Is Patrick Mercer the new Chris Huhne?

There are some striking similarities between Patrick Mercer's resignation statement this evening and the statement put out by Chris Huhne when he resigned from the Cabinet.

Huhne:

"This letter is to submit with much regret my resignation as Energy and Climate Change Secretary. I intend to mount a robust defence against the charges brought against me, and I have concluded that it would be distracting both to that effort and to my official duties if I were to continue in office."

Mercer:

"I am taking legal advice about these allegations - and I have referred myself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. In the meantime, to save my party embarrassment, I have resigned the Conservative Whip and have so informed Sir George Young."

 

Friday favourite 110

From 1992 here are the Stereo MCs with 'Connected':

The rules of playground football...

...with thanks to Christopher Brookmyer.

Brighton Greens civil war update

Earlier this month I blogged on the quite extraordinary splits in Brighton's ruling Green Party. Since then, instead of trying to come together, the splits have deepened and their councillors have indulged in some quite spectacularly stupid behaviour.

The Argus reports that rebel Green councillors: "launched a failed coup to remove Coun Kitcat (Council Leader)", reporting that: "One of the rebels Councillor Duncan said he was one of six Green councillors who walked out of the council chamber rather than support Coun Kitcat’s re-election as council leader."

In an extraordinarily stupid political move another of the rebels, Cllr Alex Phillips, tried - via Twitter - to get Labour to vote with the rebels to oust Cllr Kitcat.  Unsurprisingly the exchange ended up in the local paper:

And amazingly, the Argus reports she has avoided disciplinary action for this move.

Councillor Duncan's thoughts on the split can be read in a gloriously spartist post on his personal blog:

"A prominent and much respected local councillor, Alex Phillips, attempted to build a consensus across the party divide between the Green Party, which she is a member of, and the Labour Party, to prevent a rogue Green administration..."

Vulcan bomber at Southend airport

Returning from my trip north via London's now sixth airport - Southend - which appears to be a mix of aeroplane graveyard and medieval church.  It also has one of the last remaining Vulcan bombers - parked up at the end of its rather short main runway.

Hibs end 111 year cup hoodoo...

...Unfortunately by turning it into a 112 year cup hoodoo.

Anyway here's a picture of the utterly amazing Hibs fans before kickoff - who stayed backing their team beyond the final whistle, despite being 3-0 and out singing the self styled 'greatest fans in the world'.

Today's Edinburgh Evening News has more.

Just 8.8% vote in CIPR election

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations represents some of the country's most important communication professionals, including those practising the dark arts of political spin.  The membership are supposed to be some of the most politically aware and knowledgeable people in the UK.  So what to make of the frankly laughable turnout of just 8.8% for its re-run Presidential election?

The previous election was cancelled amid confusion over an apparent late nomination, in considerable publicity within the industry.  So one would have thought members would have no excuse not to cast their votes.

The turnout details from the electoral Refom Society are hidden away on the CIPR website with their news item simply referring to the winning margin 68%:32%.  But here is the breakdown:

Number of eligible voters: 8010
Votes cast by post: 20
Votes cast online: 683
Total number of votes cast: 703
Turnout: 8.8%

So the next time some politician lectures the benighted electorate for not bothering to vote - no doubt written by their PR Officer - perhaps they should be reminded to check a bit closer to home...

Friday favourite 109

On Sunday Hibs return to Hampden Park to try to break their 111 year Scottish Cup hoodoo.  So here's a video put together by a fan showing the highlights of their campaign so far, to the tune of James's 'Destiny calling' - enjoy...

New north Kingston secondary school - Goldsmith tries to claim credit for Tories

Yesterday it was announced that Education Secretary Michael Gove had approved plans for a new 'free' secondary school in north Kingston.  This was despite Gove cancelling similar plans a year ago, causing unnecessary anguish for local parents concerned about the lack of secondary places for bulging promary classes to move on to.

Parents had been campaigning for years for a new school - almost since a previous Tory Council closed the local Tudor secondary school and the on/off saga's final success was almost entirely down to their resolute campaigning.

So it was somewhat strange to receive an email from local Tory MP Zac Goldsmith containing the following:

"I want to thank Nick Whitfield, Kingston's Director of Education, as well as your local Conservative Councillors for the work they have put into making this happen. And above all, I want to thank the Secretary of State for listening."

In contrast Lib Dem Parliamentary campaigner, Robin Meltzer said:

" This announcement is a victory for everyone who has campaigned for so long to make this a reality. Congratulations are due to Kingston Educational Trust, and most importantly to the hundreds upon hundreds of local parents and campaigners who stood up and made themselves heard on this issue. We need a new school, a good school to serve all our children as they leave our excellent primary schools, and now we are to have one."

 

Scots Lib Dems try to bar Yes campaign?

An interesting snippet reaches LOWA towers about what can only be described as anti nationalist paranoia from the Scottish Lib Dems.

The Yes to independence campaign asked the party's conference committee whether it could exhibit at this year's main conference in Glasgow in September - but bizarrely the Scottish Lib Dems objected claiming that it might lead to "threatening or otherwise unacceptable behaviour". However the UK (federal) party saw sense and allowed the Scots Yes Campaign "to exhibit at federal conference should they wish to do so. Allowing them a platform to express their views and engage in a debate with conference attendees would be preferable to shutting them out."

Well quite.  

And quite how what's left of the Scottish Party can think trying to censor the legitimate voice of civic nationalism can help their case is beyond me.  Maybe they're being advised by John McSharkey?