidate Simon Jones. Jones has been in situ for nearly four years and is one of the party's brightest and best grassroots campaigners.

Dagenham & Rainham is a seat the TV cameras should concentrate on. It may throw up a result with huge political implications in more ways than one.

If you'd like to help Simon's campaign to oust Jon Cruddas, here's how you can do it.

ConservativeHome has posted the finalists for East Surrey HERE. As you will see, I am among the six contenders, and very proud to be so, as it is quite a strong field. It's an area I know well, as I live just over the border in Kent.

I hope you will understand if I don't give this blog my usual attention over the next eight days, as I turn my attention to preparing for the selection meeting next Saturday.

I hear that the BNP is planning to contest Buckingham. If so, it should help John Bercow by splintering the anti-Bercow vote further (an independent andNigel Farage are already in the field) and giving him a target against which he can attack vigorously without being accused of party politicking.

Last night's pre Election Question Time style debate in Birmingham went off really well. Andrew Mitchell, Jacqui Smith, John Hemming and former Birmingham Post editor Marc Reeves were on the panel.

Somewhat bizarrely, the subject we had more questions submitted than any other, was Sion Simon's possible candidacy for Mayor of Birmingham. It turned out that only two people in the audience were in favour of an elected mayor for Birmingham. John Hemming announced that he would stand for the job if it became available, but he didn't feel the need to resign his seat to do so, since the job doesn't yet exist.

The other subject which caused a good debate was proportional representation. John Hemming made clear that the LibDems would support the government's motion on Tuesday, as AV represented some sort of progress. Odd, since it can be argued that it would produce an even less proportional result that FPTP. Jacqui Smith is clearly not a fan of AV but she hinted she would support the government motion as it was purely concerned with setting up a referendum on the issue.

I think next week's event in Manchester is either full, or very close to being full. But if you'd like to register for it, and go on a waiting list, please email questiontime@totalpolitics.com. There are a few places left for the Leeds event on the 18th. London is oversubscribed by a factor of 3.

UPDATE: A sound recording of the event will be available later for your delectation.

1. Tory Politico explains his fight against Politico.com.
2. Alastair Campbell invites you to the virtual launch of his new book.
3. Richard Spring MP announces he is stopping blogging.
4. Cranmer on the Pope's visit.
5. Alex Wilcock gets hot under the collar about the balance of the Question Time panel.
6. Letters from a Tory gives Nick Clegg a lesson the euro.
7. Michael Crick analyses David Cameron's plans to cut the number of MPs.
8. James Kirkup can hardly believed that the House of Commons packed up 3 hours early today!
9. Daily Referendum wants to strip MPs.
10. Mrs Rigby reviews the Tower Block of Commons.
11. Party Lines on the legacy of Sir Thomas Legg.
12. Biteback Publishing on Daniel Kawczynski's new biography of Colonel Gadaffi.

I hear Labour whips are very worried about losing Tuesday's vote on changing the voting system to the Alternative Vote system. With a majority of more than 60, they ought to win the vote comfortably, but doubts are being expressed about how a significant number of Labour MPs will vote. Very few are AV enthusiasts and there are plenty who reject any hint of any kind of electoral reform. Others, especially those who are standing down, may well just decide not to bother turning up.

In addition, the LibDems have published their own amendment to the motion. They hate AV. They don't regard it as in any way proportional. It is therefore likely they will abstain, but if their amendment is treated with contempt, they could join the Tories in the no lobby. The Tories are on a three line whip, with dire warnings being issued to those who think they might have an evening off.

Another Gordon Brown idea that seemed like a good wheeze at the time?

I'm about to leave home to drive to Birmingham for tonight's Total Politics/City Inn Question Time event, so I am afraid I haven't had time to trawl through the Legg Report and will have to leave that to others. Some of the so-called 'highlights' are breathtaking. But so is Legg's incompetence, as so brilliantly explained by Tory MP Roger Gale on Sky News just now. Sir Paul Kennedy seems to have been rather more diligent in his task.

It is astonishing that nearly 400 MPs have had to pay money back. Not only astonishing, but shaming. Yes, the Fees Office were clearly at fault for paying many of the claims, but there are plenty, from MPs of all parties, which should never have been made in the first place.

Legg's point about the 'culture of deference' which exist/existed in the Fees Office is well made. It is not just in the Fees Office where it occurs though. I'm not saying MPs shouldn't be granted respect, but they are not some kind of superior being whose divine wisdom has to be followed on every occasion. A reader has sent me an example of this culture of deference, which belongs to a bygone era.

