Fuel duty - an absolute skewering.
Discussion
in the Conservative upper ranks for letting her walk straight into Paxman's contemptible bullying. 
tting dog towards then end.Justine Greening - the Transport secretary who presumably would be kept in the loop on transport related matters - said two days ago the duty rise would go ahead in August. So it's clear to everybody with brain cells this decision was taken yesterday morning by the 'Quad' of Cameron, Clegg, Osborne and Alexander. I don't know why Smith was trying to make us believe any differently.
XCP said:
Why couldn't she just say 'I only found out about this today' if that was the case?
I don't see why there was a need for such ridiculous prevarication.
Sadly that would have been the brave thing to do because it would have cleared her and 'outed' the knee-jerk manner in which the decision was made. And then she'd have been sacked.I don't see why there was a need for such ridiculous prevarication.
As it is, she's done her best to protect the incompetent boss who dropped her in it, and made herself a laughing-stock. Thanks to the unique way we're governed, that's probably the safest thing for her to have done, and in her own best interests. Ridiculous.
But I don't think even that was on purpose - she just knew that whatever direction Paxman was driving wasn't going to be a good one for her, so just deflected, dodged and shimmied around, pathetically.
Everyone in the country and Westminster now knows she's a waste of space and her parents are probably deeply embarrassed, but hey, she played the game and Osborne and Cameron are grateful (and perhaps a bit apologetic).
anonymous said:
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Similar here, an unwelcome trend imho, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUEK_21iWmc
0000 said:
Why should they turn up to every press interview to save junior ministers from their own incompetence?
Junior ministers will just say what they're told to say. Chloe Smith has no real influence on anything, if she wants to keep her job and ever move up the ranks she has to do these interviews and protect the Chancellor by drawing some flack onto herself.Surely you've noticed the Government only wheel out anything approaching a big hitter for interviews when Labour have had a bad week. When the Coalition is under pressure they send the kids out as all the grown men hide under the desk.
If she's going to turn up and do that sort of interview, even if it's because Osborne's cowering in a corner somewhere, I still think it's her own fault. There are so many spineless MPs I would think it was an ideal opportunity to get a reputation for showing some honesty.
What happens if she's sacked? Doesn't she get to opportunity to remain as an independent for her constituency, just with some credit and extra publicity?
What happens if she's sacked? Doesn't she get to opportunity to remain as an independent for her constituency, just with some credit and extra publicity?
0000 said:
If she's going to turn up and do that sort of interview, even if it's because Osborne's cowering in a corner somewhere, I still think it's her own fault. There are so many spineless MPs I would think it was an ideal opportunity to get a reputation for showing some honesty.
She'll have got excited about 10 minutes on the Telly so her nan could watch. "10 minutes to have a career dismantled by a rottweiler" won't have been the way she thought about it.If a reputation for honesty was a good thing to have in Westminster, don't you think someone would have done it before?
0000 said:
What happens if she's sacked? Doesn't she get to opportunity to remain as an independent for her constituency, just with some credit and extra publicity?
Sacked from her ministry job, not booted out of the party. I expect she'll be quietly reshuffled out again in a short while. Osborne won't want her glumming around the office making him feel guilty...Edited by wormburner on Wednesday 27th June 17:15
anonymous said:
[redacted]
David Cameron - born in 1966 - left Eton in 1984 - did research work for his godfather and Tory MP - went to Oxford -joined Conservative Research Department in 1988 - left that post in 1993 - became Advisor to the Chancellor - then Advisor to Home Secretary - Corperate Affairs Director at Carlton in the late 90s - elected MP for Witney - Leader of the Tory party - Prime Minister - laughably preaches to people about the virtues of going to work when he's never had a proper job.When Chloe Smith is in her mid 40s I doubt her CV will be much lighter.
I look forward with glee to the day someone has the balls to tell Paxman his name and number on live TV. Given the chance I would love to do so. Yes he might just make me look a total twunt but I'd feel so much better knowing that at least someone had the balls to stand up to the odious little wretch. The sooner he is exposed for doing something he shouldn't or just shuffles off to a 2am Radio 4 slot the better.
anonymous said:
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Douglas Adams The Hitch Hickers Guide to the Galaxy said:
The major problem, one of the major problems, for there are several, with governing people is that of who you get to do it. Or, rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them. To summarize: it is a well known and much lamented fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made president should on no account be allowed to do the job. To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem.
Rude-boy said:
I look forward with glee to the day someone has the balls to tell Paxman his name and number on live TV. Given the chance I would love to do so. Yes he might just make me look a total twunt but I'd feel so much better knowing that at least someone had the balls to stand up to the odious little wretch. The sooner he is exposed for doing something he shouldn't or just shuffles off to a 2am Radio 4 slot the better.
I think if there was any dirt on Paxman, any or all of the three parties would have found and used it. They'd all love to get him out of the way. The guy holds them to account - something they largely don't manage to do to each other. I've never seen him treat anyone roughly who wasn't either pretending to be less useless than they patently are, or lying to him.
wormburner said:
I think if there was any dirt on Paxman, any or all of the three parties would have found and used it. They'd all love to get him out of the way.
The guy holds them to account - something they largely don't manage to do to each other. I've never seen him treat anyone roughly who wasn't either pretending to be less useless than they patently are, or lying to him.
I have no idea if there is anything 'on' Paxman but like you suspect that he lives 'inside the line' enough that there isn't anything that could cripple him. As we all know bullies only stop once they have been knocked out, otherwise they just come back harder and stronger. As such whilst there might be 'something' it isn't enough to put him out of the game.The guy holds them to account - something they largely don't manage to do to each other. I've never seen him treat anyone roughly who wasn't either pretending to be less useless than they patently are, or lying to him.
He does hold people to account and I have to say that, sometimes, there is a time and place for his style. The problem is that he is a one trick pony and seems incapable of anything other being the worst sort of bully praying on the weakest and most defenceless or so obsequious it makes you wish to vomit.
As you may guess I have less time for him than I suspect he has for me, and he doesn't even know who I am!
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