³ÉÈËÂÛ̳

Give Gordon, Peter & Alistair my regards during your break.

See you in the pub.

have a good one young Nick. Hope you come back revitalised and with your keen journalistic instinct honed and ready to dig out information.

Maybe start off with that Mandelson and Oleg EU tariff debacle...

Bonne Noel!

Have a good time off and I hope you get to take your Labour colour specs off for when you come back.

Merry Christmas Nick

Strange the last blog submitted is about our great leader - nothing much else has happened other than the total politicisation of the police and a quick retraction - correctly.

Ho ho ho!

Happy Christmas, Nick, and everyone else on this blog.

I always thought Christmas was on 25 December. So why are people taking the opportunity to goof off for two weeks?

Don't they know there's a recession (slump) on?

Will their jobs be there for when they come back? If they can disappear for two weeks without affecting the operation then what value do they add during the other fifty weeks? Perhaps the prevailing view is they can just get a hand out from the taxpayer.

Do I hear questions in The House?

Fat chance.

Happy and Holy Christmas and a Happy and Healthy (if not prosperous:()2009.

Happy Christmas everyone..

Very disapointed that there is no other political news...been pretty quiet - lead up to Christmas and we only get Praise the Gord - how fitting!

Let's see January - maybe something on Oleg, a Yacht and someone called Mandy then...

No, ok more of the same then.

Happy Christmas Nick.

Here's hoping the New Year brings you happiness

...and a desire to report the facts, rather than the message.

Happy Christmas Nick. Regards to your family and your Westminister colleagues

Merry Christmas to all - whatever your political persuasion!!

I wish you all a good festive holiday and the best for 2009 (whatever it brings)

Cheers!

Yes, it would be a good idea to blog off now as we have to negotiate something much, much trickier than professional politics.

Which is ... family politics at Christmas ... possibly the most ferocious bear-pit of all.

Felix dies Nativitatis!

Nick, It seems that times have changed!

I seem to recall that journalists used to be paid by the word...

It's a little odd that you couldn't post something to entice folk to natter over the next week or so. Haven't there been any issues cropping up recently?

The Bank of England admits it underestimated the impact of the "credit-based-boom". That has political as well as financial implications. Especially when Brown's triumvirate of BoE, Treasury and FSA quite obviously had no clear plan for handling potential problems...

Senior policeman accuses a political party of corruptly encouraging information about a (possibly non-licenced) business being run from his home... (No way I'm defending any party - but it did seem rather odd!)

Purnell signs off a document suggesting that struggling people should only have loans if they pay in excess of 20percent APR...

Guess it's nice to work for the Beeb. In lots of other organisations, if a job's needed, then it gets covered when the occupant goes on leave. (And in quite a lot, people keep in touch via the Net.)

Pity you couldn't have arranged a "Guest Host".

Anyway. Happy Christmas. And I'm sure we'll are expect a fairly hairy New Year.

Merry Christmas Everybody,

really looking forward to the early Spring election. Now that would be the best belated Christmas present of all.

The next best present, getting the MoD to lift the injunction on my son preventing his freedom to speak!

Merry Xmas Nick , is it Tony or Gordons for Dinner ?
Bye the way you never did tell us what Mandy was doing on that Yacht !

By the way.

I was struck by the vigour with which Brown and Darling attacked the banks for failing to deliver enough money to be borrowed, after the dynamic duo had injected so much into their accounts.

Until the banks said that they hadn't actually received the money... I gather that will happen in the New Year.

I thought that the banks were in trouble exactly because they were lending money they didn't actually have.

So why were Brown and Darling... Oh, forget it.

Where's Ed Balls when you really need a rediculous comment to brighten your day?

And a happy Christmas to you too Nick. I hope you manage to switch off from all this political malarkey and have some quality time with your loved ones.

And a merry Christmas to everyone else as well!

Happy Christmas, Nick. Perhaps you could spend the time considering your political affiliation. How much longer are you going to support the people who are ruining our country?

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, to Nick, the Moderators and all the bloggers!

Happy Christmas Mr Robinson.

