Des Browne sacked..

[Al R]

..?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/15/nlabour115.xml

:ok::ok::ok::ok:

Shame about Benn. Like his dad, he has conviction and an honesty about him - but he always struck me as punching above his weight and appointed as a nod to the Left.

[Gainesy]

They should all have convictions. Muppets.

[The Helpful Stacker]

John Hutton being lined up as next SoS for Defence.:{

One wonders if he too will also have a second department to look after.

[teeteringhead]

Shame about Benn. Like his dad, he has conviction and an honesty about him ... agree very much.

Wasn't Benn the Elder a National Service Meatbox pilot? A fact he went to great lengths to conceal ..... or is the memory playing tricks again?????

[VinRouge]

This government are responsible for the wholesale destruction of the UK economy, will cause a recession that will make the 1990's look like a picnic, and hopefully wont be re-elected for a generation.

Brown is currently presiding over a slump of gargantuan proportions, with inflation the likely way in which more cash will be torn from the hands of the electorate.

And he expects a "reshuffle" to sort out the problems?

Dont make me laugh. What he needs is a time machine.

[airborne_artist]

Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Benn) says that Benn was a pilot in the rank of Pilot Officer from 1943 to the end of the war, serving in South Africa and Rhodesia.

[Al R]

Teeters,

Yes, I believe he was. I don't agree with his politik, but he's one of the few politicians I'd stop what I was doing, to listen to. George Galloway too - a pratt, but he says what he believes and thats it, there's no messing. Whenever I heard the words ".. and Cantona picks up the ball", my eyes would drift over to the TV, because you knew that whatever you thought of him, something alternative, thought provoking or even gem might result.

I know I'm looking back through rose tinted specs, but the biggest leaps in progress that the UK experienced, were when men who had their lives forged in the white heat of Normandy were at the helm. They were full of passion and a drive to effect change.. real change, and change for the better too. And because they had seen life as badly and as ****y as it could be seen, and they were angry men who realised they didn't have a great deal of time on their hands and if you were in the way because you has spent a lifetime sitting on your arse or in committee, then best you move over. Pronto.

They come along every 15-20 years. We're probably still waiting for a junior or middle ranking commander from Iraq to get himself adopted somewhere in the next year or 3.. or someone equally incensed by it all from civvy street.

[Sunk at Narvik]

"Hutton's retention in Brown's first cabinet is widely seen as owing to his successful handling of a clutch of contentious policy issues at DWP including major reforms to the pensions system, incapacity benefit and the revamping of Job Centres, which are said to have impressed his longstanding rival Gordon Brown even as they sparred over policy specifics. His inclusion in the Brown cabinet is also seen as symbolic of Brown's intention to run an inclusive government with places for key Blairites, despite Hutton's claim that Brown "would make a ******* awful Prime Minister"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hutton_(Labour_MP)

Hutton is MP for Barrow & Furness- one can only hope that this gives him a vested interest in shipbuilding and the need for a Defence Industrial Strategy.

[Not_a_boffin]

Significantly, Mr Brown will not take risks by moving people out of the major offices of state and key spending departments."

Says it all really.

[cazatou]

Now back in 1978 we had Fred Mulley as S of S for Defence. He managed to fall asleep with his head resting on the shoulder of HM the Queen at the 60th Anniversary Review of the RAF at Finningley.

Amazing how the film of that managed to get back to London in time for the 6 PM News Bulletin.

Semper Paratus!!

[Al R]

I didn't know about that Cazatou. How he managed to sleep through all this though.. well, he must have been a grunt.

http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/oldstuff/2007/425finn77/fin77.htm

I have a cartoon somewhere of Jim Callaghan handing the phone over to Dennis Healey and the caption reads; "Listen. If you want to disband the Royal Marines, you tell 'em".

[Lima Juliet]

I hope that Mr Hutton, as a Magdellen graduate, has a bit more about him than "Wee Jock Poo-Pong Mcplop" Browne (aka Swiss Des). And hopefully he will use his proven acedemia, surrounded by sound advice, to sort us out...

