PC 1: Tony's Cronies

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Sir Dylan Macmillan
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Re: PC 1: Tony's Cronies

Post by Sir Dylan Macmillan »

I have just spoken in the House of Commons in the debate on Motion 1, aimed at protecting our system from corruption and corrupt individuals. In this debate I called for the extension of powers for the Committee on Standards in Public Life to enable them to force by-elections, disqualify officials from public office, and withdraw honours from corruption offenders. I urge MPs to back these calls so that we can rebuild the public's trust in politics.
Sir Dylan Macmillan
MP for North East Bedfordshire 2001 - Present

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Re: PC 1: Tony's Cronies

Post by Blakesley »

I certainly agree that Parliament should do more to scrutinise government decisions. That's what we have institutions, such as select committees, that will robustly scrutinise officials, such as Mr Mandelson, whom are entrusted with the management of public projects. Of course, the Tories didn't care about accountability at all - they were interested in scoring political points left, right, and centre, not achieving change. I have no doubt that the Government will respond robustly and ensure that Parliament does its job in scrutinising Mr Mandelson and any other appointees.

What amuses me, however, is the sudden Tory focus on merit and qualifications. These are the same people who, just two years ago, fought tooth and nail to ensure that birth and hereditary privilege, not merit or qualifications, were organising principles in our political system. If you're a Tory MP, merit only matters if you're not born with a title. If merit is now central to the Conservative orthodoxy, I hope to see them join me in calling for the removal of the remaining 92 hereditary peers from the House of Lords - who are there by neither virtue of merit nor qualification.
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Re: PC 1: Tony's Cronies

Post by Clarice Ashbridge »

Caroline Blakesley can obfuscate on issues relating to the House of Lords all she likes, but it's a poor attempt at a deflection from the fact that she and her other Cabinet colleagues have quietly slipped through the Aye lobby on the orders of the Prime Minister, in a last-ditch attempt to save the skin of his over-promoted, dodgy mate. Nobody cares about reliving the debates of the past aside from, it seems, the Cabinet: the majority of the House and the country is interested in what this government is doing now.

We're confident that this motion will pass in the House with the support of the opposition parties and principled Labour MPs on the backbenches, and the ball will now be in the government's court in regards to what they do next. It is clear that Peter Mandelson is not up for the job, and if this House condemns his appointment, I don't know how he will be able to continue as CEO of the New Millennium Experience. Any government with an ounce of integrity would take action from all this outcry, and sack Mr Mandelson for the good of the country. With this government, I'm not so sure.
The Hon. Clarice Ashbridge MP, Lady Ashbridge
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Sir Dylan Macmillan
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Re: PC 1: Tony's Cronies

Post by Sir Dylan Macmillan »

I have no great ideological love for the House of Lords as an institution but Caroline Blakesley's latest desperate deflection is just that, a desperate deflection, specifically to mask her vote to keep an official in post where he should not be. I recognise the arguments for abolishing hereditary peers, what possible argument is there for appointing a twice-resigned possibly corrupt former Cabinet Minister and best mate of the Prime Minister to a position such as the one in question?
Sir Dylan Macmillan
MP for North East Bedfordshire 2001 - Present

Shadow Chancellor 2016
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Re: PC 1: Tony's Cronies

Post by Astrid Goldman »

I have just come from voting in the House of Commons against the motion to condemn the appointment of a new CEO for the Millennium Dome project. Ultimate responsibility for scrutinising public appointments lies with the select committee system we already have in place.

Sir Jack Anderson was absolutely right in submitting this particular appointment to the appropriate select committee for scrutiny.