I hope you get four Christmas presents:

1. A proper sense of balance
2. A pair of ear plugs to blot out briefs from your Socialist masters
3. A pair of clear lenses for your spectacles to replace your Socialist rose tinted ones
4. A new pencil so that you can write some good copy about Mandy and yachts and state controlled police

Amazed that you do not consider that there is any political news to report currently. Robert Peston wouldn't give in so easily.

Enjoy your break, Nick.

Merry Christmas all!

Best wishes ! Will miss you, will just have to vent my spleen on someone else till you surface.

Happy Christmas Nick and thanks to you and your colleagues for organising such an entertaining and (sometimes) contentious blog!
Enjoy your break!

No recession or politics for a whole three weeks.

Nothing to worry about then.

They've all gone away so we can all retire and dumb down into our virtual world of endless repeats on TV and video games.

No wonder so many are getting out of the country this year.

Have a Merry Christmas. I've set my alarm for January.

Nick:
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year....

To you and your family...to the moderators, and the assistants who help out; and, the other contributors of this blog..

Enjoy your vacation!

Again, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year...

A half-hearted apology from Mr Quick (Bob to his friends - Home Secretary Jacqui Smith) to the Conservative Party. Not worth a mention really. Funny that the visit of 'Bob's' men to Damian Green was though!

Merry Christmas everyone and the very best for the coming year.

Merry Christmas Nick - are you heading back to the Macc?

Also - were you twittering the above post?! It's short: you should have left something for us to all chew the fat on.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Merry Christmas and, er, not sure about the New Year

Happy Christmas, Nick.

If having been a good boy throughout the year means lots of presents, then Santa Brown should ensure you get a shedful.

So while people will worried about their jobs, bills, mortgage etc Gordon and his red army go off for a few weeks. Off on some sun kissed beach to get away from it all. My what a hard life they have.

PS

The other day when I was opening my post I had a card from my local Charnwood MP Andy Reed. Now I have never voted Labour so why did I end up with such waste paper on my door mat? Is this just a waste of MP Andy Reeds wage which goes to show they get paid to much or will it come from expences just to try and win a vote? What ever it is what a waste of time money just go on in my recyling bin.

Merry Christmas Nick, keep up the good work.

To the rest of you keep up the whinging, it is very entertaining.

"Those damn socialist Nick Robinsons,³ÉÈËÂÛ̳,Police blah,blah,blah."


HOHOHOHO!

Bah, Humbug!

;-)

Yep, I think Nick Robinson has been a very good boy this year, and Santa Brown will empty his sack in Nicks living room.
Everyone else, keep the peace, may love cover the globe.

England has been crushed, never to rise again, and those of you there who are waking up to the fact are getting pretty cross about it, apparently. It is all the fault of that Scottish prime minister, many are saying openly. No, the other one, the superhero who thinks he is saving the planet.

Not very far into the new year the blame game, as you call it, will really get going, as the pillars of the UK economy, such as they are, come tumbling down. The political parties will be at each other's throats. Middle England will be up in arms against the Scots, who will not be long in taking umbrage, of course, and all hell will break loose, basically. But why am I telling you what you already know?

Having observed and indeed measured the quality of the existing UK overlord authorities' administrative prowess - pardon me while I snigger - and the utter economic shambles, not to put too fine a point on it, that is in the process of enveloping your state and consuming its wealth, such as it is, I have concluded, in my transcendent wisdom, that there can be little doubt that you would all be much better off under an extra-terrestrial regime, warts and all, and it would have them. This would, of course, at least have the merit of offering you the protection of a greater power, which would be, needless to say, disinterestedly benign, as all overlordships claim to be, not wishing to alienate the subject people, as you know. Even the regime that was installed in 1940 in the land called France claimed to be benign, and some people there believed it.

What, you think on reflection that you would prefer not to be ruled by unscrupulous and duplicitously self-serving extra-territorial overlords who are unaccountable to you? One can hardly blame you, as that is how the Scots seem to feel about being ruled from England, and more so now that the UK state is plunging them deeper and deeper into debt and frittering all their oil wealth away on more and more UK government profligacy to keep you chaps in the style to which you have become accustomed. The party is over, as you will discover in the new year if you do not already know it.