Meanwhile, have you even visited the Planet LJ...:{

What we need for SoS is future Tory MP, Al Lockwood. A boozing, no-nonsense, ex-Kiwi with an eye for what really matters (longer runways, colder beer and better women & equipment).

Come on Al get yourself into Parliament soon, we need someone to shake the tree!

LJ :ok:

[VinRouge]

According to the daily hate, the PM is a little bit highly strung at the mo...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=559576&in_page_id=1770

I hope he is going to get billed for them.

[The Helpful Stacker]

Hutton is MP for Barrow & Furness- one can only hope that this gives him a vested interest in shipbuilding and the need for a Defence Industrial Strategy.

Seeing as Hutton is a Londoner, educated mainly in the south who was parachuted into one of the safest Labour seats in the country I doubt if he has any real interest in the area he represents other than where the road that leads to London can be found.

[airsound]

Now back in 1978 we had Fred Mulley as S of S for Defence. He managed to fall asleep with his head resting on the shoulder of HM the Queen at the 60th Anniversary Review of the RAF at Finningley.

Actually it was 1977, caz, and it was HM's Silver Jubilee Review.

At the risk of repeating myself from about a year ago, I was serving at HQSTC then, and for some strange reason I was selected to be the commentator for the Royal Review.

There was some (unbroadcast) film footage of Mulley, sitting between HMTQ and the Duke of Edinburgh. As his chin drops lower, HMTQ's eyebrow rises
imperceptibly, and the Duke gives him a nudge, whereupon Mulley's elbow falls off the armrest and he awakes with a look of some aghastitude (well you would wouldn't you....)

My subsequent 1369 (remember those? - annual conf report) said "This officer puts the Secretary of State for Defence to sleep in the middle of a noisy flying display" Well, that's my story anyway.

And no, I didn't get a Jubilee Medal.

airsound (still commentating)

[cazatou]

airsound

I can only plead anno domini and too much local wine.

[Da4orce]

Des Browne Sacked!:D

Interesting timing with the Nimrod inquest in May and the likely heavy criticism of Des as a result!

Call me a cynic but it smacks of a situation where he is being moved along voluntarily before being forced to go.

[maxburner]

I get the feeling that our beloved prime minister is shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic. He has no mandate of his own, he arrived tainted by association with Blair and all his doubtful decisions and now he's run out of second rate yes-men to stuff his cabinet. He's a joke, and sadly the joke is on us. The sooner Swiss Des, Gordon and all his discredited cronies go, the happier I'll be.

But I don't talk about politics and would prefer to keep my views to myself. You'll have to read between the lines.

Oh yes, Al Lockwood (mentioned several post ago) would get my vote.

[Beatriz Fontana]

The Gods help us Defence gets Ed Milliband. The bloke looks creepy... The other question of course is whether Brown will want to keep Scotland and Defence combined.

A wildcard may be Buff Hoon getting the Justice Ministry job, and Straw moving to Defence...

Summer reshuffles are always a laugh.

[buoy15]

Allegedly - quote
"This re-shuffle will not affect those who are Scottish, Presbyterian, glum, dour, prudent, miserable and support Red Ken - except of course, my mates in Defence, Community Affairs and others that fail to release policy statements to the Press, prior to the local elections, in contravention of the purdah issued on 10th April - however this re-shuffle is the best since 1997 when blah blah blah - stale -tired - boring - yawn, we replaced the Tory's as Noo Labliar - so the country will feel the benefit - (especially those on benefits -Ho ho!) - There you go! - I do have a sense of humour after all!":confused:

[Guzlin Adnams]

Going back a tadd but I thought Benn the elder was in the FAA.
(Also I think his elder brother Mike Benn was killed as the result of a take off accident in a Mossi FB6 out of Ford in 44 (RIP). Just read the history of 2 Group.)

