Heresy Corner (Free subscription) | 02/12/2008
In the wake of the Damian Green affair a consensus seems to be emerging (or, more accurately, confirmed) that Jacqui Smith is overpromoted, cloddish and not up to the job of home secretary. Her robotic performance on the Andrew Marr show on Sunday, following on from the distinctly luke-warm response to her confusing proposals for changing the prostitution laws, has reminded people just how unattractive...
The Appalling Strangeness (Free subscription) | 01/12/2008
Jacqui Smith isn’t a Stalinist. Oh no. You can tell. Because she said so : Ms Smith told BBC One's Andrew Marr programme: "There have been a lot of charges thrown around here - the idea that, you know, this is Stalinism, this is a police state. In my book, Stalinism and a police state happens when ministers direct and interfere with specific investigations that the police are carrying out.” And you...
THE WILTED ROSE (Free subscription) | 01/12/2008
If anyone saw Jacqui Smith’s performance on the Andrew Marr show, they would have seen a ministress who has given up all hope of retaining her Redditch constituency. They would also see how deceitful and base this Labour government has become. Not only have we had control orders, the 42 days and id cards proposal, but [...]
Will Rhodes Portmanteau (Free subscription) | 30/11/2008
She refuses to resign and apologise. She told BBC’s Andrew Marr that she couldn’t intervene. She told BBC’s Andrew Marr that is would be wrong. She told BBC’s Andrew Marr many things - but not once apologised or had any redress for those who arrested Damian Green - of course, like most things - it was [...]
Cynical Chatter From The Underworld (Free subscription) | 30/11/2008
The BBC have this clip available of Jacqui Smith trying to worm out of any charges when talking to the ZanuLabour party’s favourite interviewer, Andrew Marr. It’s funny how many questions she tries to avoid, and to be honest, though he does try to appear hard, he fails completely. I also notice that she deliberately tries [...]
Old Holborn (Free subscription) | 30/11/2008
" Don't call me a liar, you fucker. I can have you killed" Apart from her obvious evasion over the issue of who knew what, something has been bothering about the Home Secretary's assertion in her interview with Andrew Marr this morning. For days know, Ms Smith & Gordon Brown have spitting out the line that Police independence is paramount, as if the police were not under the control of the Home Office....
A View from Rural Wales (Free subscription) | 30/11/2008
After reading today's papers, and watching the Home Secretary on Andrew Marr's Sunday morning programme, two conclusions have become implanted in this view from rural Wales. The first relates to the prospects for the next General Election. I thought Jackie Smith was frighteningly evasive and complacent this morning. The Government's Home Secretary cannot see anything wrong with using anti-terrorism...
Guy Fawkes' blog (Free subscription) | 30/11/2008
Guido stayed in bed this morning and missed the Andrew Marr show, which doesn't appear to be up on iPlayer yet (forgot to set the digicorder as well). Judging by the comments below he let Jacqui Smith off the hook (surprise) over Damien Green. According to PoliticsHome's transcript when "asked about claims Mr Green had been bugged she said she would have had to sign a warrant for that to happen and...
Labour Matters (Free subscription) | 30/11/2008
The Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show this morning appeared to drop a heavy hint that the four leaks documented in recent newspaper reports might not have been the worst of what the alleged Conservative mole within the Home Office may have passed to Tory frontbencher Damian Green. Repeatedly asked whether [...]
ConservativeHome's ToryDiary (Free subscription) | 30/11/2008
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has today repeatedly refused to apologise for the way in which the police arrested Damian Green and searched his homes and offices under anti-terrorism laws on Thursday. Interviewed by Andrew Marr this morning, she was given...
Iain Dale's Diary (Free subscription) | 30/11/2008
I have just been watching Andrew Marr's interview with Jacqui Smith. At the end of the Major government, many Cabinet Ministers appeared on TV and were seen as totally out of touch with public opinion. The interviewer would say something was white and they would say it was black. Perfectly decent human beings were seen as tired and out of touch with the people they were governing. Jacqui Smith exhibited...
Not a sheep (Free subscription) | 25/11/2008
Feel the love poodle or attack dog - can you guess which party gets which approach?
Daily Referendum (Free subscription) | 23/11/2008
David Cameron was on fine form this morning during his interview on the Andrew Marr show (38min 25secs in). I'm sure he is looking forward to answering Brown's Pre-budget report tomorrow morning (I won't pretend it's Darling's). The main point that Cameron got over is that he and the Tory shadow cabinet are telling it as it is. I think a decent slogan for the next election would be: CONSERVATIVES:...
Iain Dale's Diary (Free subscription) | 23/11/2008
Did I detect a bit of extra spark in David Cameron during his interview with Andrew Marr this morning? Do read David Cameron's interview with Dominic Lawson in the Sunday Times News Review . It paints a man relishing the fight ahead and with a clear idea of how he is going to take the fight to Gordon Brown. I'd say it is one of the best interviews Cameron has ever done. He talks about * the position...
ConservativeHome's ToryDiary (Free subscription) | 23/11/2008
Key messages from David Cameron's interview on Andrew Marr's Sunday morning programme (not verbatim): It is not true that the Conservatives are inactive in the face of recession: We are proposing a two year freeze in council tax, a VAT...