Whenever I've gone to the Commons, particularly when I've gone without my pass, I've always been struck by the near-celestial levels of deference shown to members and the attitude shown to lesser mortals ie taxpayers. I went to meet Derek Conway once, with a cameraman, and we sat on the semi-circular seat round the table just beyond Central Lobby while I waited for Colette to come and get us. After a few seconds, an MP came to sit on the other side of the table, maybe 8 feet away, and uniformed HoC worker ran up and took great pleasure in telling me that, as a Member was sitting at the table (paying me not attention, and vice versa), I had to stand up - I couldn't sit at the same table as a Member if they wanted to sit there. A small example, but symptomatic of the kind of attitude which I've seen often in the last fifteen years over there.

Me too. MPs are in theory allowed to jump queues in the cafteria and on the taxi rank. Few do, but it happens.

I've said it before, and I will say it again. The new intake of MPs in the new parliament have the chance to change things. To end this culture of deference. To act with honour. To ensure that they end up being respected rather than reviled. Let's hope they realise the level of the responsibility they must aspire to.

Politico.com is a sort of US Total Politics/Politics Home writ large. It provides an excellent political news and comment service, with its columnist appearing regularly as pundits across the US media. In a very short time it has started to rival the big news organisations in the States.

Today, it is trying to shut down a relatively obscure UK Political blog called Tory Politico, on the basis that it is stealing the name Politico. To write a very threatening legal letter to an individual blogger who has perhaps 500 hits a day, seems to be rather OTT.

Tory Politico is, to his credit, so far resisting the threats, but it is not a pleasant position to be in.

It's funny, because when I owned Politico's Bookstore & Publishing and I saw Politico has started in the States, I too thought about sendimg them a legal letter accusing them of stealing the name. But I thought better of it. They were there and we were here. What a pity wiser counsel didn't prevail in the legal offices of Politico.com vis a vis Tory Politico.

Tory Politico has the full story HERE.

UPDATE: One of my Twitter followers has discovered that I still own the Politico's Trademark. I have suggested to Tory Politico that he adds an 's' onto the end of his name!

Eric Joyce is a Labour MP with a mind of his own. He resigned as a PPS at the MoD on an issue of principle. Labour High Command has never forgiven him. Yesterday he posted THIS extraordinary story on his blog. To cut a long story short, he has been invited to give a talk at the Defence Academy at Shrivenham, but the day before he was due to go, her received word from Shivenham that a Minister at the MoD had intervened to ban him from the premises. I'll let Mr Joyce tell the story...

I’ve spoken a fair amount, albeit less than some Tories, about Defence over the years. Recently, though, I’ve had reservations about some aspects of government policy (in areas where the government and opposition are pretty much on the same page). I think we should be out of Afghanistan sooner than later; I think we give to much too the Americans for too little in return; and I tend towards thinking we shouldn’t renew Trident. In many ways, that’s all pretty uncontroversial and I predict that regardless of who’s in government in 2012, Trident will be extended rather than renewed.

Uncontroversial to most, maybe, but not to one Defence minister who has ordered The Defence Academy at Shrivenham in Wiltshire to ban me from their premises.

As MPs often do, I was due to speak to officers there tomorrow alongside an opposing Conservative MP, at an event organised by the Academy and the excellent Industry and Parliament Trust. When the organisers sought clearance from ministers for guests to enter, always previously a technicality, the minister singled me out to be ‘denied admission’ on the grounds that I may not reflect his views, and suggested an alternative MP. This seems to me a pity, especially since the government today issued a green paper on Defence which is designed to facilitate public discussion.

I don’t believe for a moment that the prime minister and defence secretary have have anything other than good intent as regards discussion about future defence policy. But it does seem a shame, and rather odd, that a junior minister should wish to so blatantly gag an MP.

Still, we live and learn. We sure do that.

Indeed. So, who was the junior defence minister who banned Joyce? Two senior Labour sources have identified Kevan Jones as the culprit. It was my first reaction too, as I doubt whether it is Bill Rammell's style. This is not the first time that Mr Jones has had an accusatory finger pointed at him. On the last occasion, Bob Ainsworth had to slap him down. Will he now do so again, and apologise on behalf og his junior minister to Eric Joyce?

Ferrets.

1.Heard the one about the Australian State that has effectively banned commenting on political blogs during election campaigns? Could it happen here?
2. FT Westminster blog reckons DD wants to be Chairman of the Treasury Select Committee.
3. Guythemac on LibDem hypocrisy over their criticism of Chris Grayling's use of crime stats.
4. Subrosa has this months's Wikio blog ratings.
5. John Rentoul imagines what Robin Cook might now be saying about Iraq.
6. Guido says Finking is not enough.
7. Andrew Sparrow has some good polling and seat news for the Tories.
8. Mark Darcy on Sion Simon wanting to be Birmingham's Boris.
9. Tory Bear on when a briefing is not a briefing.
10. Party Lines interviews Steve McCabe MP about his expenses appeal.
11. Paul Waugh on Richard Madeley's political views.
12. Next Left makes the ludicrous argument that electoral reform is a class issue. No, really.