I'm just a civvy but I don't think that it will make too much difference who gets to be the big cheese in the ministry. Not whilst the "Son of the Manse" is in the hot seat. Can't help but think that his time is running out though......:ok:

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Not FAA, according to my Dad wot woz around in the RAF in those days. He later hosted A W-B on a parliamentary visit; says that he was one of the most pleasant visitors they ever dealt with, courteous to a fault and - unsurprisingly with his background - deeply knowledgeable re all things aviation.

[Roland Pulfrew]

Completely off topic!!

During World War II, Tony Benn joined the air force and served in South Africa and Rhodesia. His father and brother also served in the Armed Forces, his brother was tragically killed. After the war, Benn worked, for a short time for the BBC.

Taken from a biography website. Strangely though there is no mention of his RAF service on his own website (http://www.tonybenn.com/).

I don't agree with the man's politics but I have a lot of respect for his ability to debate calmly and logically and the conviction with which he speaks.

[Beatriz Fontana]

We're opening a book in the office. Favourite for the Swiss job is Milliband, Ed. Second favourite is John Hutton (although another Hutton enquiry at the MoD probably wouldn't go down very well...).

For an outside bet it's Ruth Kelly.

[spheroid]

Bob Ainsworth is a cert.....bloomin nice bloke too

[Cypherus]

A read through Tony Benns Journals which he keeps religously will give you an insight into the his integrity and depth of principle, you might not agree with his politics but you cannot fault the man.

[Al R]

Beattie,

Ref your book - thoughts on this? :ok:

http://current.com/items/88906132_spain_absorbing_shock_over_new_pregnant_defense_min ister

[Beatriz Fontana]

Bring back Adam Ingram!!

BTW - if he's still in the post, Swiss will be on BBC1's Question Time on May 1st.

[Dan D'air]

Oh Beatriz, I didn't think that you of all people would ever let me down, but surely you meant to say "Bring back Maggie".

[Al R]

Beattie,

I have applied for tickets to that one, funnily enough. Got knocked back for the one with Livingstone the week before, but if anyone's interested in asking the little runt why he publically sent condolencies to IRA hunger striker's families, I got this e-mail back today. Perhaps we should have a PPrune parade..? The poor git wouldn't know what hit him.

Freudian copy slip in the strapline above the 3 candidates names..?


Dear Al,


LONDON MAYORAL ELECTIONS



INVITATION TO TAKE PART IN A TELEVISIONDEBATE


with two of the leading candidates


Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson and Brian Paddick


Further to your application to participate in a studio audience we would like to offer you an opportunity to take part in one of the following debates. To apply please call Alison or Roy on 01299 829299 or send an email to alisonfuller21ATbtinternetDOTcom ([email protected]) with your name and daytime telephone number and we will respond as soon as possible.


<LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1">ITV's LONDON MAYORAL DEBATE on Monday 21st April.
SKY LIVE LONDON MAYOR DEBATE on Monday 28th April
There will be a lot of opportunity for audience participation during these programmes and we are looking for people that have questions they would like to put forward. Please see below for further details of venues and timings.


ITV’s “London’s Mayor – You Decide”

On
Monday 21st April 2008
at
The London Studios, Upper Ground, London, SE1 9LT.
Arrival Time 6.30 – no later than 7.00 p.m. Departing at approx. 8.30 p.m.

Or

SKY TV Live London Mayoral Debate
with
Adam Boulton

on
Monday, 28th April 2008
at
Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, off Sloane Square, London, SW1X 9DQ
Arrival Time 7.00 – 7.15 p.m. Departing at approx. 9.00 p.m.

Many thanks,
Alison Fuller
Audience Producer
Full House Audience Management
Tel: 01299 829299

[Beatriz Fontana]

Al R,

Count me in, I'm there!! Even though I lost my vote by moving out to the country. But I still commute in to the capital - does that mean I have half a vote?

28th April is the first day of a 48 hour tube strike - wonder what the candidates will make of that!