Today, arguably didn't start well, I woke up at 7.30am on the first day when I have nothing to do (aside from packing up my Bristol life). Whilst indulging my West Wing thing again (need to get through series seven again before starting the Wire), I checked out the BBC news site. It wasn't good.
Petty stuff aside (Newcastle going down is not petty but rather pales in the light of a democratic meltdown here and nuclear testing in Asia).
The Telegraph has stuck the knife in. They have 'exposed' that cabinet members have claimed for tax return advice. That's legal in the regulations. From what I can see they are bandying around £11,000: which is actually split between maybe 5 or 6 people over at least two years. Its the first out and out attack on the Cabinet. It puts all the other shenanigans into perspective.
The plan of attack is thus: out various people for bad expenses. Includes Tories for effect but main drive is to raise calls for an election. Then when you have some momentum on that launch on the Cabinet.
Pick a Bank Holiday when people have more time to read the papers: and you have destabilised the government.
Good tactics: twisted, lying, unfair, tabloid tactics- but they are most likely going to work.
More importantly for the near future is not who claimed what, but who will do what in reaction to North Korea's alleged nuclear test. Thus far we have condemnation. I hope very much that this will be the first show of measure from Barack Obama. This is his first major test in foreign policy. Will he change? Lets hope so.
But its not a good news day.
Petty stuff aside (Newcastle going down is not petty but rather pales in the light of a democratic meltdown here and nuclear testing in Asia).
The Telegraph has stuck the knife in. They have 'exposed' that cabinet members have claimed for tax return advice. That's legal in the regulations. From what I can see they are bandying around £11,000: which is actually split between maybe 5 or 6 people over at least two years. Its the first out and out attack on the Cabinet. It puts all the other shenanigans into perspective.
The plan of attack is thus: out various people for bad expenses. Includes Tories for effect but main drive is to raise calls for an election. Then when you have some momentum on that launch on the Cabinet.
Pick a Bank Holiday when people have more time to read the papers: and you have destabilised the government.
Good tactics: twisted, lying, unfair, tabloid tactics- but they are most likely going to work.
More importantly for the near future is not who claimed what, but who will do what in reaction to North Korea's alleged nuclear test. Thus far we have condemnation. I hope very much that this will be the first show of measure from Barack Obama. This is his first major test in foreign policy. Will he change? Lets hope so.
But its not a good news day.
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