Season's greetings, Earthlings.

Toodloo.

Nick you will not believe this but I asked Tony McNulty a question (see "the employment minister answers your questions") and he did not answer it.

You would think if he truly believes in the goverments policies he would only be too pleased to donate his salary to charity.

If he is employed by the people of this country should he not be legally obliged to answer fully.

#37
I had a question asked of Darling by Jon Sopel on the Politics Show - along the lines of how was the government going to tighten its belt in the downturn as we were all going to have to do the same?

Funnily enough he didn't answer that either, but it was the week before the PBR. He hasn't announced anything by way of announcing any belt tightening since though so I'm guessing government may need another hole put in said belt in the new year!

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

You will miss us! Whatever you do don't get blogged down?

Well, Mr. Robinson, it would be churlish of me not to add seasonal greetings to you.
For the new year, will you please explain why, this now elongated silence from 6pm 19.12.08., until goodness knows when next year has happened?
You had much to say about the Damian Green affair and other Tory party members, mostly derogatory. Your comments relating to the Government were mostly complimentary, in a biased way.
No-one should be able to 'Draw a line under', then 'Learn lessons from' and then 'Move forward' as happens so frequently.
The Asst. Comm QUICK affair was amazing, in what was said and refuted so quickly. Surely you had a view on this? If not, why not?

Chrimbo AGAIN?

One wonders what MIRACLES our

NEW MESSIAH will claim to have

done in the coming weeks??





BROWN OUT!

I think there will be much more to report on next year and it is a shame you have closed down for the new year.

Like Post 41 I too wonder why no comment re ACC Quick? Surely a dead man walking now!

The Met Police led by Sir Ian Blair and including Mr Quick seem so politicised now and all very pro new labour.

I fear that 2008 will be noted as the year that the general public lost faith in the Police force.

The De Menezes jury verdict on the management of the Met Police and its officers actions says so much.

Hope you find time to reflect on why so many posts are critical of your political neutrality and objectivity; or perhaps you can't be bothered, your job clearly depends on you keeping your nose clean with Brown, Mandelson et al.

Nick,

as you seem to have left the blog with nothing for us to comment on then may I contribute to the filling of the void, that is if the wonderful moderators will let me.

I wonder why not more has been made that Mr de Menezes was shot and killed by policemen who used what are called dum-dum bullets.

Now my understanding is that dum-dum bullets were actually illegal. So, could somebody explain why such bullets were used, who authorised their use, and why nobody has faced prosecution for the use of illegal armaments, and finally are they now removed and destroyed from all operational use.

Merry Christmas, and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to everybody.

britom
Why so bitter?
It's the season of goodwill.
Say something nice.
See you all in the new year and thanks for the laughs
;)

In his interview, Mr Blanchard said: "Temporarily cutting VAT, a measure that was adopted in Great Britain, does not seem to me to be a good idea - 2% less is not perceived by consumers as a real incentive to spend."

Olivier Blanchard, IMF chief economist

In contrast, he said a French plan aimed at encouraging consumers to buy cars was a good idea.


Nick,
luckily you had already closed your shop when this statement came out. It would have been very challenging to report it in a positive light :-)

Season's greetings, anyway, and look forward to an eventful 2009.

P.S. I can already imagine CEH spending Xmas digging in his library trying to find an answer to the above statement

39. Possibly. What about Baron von Quietzapple? He was one of those too.

Tax payers money - disgraceful!

37. Tadcaster Dave.

You are lucky.

I asked Tony McNulty a question to his face in the Harrow Council Chamber. His response was viscious and extremely uncharitable.

He was not a nice man at all but there again I suppose when he's on tv he has to behave himself.

#45

Who cares? Wrong time wrong place.

Nick

Have a great Christmas and a safe one. On the latter point, see our tax pounds - have a look at the item on the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ news website -
"Families warned of gravy dangers".

Ministers are warning us of the perils of exploding gravy, fat spilled on the cook trying to grapple with a big turkey and nasty cuts when chopping piles of vegetables. Not to mention tipsy guests crashing to the floor when they miss their seat at the dinner table". people cutting themselves with knives in the rush to open presents.

