Friday's prospects
- 30 Nov 07, 11:48 AM
Liz Gibbons is Friday's programme producer - here's her early email to the team. What else do you think we should pursue today?
Donations - How can we move the story on even further today?
We have a fascinating film from Sibera scheduled to run - pegged to the Russian elections.
What else would you like to do? There's a key Iran meeting in London and it's world AIDS day tomorrow….
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Firstly, I would like to see a list of all the cheques that were torn up, by Gordon Brown (or Chris Leslie) and by all the deputy leadership contenders. That is a list of all the people, who offered money, where it was not accepted, and importantly why. Then the suspect cheques can be put in better perspective (to the good or ill of those involved).
I will find it hard to believe that cheques coming from Mr Abrahams via secondary parties were destroyed just because the donars were not known, unless I have seen a list of all other donars rejected for these reasons. Why does Gordon reject them, and Harman not? Why do their standards differ? Anyway, if there are lots of cheques of this nature, then perhaps I can understand an oversight, but if this is one of very few, it becomes less tenable, and also all the more likely many people actually probably knew the source of these cheques, and that this is what they were uncomfortable with.
Secondly, I am amazed that John Mendelsohn is still in office this morning! Why is he being protected? Why has Peter Watt taken the hit on his behalf? What is his (Mendelsohns) connection with Gordon Brown (and Peter Watt), how professional/friendly is it - is Mr Brown scared of Mendelsohn? Does he feel he needs him somehow? Is it because their wives are friends???
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STRAW IN THE WIND
Jack Straw has made yet another "Fool or Knave" declaration that deserves rational rebuttal.
We all know there is - at best - a lot of amorality in politics (leaving aside immorality) not least some of Jack's own utterances.
Today he declared politicians, as a body, 99.9999recurring "completely straight and upstanding".
This statement is so manifestly untrue, it tells much of the Straw Man who, poignantly, typifies the sad dross we find in high places.
You ask "what else would I like to do?" My answer is: expose the systemic hypocrisy, dissembling, disingenuousness and stupidity* that typifies staunch party politicians.
* The list is not exhaustive.
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STRAW IN THE WIND
Jack Straw has made yet another "Fool or Knave" declaration that deserves rational rebuttal.
We all know there is - at best - a lot of amorality in politics (leaving aside immorality) not least some of Jack's own utterances.
Today he declared politicians, as a body, 99.9999recurring "completely straight and upstanding".
This statement is so manifestly untrue, it tells much of the Straw Man who, poignantly, typifies the sad dross we find in high places.
You ask "what else would I like to do?" My answer is: expose the systemic hypocrisy, dissembling, disingenuousness and stupidity* that typifies staunch party politicians.
* The list is not exhaustive.
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Given that Jack Straw has made such a "robust" defence over the squalid nature of Labour Party funding today, why not invite him and the disgraced one or two(!) on the programme to slug it out.
Everyday we discover that someone else knew something so why not odds on who knows what with all the winnings been donated to the Labour Party on our behalf by Newsnight.
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PISA 2006
The UK did* in fact participate in 2003 (which focused on maths). Controversially, it was EXCLUDED from the detailed comparative analyses by the PISA governing body, because of its concerns about dodgy sampling of UK pupils.
Interested readers should look up DfES commissioned independent reports which were explicit about the lack of full cooperation that they received. Whilst the government was singing the praises of onward and upwards in key Stage 3 & 4 attainment, the PISA comparisons risk revealing the facts of the matter, i.e. dysgenesis through immigration and differential fertility.
IN TRAY ASSESSEMENT CENTRE EXERCISE FOR PROSPECTIVE POLITICIANS, ACTIVISTS AND BACK OFFICE PERSONS:
Write a brief paragraph on the merits of the following example of fund-raising, suggesting how it might be handled in the context of a) party donations b) Treasury initiatives c) DWP efficiency.
oOo
GOLDEN TICKET:
WIN A FANTASTIC NISSAN QASHQUI or an ALTERNATIVE OF £15,000 CASH
Reveal 4 x (car) symbols and you can claim the Nissan Qashqui or a cash
amount. See ticket for claim details"
How to claim:- call claims hotline 0906 xxx yyyy*
Your Card Number refers to which prize you could claim. If you reveal 4 identical symbols you are instantly guaranteed a minimum amount of £5 and you may have also hit the jackpot of a brand new Nissan Qashqai
*calls cost £1.50p per minute..and last no more than 6 mins.
oOo
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Thanks Adrienne You're a
*
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I was astonished by the way the Labour Party intends to "resolve" the dodgy donations problem, i.e. "returning the money" (sic).
Even Gordon Brown said so.
If an alleged criminal case can be "resolved" that way, one wouldn't be surprised if in the future some bank robbers will be allowed freedom "as long as they return the moneys".
What's good for the goose should be good for the gander.
Regards,
A.Fernandes-Vidal
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