So, there's going to a Valentine's Day love in on ITV between Gordon Brown and Piers Morgan. Quite how a Prime Minister being interviewed by one of his best friends on prime time TV meets Ofcom regulations, I'd like to know.

Still, I expect we can now look forward to David Cameron being quizzed by Danny Finkelstein for an hour on ITV a week later.

This no doubt seemed like a good wheeze at the time. I wonder if it will still seem such a good idea the morning after. These things have a habit of blowing up in your face.

The Prime Minister
10, Downing Street
London, SW1A 2AA

3 February 2010


Dear Mr Brown,

At Prime Minister’s Questions today, you told the House of Commons that you knew nothing about the secret fund, worth a reported £50,000, which was held by the Labour Party for your benefit. When asked why you did not declare this on the Register of Members’ Financial Interests (RMFI), you said specifically: ‘I know nothing about what he [the questioner] is talking about.’

This simply cannot be true.

It is clear from Peter Watt, the Labour Party’s former General Secretary, that you were the beneficiary of a secret fund held by the Labour Party. He has said explicitly:

‘Before becoming Prime Minister, Gordon went to some lengths to insulate himself and the Treasury from our financial troubles, setting up his own personal pot of cash at party HQ. This was money we could not dip into, since it was set aside for the Chancellor’s own pet projects. Murray Elder helped secure donations from the Chancellor’s supporters’ (Inside Out, January 2010, page 105).

He went on to claim that it may have been used to finance your ‘long-term campaign to become party leader’ (Inside Out, Peter Watt, 2010, page 105).

Mr Watt’s assertions were widely reported. Indeed, across several pages in the Mail on Sunday, Mr Watt claimed that you used ‘up to £50,000-a-year of Labour money to pay for private polling’ (Mail on Sunday, 17 January 2010).

The allegations were explicitly confirmed as truthful by a Labour official who said in the same article: ‘It [the fund] was funded through donations to the Party.’

In the light of these allegations, my colleague, Greg Hands MP, wrote to you more than two weeks ago, on 17 January, to query why you had failed to declare the fund properly the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. This letter was publicised in several newspapers on 18 January.

As you did not respond, Greg Hands submitted a complaint to John Lyon, the Parliamentary Commissioner this week. I attach a copy of this complaint for your reference. Again, this complaint was reported.

Yesterday in a speech titled ‘Transforming Politics’, you said that you would ‘do all that is necessary to restore trust’ in politics and the conduct of MPs. If you wish to restore trust in politics, you should stop treating people like fools by claiming that you were unaware of this fund when all the evidence points to the contrary.

I therefore urge you to admit to this fund’s existence, apologise for misleading the House and co-operate with any inquiries that John Lyon may wish to make.

Yours sincerely,

Eric Pickles
Chairman, The Conservative Party
Member of Parliament for Brentwood and Ongar

I've been in meetings all morning so I missed PMQs, but Dizzy is reporting that Gordon Brown effectively just called Peter Watt a liar. Still I suppose that's not as bad as branding him a criminal, which he did two years ago. Dizzy writes...

Gordon Brown has been asked in Parliament about the now infamous "fund with no name" that Peter Watt referenced in his book "Inside Out". Asked by David Evenett why it was not declared on the Register of Members' Interest. Brown's response was,

I know nothing of what he is talking about

Apart from the roars of laughter in the Commons, presumably he's either claiming that he hasn't read the newspapers, or noticed a complaint about him to the Parliamentary Standard Commissioner, or, he's calling Peter Watt a liar - having already branded him a criminal and screwing him over as detailed in the book.

Nice man, our PM.

About a month ago I speculated that Labour MP Sion Simon was about to quit politics. He, you may remember, was the MP who appeared in that cringemaking Youtube video spoofing Webcameron. His catchphrase was "Just Like You".

The Birmingham Post reports this morning that he is standing down, not because he has had to pay back £21,000 in misclaimed expenses, but because he wants to be Birmingham's first elected Mayor. Using his normal, spot-on political judgement, in the BP article he calls Gordon Brown a "towering figure".

If Birmingham really is desperate enough to vote this objectionable oik into the office of Mayor, it will have lost leave of its collected senses.

Coinicentally, I am off to Birmingham tomorrow to chair a pre election Question Time at the City Inn. I think there are still about ten tickets left, so if you fancy coming along to quiz Jacqui Smith, Andrew Mitchell and John Hemming, simply email questiontime@totalpolitics.com