Make sure you pick up one of the 150,000 leaflets they have issued or you might not make it through the festivities.

34

A Merry Christmas to you "Charles" Looking forward to any future Entertainment software you develop.

Reply to 49.

McNulty seems to be the new Prescott but a bit nastier. Maybe this is the level required for the Brown Terror.
I think he was on Newsnight recently where he did not come over as being very bright. He is probably in Mandelson's inner circle along with many others.

"Merry christmas everyone!"

Remeber dutch courage is not the real thing!

#50

Wrong!!!!!

It is because there is no wrong time or place to keep reminding people of what is being done in our name.

Let me also take this opportunity to remind people that we are soon remembering the birth of the son of God. So, can we see how little has changed since his last visit. We still kill fellow human beings in greater numbers, and a lot of it seems to be still linked to religion. Great. can't wait for Easter when we remember that the same son of God actually died on the cross, for what? Yes, our sins.

Anybody want to remind me of why we went to war in Iraq? Sorry, wrong time and place. Or should I also ask to be reminded of when exactly Tony Blair converted to catholicism, oh that's right he didn't want any palavar.

So, I won't mention dum-dum bullets for a while, like in the new year, any ideas as to when it may be appropriate.

wishing you all a happy christmas and a clear thinking progressive new year xxx

Wishing you all a merry Xmas, it's been fun jousting with you Tories and even more fun agreeing with my labour friends, we may be red or we may be blue and whatever colour liberals are under but we thankfully are still one nation, so good luck to you all and your families have a great Xmas and a happy new year.

A special merry Xmas and happy new year to my old friend Phoenixarisonq where ever he is, keep your powder dry old son.
Hope to hear from you in the new year.

51. Only jocking

Only jocking, as far as those kill-joys go, let them get stuffed with lots of tasty food. Come the new year, there may not be so much of it around.
Wishing everybody, even the moderators , a happy Xmas and lots of fun under the mistletoe!

No16 elrond.
Has it it ever occurred to you, and other inquisitors, that Nick may not know what was discussed on the yacht.
Could I suggest that you write directly to the Minister for an explanation. You may be very pleasantly surprised at the reply. Keep up the superb balanced reporting in the New Year Nick, the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ is still the best broadcasting organisation in the world.

#55

You are wrong, De Menezes was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jesus was also in the wrong place at the wrong time if you believe in the STORY. And the reason De Menezes was killed was because of religion. A religion trying to forced on the western world by terror. Our police were trying to stop bombers killing.

I too cannot wait for Easter as it will be holiday time aslong as we all have a job.

58 phoenixarisenq

Many thanks for your good wishes which are heartily given in return. I missed our debates whilst I was on holiday and hope you are well and preparing to return to the trenches after this seasonal truce!

58 grandantidote

Sorry, mate, meant to write your name. Seems like I've had a jar a little early!

Dear Nick,

Have a great winterval and happy festive drinkings.

Xxxx

ps
What boat party are you going to?

54 derekbarker

Special greetings to you and yours.

Hope the lads have a great time over the Christmas period.

And I hope that C_E_H gets some of that innovative stuff to market!

It does seem a little odd that the IMF considers a reduction in VAT seems unlikely to deliver much benefit.

Or not.

There may be some corporate benefits in the VAT adjustment. But if government says that taking 4 pounds off a two hundred pound item is going to make a difference to people, they just don't get it. If you can't find something marked down by 10 - 40 percent, you just need to move to another shop...

I'd have thought that re-establishing the 10p tax-band - targeted at those on lower income - would have put more spendng money back into the market.

We know the government could introduce a "targeted" tax system, as mentioned in Darling's PBR:

"This will mean that where an individual’s income is below the £100,000 income limit, they will continue to be entitled to the (personal) full allowance.
- Where an individual’s income is above the income limit of £100,000,the allowance will be reduced by £1 for every £2 above the income limit up to a maximum of one half of the basic personal allowance.
- Where an individual’s gross income is above a second income limit of £140,000, the amount of their allowance will be further reduced by £1 for every £2 above the income limit up to a maximum of the full amount of the basic personal allowance."

