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Sorry Michael

Gossip about London based politicians/journalists isn't what a political editor should be giving us.

Brown is in Baghdad much safer for him than Glasgow

Michael Crick is the new Martin Bell

"Man in the white suit "

All Labour has to worry about this week as far as Glasgow East is concerned is that nobody unemployed or disabled hears about their leaked Welfare Reform programme.

They stand a pretty good chance of keeping their OP lead, in my experience of the area people are either quite bright or extremely stupid. I suspect that many never watch the news on TV so hardly any of the " unemployed " will notice that they are about to become virtual slaves traded by private companies.

Its all going to end up costing more than leaving the status quo, the acute mental hospitals will be overflowing.

Clearly Mr Crick, Newsnight's political editor, doesn't read these posted comments as he continues to post the most irrelevant, trivial comments. How long must we wait for the day when he obeys his own guiding rule "that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out"!

#4 Britom

I'm not surprised if Nick Robinson (about whom Crich was remarkably scathing in his 2007 Telegraph interview), or Brian Taylor don't read their blogs - they have huge number of responses, because they post interesting and challenging themes.

Nor am I surprised that Betsan in Wales, sometimes engages with her bloggers, since they are rather few - is this because the Plaid/Labour Alliance has reduced the rivalry?

Crick is doing himself no favours.

Since Mr. Cameron has been very open about his susceptibility to bouts of depression, we have to assume that he is Glasgow East for professional reasons, since the therapeutic value of such a visit is highly questionable.

Erratum - Obviously I meant Campbell not Cmareon in 6 above. Freudian slip possibly but apologies for any offence anyway.

I profoundly dislike Campbell but given his "new" sensitive persona I will be interested to see how Labour changes if at all.

It looks as though Labour are going to win with a massively reduced majority despite a pedestrian campaign. If they try to be ambitious and go for a high risk strategy could it backfire and they actually lose.

With my cynical mind I also wonder if he's not there to cover any last minute SNP bombshell - but its too close to the vote for that.

Campbell won't be able to help. Its too late for Labour. The Government has been a disappointment in so many ways.

What's Campbell's plan then?

Free drinks for all then off to the polling booth?

OR

Off to the polling booth then free drinks for all

Zzzzzzz . . . .

Gordon Brown needs a war. Any ideas? Must be short and successful, he must be seen waving the fleet in at Portsmouth in 6 months time.

Dear Mr Crick (and Sir Michael Lyons) -

The quote at the top of your blog is a disgrace and goes a long way to explain why there is such disillusion with politics in this country (and no I am not exonerating politicians of blame but at least some of them admit they are partly to blame unlike you journos).

Yes you could define your job as exposing the information that you presume politicians don't want us to know, but you could also assume that your job is to inform us about the real issues and what the different parties want to do about them, thereby providing a useful service to democracy.

Its like the old song "you're so vain I bet you think this [election] is about you.." well actually its not about journalists being oh so clever and cynical its about the people of Glasgow East and their needs and aspirations. But no, silly me, that would be far too uncool a subject for the likes of you.

Have you thought about what advice Mr Campbell might be giving in terms of policy priorities (i.e. what matters) or are you just interested in proving how clever you are at finding things out (as your blurb suggests)? Leave this sort of journalism to the tabloids, its not what the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ is about!

Re #13 Smiths_United

With so many of our politicians having their snouts in the trough, surely it's the job of the hacks to dish the dirt on them. If the red tops (The Times is now a tabloid) do it, it can almost always be laughed off as the gutter press at work, so surely it's part of the auntie's remit to keep tabs on our servants.

I happen to think that Crick is currently doing a lousy job of reporting what could well be the beginning of the end of the UK, possibly because he's more comfortable in the Westminster village than the streets around Parkhead, but at least he's near the right place at the right time.

If Campbell is giving advice in terms of policy priorities, the NuLabour leadership is in need of psychiatric help because his forte is spin not substance. He may be there to help put a positive spin on the disaster NuLabour expect early Friday even if Curran (M) limps over the line or he may be there in pursuit of his own interests but he's not relevant to the campaign on the streets and too late to influence the media unless he's preparing a new dodgy dossier.

My take is that he's yesterday's man and Crick would have spent his time more usefully talking to Glasgow people. At the least he'd understand a little more about life outside Westminster when he gets home.

Michael's a journalist and he investigates things - well that's exactly what he has done. It's hardly a "red top" headline, so why all the moaning?

