This past few months has seen the launch of several political writings from many of the most influential players from the last decade of power. It all started [fro me] with the dreadful Cherie Blair’s cringingly indiscrete book covering her time in Downing Street and her awful “contraception equipment” description while staying with the Queen at Sandringham. I shuddered at the thought. Then along came dear old cuddly Alistair Campbell with his two books each more revealing than the last, yet lacking some of the juice that we voyeurs were seeking. In the meantime Chris Mullin was penning his wonderfully wicked diaries which while casting no new light on our opinions of the Blair world did at least confirm what we all hated about Blaire and his cohorts. The second set of diaries by Mr Mullins are doing the rounds now and they do make good reading. But then along came Peter Mandelson and his bitingly cruel, as only he can write, memoir. Wonderful.
With all these revelations about who said what about whom and who stabbed who in the back and what so and so thought about what and who I, was reminded of the scene in Reservoir Dogs when all the gang were pointing guns at each other in a bloody stalemate. Again, wonderful!
So what is next to emerge? Yes, Gordon Brown!! Will he save the world, stop the world economic crises “in America where it started”, will he not borrow tens of billions of pounds to pour into projects that would only cost more tens of millions of pounds and result in …. what?
I salivate at the thought of the next round of political blood letting as the Leadership campaign gets underway in the Labour Party.
Enough of this, I am planning a curry!!
4 comments:
Dear TIT,
It is so good to find you reading books by leading Labour [ex Labour] Party individuals, your education comes on in leaps and bounds and no doubt you are learning much. Perhaps in a hope to offer a balanced viewpoint I should point out that not all ‘Tell all stab in the back’ type books are the preserve of the Labour Party. May I offer some short comments of mine from some books I have read [yes I know not many pictures] from the opposition.
Upwardly Mobile. by Norman [On yer Bike] Tebbit; Where in a long winded and overly complicated manner he informs the reader that unless you agree with him and his thoughts and beliefs [not always political] then you are out of touch with reality.
My Style of Government: The Thatcher Years. by Nicholas Ridley; Pen portraits of many party members but the mainstay of the book is his idol worship of Margret and his total belief in Thaterism as the transforming spirit to be adopted by the world with [his belief ] of total world Thatcherism.
Right at the Centre by Cecil [Nice Ankle Margaret] Parkinson; Impassioned plea in an attempt to make the reader understand poor old Cecil was only really a working class boy [which funnily enough he was] made good and he only joined the conservatives as a way of helping other people. Thatcherism was nothing to do with him, oh no, and he tried often [he informs the reader] to convince Margret she was going about things the wrong way. Nice try Cecil, now pull the other ankle, I mean leg.
The Autobiography by John [Family Values but I’m bonking Edwina] Major. Frank and open about ‘Those Bastards’ Lamont and the ERM, Redwoods challenge for the leadership, the behavior of Thatcher, a good stab them [back] in the back tell all.
The View from No. 11: Memoirs of a Tory Radical by Nigel [My daughters is a cook you know] Lawson. The frank tell all of his time in Number 11 and his very public falling out with Thatcher and his ensuing resignation.
Conflict of Loyalty by Geoffrey [Don’t shout at me again Margret] Howe. Howe does seem to lack both ideological rigor and belief. What a difference when compared to Thatcher, to whom he was the Brutus on her Ides of March. Howe also lacks an insight into the lives of those (poor or not so poor) whose life paths have been less conventional and smoothed than his own. Perhaps it is not surprising that he never gained general popularity.
As always your friend MAD.
Dear TIT,
It is so good to find you reading books by leading Labour [ex Labour] Party individuals, your education comes on in leaps and bounds and no doubt you are learning much. Perhaps in a hope to offer a balanced viewpoint I should point out that not all ‘Tell all stab in the back’ type books are the preserve of the Labour Party. May I offer some short comments of mine from some books I have read [yes I know not many pictures] from the opposition.
Upwardly Mobile. by Norman [On yer Bike] Tebbit; Where in a long winded and overly complicated manner he informs the reader that unless you agree with him and his thoughts and beliefs [not always political] then you are out of touch with reality.
My Style of Government: The Thatcher Years. by Nicholas Ridley; Pen portraits of many party members but the mainstay of the book is his idol worship of Margret and his total belief in Thaterism as the transforming spirit to be adopted by the world with [his belief ] of total world Thatcherism
Right at the Centre by Cecil [Nice Ankle Margaret] Parkinson; Impassioned plea in an attempt to make the reader understand poor old Cecil was only really a working class boy [which funnily enough he was] made good and he only joined the conservatives as a way of helping other people. Thatcherism was nothing to do with him, oh no, and he tried often [he informs the reader] to convince Margret she was going about things the wrong way. Nice try Cecil, now pull the other ankle, I mean leg.
The Autobiography by John [Family Values but I’m bonking Edwina] Major. Frank and open about ‘Those Bastards’ Lamont and the ERM, Redwoods challenge for the leadership, the behavior of Thatcher, a good stab them [back] in the back tell all.
The View from No. 11: Memoirs of a Tory Radical by Nigel [My daughters is a cook you know] Lawson. The frank tell all of his time in Number 11 and his very public falling out with Thatcher and his ensuing resignation.
Conflict of Loyalty by Geoffrey [Don’t shout at me again Margret] Howe. Howe does seem to lack both ideological rigor and belief. What a difference when compared to Thatcher, to whom he was the Brutus on her Ides of March. Howe also lacks an insight into the lives of those (poor or not so poor) whose life paths have been less conventional and smoothed than his own. Perhaps it is not surprising that he never gained general popularity.
As always your friend MAD.
:-)
Fine fine reading MAD, but too truly political for my rather left of centre right views I'm afraid. You do realise that I follow on the footsteps of my dear old "One Nation Tory" grandad, Sgt W.E B of the 2nd Batt R.Hamps! 1914-1945 (with a break as a Butler).... and a gong for NW Frontier (Afghanistan) .... So, the BIG SOCIETY suits me fine Mr MAD....As ever, a pleasure to see your comments. TIT
My Dear TIT
If you are [as claimed] Left of Centre Right does that mean in fact you are Centre, or is it Centre Right Centre or Right Right Centre.........you see why I find it difficult. It was far better in the old days with just plain Left Right Left.........a chap knew where he was then.
As always Up North
Your pal MAD
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