From the HMRC web-site.

So why couldn't they simply say that where income was below GBP N,000 people could still receive a 10p tax band?

It would be technically simple. (Especially compared to the sliding scale stuff for the higher paid!) But it would have left Brown looking pretty stupid.

Which choice would have done more good for the poorer?

No wonder politicians get a bad press!!!

No wonder so many people seem to feel that Brown was no economist and seems more intent on personal aggrandisement than delivering to the people he claims to support.

We need a bit more Balls to make it really funny!

#65

Fairlyopenmind.

Slainte Mhath my friend, peace and good will
to you and your family.

Is there for honest poverty
That hings his head, an a' that
The coward slave we pass him-by
We dare be poor for a' that
For a' that an a' that
Our toils obscure, an a' that
The rank is but the guineas's stamp
The man's the gowd for a' that.

Happy Christmas Nick

I am just amazed that there is so little going on in the UK just now that Parliament is going into recess for so long. Shouldn't the government be held to account.

Anyone else notice how Gordon Brown tries to be away on Wednesdays?

#61

Nick,

this is where I have a problem with the spirit of Christmas. 'Our police were trying to stop bombers killing'.

Now I have to ask have people been reading the transcripts of the inquiry into the death of Mr de Menezes.

In my own considered opinion, for what it is worth, I have to say that I might agree with the theory that he was killed because of religion. However, whose religion are we really talking about. Consider how many innocent people have been shot and killed in this country, because they have been a perceived threat, since the death of de Menezes.

Gordon Brown, our great protector, has told us that the threat comes from Pakistan, and Afghanistan. He recently said that or am I wrong. So, could it possibly be de Menezes was shot and killed, using dum-dum bullets because he did not look like he was from either country. I believe that he died as an example to others, to show that our police will show no mercy, that they will shoot without warning, and that nobody will be held to be responsible. It will be down to the fog of war. Sometimes I am ashamed of what we allow in this country.

Yes, thank you Nick.

Merry Christmas everybody, whatever your political allegiances...

There's one final carol, I promise, before the big day itself...


We three Kings of Parliament are,
One in the commons, one in the bar,
Mass debating,
Patiently waiting,
Election day is still afar...


You know, I really do miss all the politicking over Christmas. The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ news just isn't the same, with all the stories that wouldn't stand a chance of making the headlines during the rest of year...

#60 If he doesnt know, why not ? Did he attempt to find out? According to you all it would need for an explanation would be a letter to "The minister". Was such a letter sent by any of our so called impartial journalists ? If so what was the reply ? Why the silence on this issue when so much was made about Osborne ? All we are looking for is balanced reporting !

Any way Merry Xmas and to paraphrase Greg Lake
" Hallelujah , Noel whether Heaven or Hell, the Politicians we get we deserve "

Happy Christmas to the moderators.

All the best Nick.

Happy Christmas to all.... except No10.. Humbug to you lot.

May I wish all bloggers to this site,political friend and foe the compliments of the season.

We must never forget,irrespective of our views,that the most important aspect of our political landscape is the right of people to democratically wespouse their views....we might not like everything we see on these nblogs,it is vitally important however,that assuming they are not scurrilous,fraudulent or libelous that we continue to be able to debate in the way that we do...

As for 2009 - it promises to be a momentuous year - and I have no doubt there will be many many twists and turns,peaks and troughs,scandals and exclusives before its end......

who knows we may even have a full-time Political Opposition Party....LOL...

tata for now...(excuse the pun)

67 derekbarker

Slainte Mhath my friend, peace and good will to you and your family.

Then let us pray that come it may
(as come it will for a' that)
That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth
Shall bear the gree an' a' that
For a' that an' a' that
It's coming yet for a' that
That man to man, the world o'er
Shall brithers be for a' that

Bye Nick.

Your farewell message is reciprocated.

I detect from its attribution ("my readers") that you regard your column as a one-way medium - you pass on to us, your readers, after adding the merest personal slant, the lines handed down to a lobby correspondent. For which we must be truly grateful.