As for Michael's white suits - I think they are very Evelyn Waugh/ Hemingway, and also stylish.

Must be a slow news day...

Re #6 badgercourage
"Must be a slow news day..."

Not at all. In the key political story of the week there are dodgy opinion polls, dodgy claims, dodgy candidates and missing voters.

Maybe the problem is that they all have Scottish accents and auntie is short of instant translators.

Re #14from Brownedov

Agree with much of what you say, but, whilst I think the MPs expenses system is ludicrously outdated (like much of parliament) and vulnerable to corruption, I don't agree that there's much corruption as such. I think we're probably still one of the least corrupt countries in the world and you wouldn't believe that if you looked at our press.

Besides there is nothing wrong with the Labour Party employing Mr Campbell - no rules have been broken - so what is the issue? No. Crick thinks its a story because he's fixated by the "he was TBs right hand man and now GB (who hates him) is in such a pickle that he has to ask for his help" angle - puerile playground nonsense dressed up as journalism.

btw If you read the biogs you will see that AC was far more than just a spin doctor - understanding how things play with the public and what matters to people is a big part of a policy maker's job - its not always about "spinning".

Re #18 Smiths_United

How other countries behave is up to them. The problem is that for nearly 400 years MPs have been a law unto themselves. It's time that a proper master - servant relationship was established and we're idiots to vote for anyone who doesn't pledge to be our servant with 100% transparency over actions and funding.

There's nothing wrong with employing him in Glasgow East provided every penny of his fees and expenses are recorded on Curran's (M) election expenses report.

He does clearly have other skills: timing and deviousness being the main two I can think of offhand.

Were we talking about political integration ?
A office is to be bought in for definitive in old Smirn. You just miss a commentary.. walk on.

#12 is right G Brown needs a war, but not away in some foreign climate but one on his own party if he is to stand any chance of credibility.

He wants to be his own man yet is reverting to Blairism which he is not comfprtable with. Let him prove he is no ditherer and stand up and be counted.

At least then if he blows it, there is no further cost to the taxpayer and he leaves with his head held high. Hasn't he casused us enough damage already?

Such an action would not be seen as regicide but merely doing what any leader is expected to do and that is make sure his/her party is with them whole heartedly and not in a resigned begrudging manner.
Personally I think he should tender his resignation next february and go quietly.

I don't think hs departure will make the slightest difference to Labours' chances of winning another election but at least we will have politicians of principle returning to the fray and not the blanket drioids who now polulate the House of Commons.

Certainly Campbell has had his day and should steer clear of politics now The world has moved on and perhaps he would be best placed to work for a sunday tabloid. At least that way his newly found good works stay respected and the day job pays the mortgage.

Keep away Alastair you will only make things worse, your days are well and truly over in politics remember your pawn has fled the next made his millions and his replacement needs a break more than ever from you!

Michael Crick, do get a life, please!

Cambell is a spent flush.

Like the whole nu-labour thing - the emporer has no clothes. And with out clothes you just have the same old failed socialist nonsense where every one wants something for nothing, in the short term killing the golden geese, in the medium/long term - oblivion.

Generating wealth is where the action is - every one/thing else are just passengers and hangers on (including the entire ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ organisation).

Healthy 'wealth generators' can have better things to spend their time on than worrying about every last parasite - but too many parsites will kill the host.

I remember Cambell giving a talk and complaining that people that had never met him 'hated' him. At the end, I asked if (having listened to his talk) it was OK for me to hate him. He flounced off, while his minders told me what a 'absolute bastard' I was. Pathetic.

Re #23 from the-real-truth:

If New Labour is such a busted flush why is Cameron going to such lengths to be "the heir to Blair" and keep the whole concept going? Believe me that's what he's doing, albeit with some conservative twists about marriage etc.

Basically the philisophy works and is popular: marry the free market to decently funded but reformed public services which can respond to real needs and modernise the ancient culture of our democracy (and attitudes to things like civil partnerships etc).

You need to distinguish between the personalities and inevitable tensions of politics (and tiredness after long years in power) from the actual policies and there impact. This country is a lot wealthier, a lot more modern and relaxed and a lot safer than it was ten years ago. Our cities have been transformed by regeneration and our public services are miles better. The tories will not veer off the course very far if they get power.

OMG not Campbell again...

I wonder how Campbell will come out of the new Iraq enquiry ... [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]