However, let's call a spade a spade. The Tories don't care about merit; if they did, they wouldn't have fallen over themselves to try and scupper this Government's plans to scrap hereditary peers from voting in the House of Lords. They care about a quick headline 'gotcha' moment. We care about the integrity of the appointments process and that integrity isn't guaranteed with a partisan vote in the Commons but through a fair investigation in a select committee.
Astrid Goldman, Lady Goldman MP
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Re: PC 1: Tony's Cronies

Post by Will Frost »

I've just listened very carefully to the remarks made by Astrid Goldman some moments ago, during which she said "Sir Jack Anderson was absolutely right in submitting this particular appointment to the appropriate select committee for scrutiny." If she and other Labour MPs can say with confidence that Peter Mandelson's appoint is suspect, why can't they put their money where their mouth is support and the Opposition's Motion? Labour MPs have lined up in front of the television cameras to cast doubt on Mr. Mandelson and deride Tony Blair for appointing him, but virtually none of them have had the nerve to actually do something about it and vote in support of our Motion. They fear breaking their party's whip, and are more concerned with their own futures in the Labour Party than they are with putting the national interest first.

All the press statements in the world won't change this simply reality: the British people are watching, and they will remember how Labour MPs voted when they have the chance to hold their leader to account.
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Re: PC 1: Tony's Cronies

Post by Sir Jack Anderson »

I have received a response from Sir Nigel Wicks on the appointment of Peter Mandelson as CEO of the New Millennium Experience. He agreed with me that there were serious questions rising over such an appointment, and it would be something he would need to investigate further.

I am glad action has been supported to look into the facts of this appointment in a fair and measured way. Unfortunately, the Conservative frontbench’s kangaroo court motion completely spits in the face of fair and measured assessments of public appointments.

It would be wholly inappropriate for me to cast judgment on this appointment until the full facts are known, and I refuse to participate in this Parliamentary farce. To that end, I will be abstaining on the Conservative frontbench’s motion, and I encourage all fair minded Members of Parliament to do the same.
Sir Jack Anderson
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Re: PC 1: Tony's Cronies

Post by Clarice Ashbridge »

Jeremy Thorpe once said that "greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his friends for his life." And it seems that Peter Mandelson has taken that mantra to heart, seemingly keeping his job as the CEO of the New Millennium Experience whilst his friend and colleague is forced to resign as Prime Minister over this affair. It seems grotesque to me, as it probably does to the vast majority of people, that the New Labour culture of cronyism and sleaze is so engrained now in our government that a failed appointee stays in his job, whilst a Prime Minister who has just won an election is forced to resign as a consequence.

That being said, I hope whoever Labour chooses next as captain of the sinking ship has the decency to sack Peter Mandelson. It seems that Parliament is going to overwhelmingly vote to condemn the appointment, and this will really be a test of the new PM's integrity: will they respect the will of the House, or will they continue the attitude expressed by Number 10 that the government is beyond reproach?
The Hon. Clarice Ashbridge MP, Lady Ashbridge
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Re: PC 1: Tony's Cronies

Post by Dame Evelyn Redgrave »

I salute the Labour MPs who have walked through the division lobby with Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs to condemn the appointment of Peter Mandelson and to call for merit in future public appointments. It is never easy to defy a party leader and the fact some have chosen to make a statement by voting to condemn Mandelson is commendable indeed.

With the recent criticism of Mandelson from Jennie Page and Stephen Bayley, two immensely talented and skilled public servants with great experience of the Dome, it should be clear to Mr. Blair and whoever his successor may be that it’s time to sack Peter Mandelson as CEO of the New Millennium Experience. With such a statement made, all parties can begin the serious work of reforming the process of public appointments.
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Sir Dylan Macmillan
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Re: PC 1: Tony's Cronies

Post by Sir Dylan Macmillan »

It is amazing how quickly the Labour line has turned from "Mr Blair and New Labour are amazing and should govern the country for another term" to "Mr Blair, Mr Mandelson, and New Labour were corrupt and I am glad they are going or gone, by the way do you remember what happened a decade ago?" The speed with which the party have turned on their joint most successful leader in history, voting to protect him simply to save themselves in many cases, is simply staggering and makes me wonder whether we should believe any of the endorsements and statements they made in the last election.
Sir Dylan Macmillan
MP for North East Bedfordshire 2001 - Present

Shadow Chancellor 2016
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Leader of the House of Commons 2012 - 2014
Secretary of State for International Development 2010 - 2012
Conservative Party Chairman 2008 - 2010
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury 2005 - 2008
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