The comments and feedback are the ranting of mere mortals (with the occasional party stooges), not fit to soil the hem of your raincoat.

Strange isn't it that the RSPB (for instance) has more members than all our major and minor political parties combined. The esteem which our politicians hold themselves within the Westminster Village is not replicated in the small portion of the UK that exists without.

Thankfully government does not start and end with our Mother of Parliaments.

"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this."

So at this time of year:

"Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him"

Nick,

let me give a bit of advice. Take a great interest into what is happening in Greece with the students. I think that it will be student revolution which will be the big story of 2009. The left is on the rise, they have been busy these last few years, they have not gone away. They watched and learnt, the troops will soon have to come back from Iarq and Afghanistan because they will be needed to keep control on our streets, let alone in occpied territories.

Happy Christmas Nick,

Hope you enjoy the Labour christmas party to which you are no doubt invited.

I commented earlier about the apparent inactivity of our Foreign & Colonial Secretary and erstwhile leadership challenger (denied) to engage with South Africa to confront the problem that is Robert Mugabe.

Well it appears that he has now had a letter published in the Times, in which he calls Mugabe a "stain on Zimbabwe".

A lion has roared, who will not be afraid?

My sympathies and apologies to everyone in Zimbabwe at Christmas.

It wasn't my intention to post anything here since, after all, it's the season of good will.

However, by chance a letter from my pension fund administrator arrived a few minutes ago. One third fall in value since 12 months ago. Thanks Gordon! 5 billion pounds taken from pension funds each year to pay for current spending so that Labour can boast how well the economy is performing.

My wife works in the public sector, but since she is paid only just above the minimum wage her pension is not going to be worth much either.

We are clearly two nations. Labour ministers and public sector fat cats who are immune from the recession; and everyone else.

78. T A Griffin (TAG)

I don't always agree with you, TAG, but I regret that not everyone has fire in their blood like you have. I don't think the British students will react to conditions here, or revolt like the Greeks. The students here have become as impotent and passive as most of their their parents. A surge of movement, even aggression when drunk, but the rest of the time indifferent, save for whinging. They have been bought by the benefits system, and now completely lack self-reliance and get up and go.

Nick,

thought that I would let your readers know what some of us are doing whilst waiting for 'the big day' to arrive.

Preparing to write an OU assignment on Animal Rights and the Great Apes Project whilst listening to 'ARC-Weld' Neil Young, 'Cortez the Killer'.

What are others doing whilst politics is hibernating. I mean only some more companies gone into liquidation, but hey Mandelson, let's put some money into a car company which contributes towards the destruction of the planet. Ah, climate change, that's for the starving masses, not drivers of gas guzzlers.

Merry Christmas!

Why Dum Dum bullets - It's an old Colonial Indian Army name for certain small arms ammunitions and which are banned within Nato military and in many countries?
Because their projectile nose has a hollow head which "mushrooms" on impact and so doesn't penetrate a body so far, but which spreads and causes much more disruptive damage.
It therefor has far greater "stopping power" when hitting a live target. Hence its use by certain police forces.

Old soldier

#84

Quite right. With its amazing stopping power that is why I think they needed to fire six into de Menezes. Now that really stopped him.

Thank you old soldier.

Just learned that the police secretly taped Damian green from the moment of his arrest until he arrived at the Police Station, without his knowledge.

"The Met said: "A tape sound recording was made of the MP's arrest and subsequent period in police charge, without his knowledge, prior to arrival at Belgravia Police station from Kent.

"This was authorised at superintendent level to provide an accurate record of anything that may have been said by officers or the MP over a period of nearly two and a half hours. "



This sort of tactic is usually used on terrorist suspects, and begs the question as to why they felt the need to do this?

Anyway, Merry Xmas to you Nick (even though you obviously don't read your own blog!), to the moderators and to all other bloggers.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas Nick and a Happy New Year.

The vicar has just brought our turkey. We have some nuts and a tangerine.

Maybe a sugar mouse if we are lucky and some gold chocolate coins.......

Off to the Carols by Candlelight later and the whole family gathered together tomorrow, fourteen of us all along a huge refectory table. Then we will listen to Her Majesty and hope Crash didn't write her speech.

Happy and a Holy Christmas to you all - whatever the colour of your politics!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

No doubt someone in the Met felt that Christmas Eve was a good day to bury the news regarding the undisclosed recording of Damien Green's arrest.

Shame it is day one of Nick's elongated Christmas break!

#83 TAG

You sound busy!

I'm still tapping away at a book I've been scratching at for a while. (It seems to have turned into a trilogy - so there's a bit of jumping about between sections, when I get irritated with a particulat patch! Not a clever way to do it, but it's a bit of fun.)

Whatever the political circumstances, it would be good if Brown has a Happy Christmas. May bring him back with a more open mind...

@84 & 85

Dum dum bullets are banned under international law - Hague Convention.

As the SAS were already involved in supervision, it is unlikely that the people who killed Menezes were police even Special Branch. Breaking the law has to be authorised at the highest level, and very few operatives have a 'licence to kill'.

@86 - Have a look at this link!



I thought that under the Wilson Doctrine MP's weren't allowed to be bugged. But so what, we know we live in a Police State.

Seasons Greetings*
Happy New Year*
Bah Humbug*
(*delete as applicable)

#76

Roll-on-2010

People count: all people count,

A sense of worth' to all mankind!

A holy christmas to you Roll-on-2010; may that spirit of good will shine your way.

Hey Nick -- why not finish off the run up to Christmas with a comment about the apparent missuse of police powers when they arrested Damian Green. This should be a major headline.



Once again police & Government out of control with no moral backbone.

Nick

As a well respected journalist you really need to get back to Westminster and start reporting to the British population what is going on.

We seem to have a police force that is getting out of control. Can you really afford to miss it?

I see that Deripaska seems on his uppers at the present time so I cannot see him making a takeover bid for Jaguar.

How does this government manage to get away with it. Raids on the House of Commons. MP arrested, taping etc...there must be no cover-up in the White House.

Do you know what really stinks, well to me it does, is the fact that nobody seems to be at all upset that the paid husband of Jacqui Smith writes letters to their local newspaper saying what a great Home Secretary she is.

As for Ed Balls and his wife Yvette Cooper? All I will say is housing allowances!

Finally, I also remember events in the North East with regard to corruption in the sixties and seventies. Has anything really changed, I don't know but something somewhere absolutely stinks. With every day that passes I feel more and more sickened, all of my illusions shattered, how terribly sad, I wonder how Gordon Brown can sleep at night, that son of the Manse. Shameful.

I've sent some of those nicely bound but totally blank books you can get in some bookshops as gifts to the great and good. A friend blocked some gilt titles on the spines so they will look good in the background in interviews. Here are the titles:

My Greatest Mistakes - Gordon
Modesty - Balls
Ontology (look it up) - Smith
Phillips Atlas Of The World (Our Friends edition) - Milliband minor
Debretts Charm For The Undead - Lord Mandy of Brazil
The Tory Party Manifesto 2007 (deleted), 2008 (deleted) Spring 2009 (in pencil) - Dave
Questions I Must Ask Rich Russians - George
How To Fail With Woman - Nick
What I Don't Know About The Economy - Vince
Balance - the esteemed political correspondant of the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳
Elocution - Mr Peston

Have I forgotten anyone?

#97 yes you missed out

Integrity - Blunkett

What I did on the Yacht- Mandy

Speeches in which I have not used the phrase "Hard working families"- Brown

My life experience outwith Politics - Brown, Milliband, Balls, Cooper, etc etc

Leadership in Scottish Politics - Alexander

Taking responsibility- Martin

Solving Crime with the Met- Blair ( I )

Sincerity - Blair ( A )

Benefits to the common man of introducing the Humans Rights act into UK legislation - Blair ( C )

Public Service - Prestcot

Oh yes just to give my reading list some Balance I include

Reasons to vote conservative other than the present lot are pants - Cameron

i hope the "promoting of doom and gloom" will be STOP in 2009

happy christmas