Backing Blair :: Campaign Weblog

Our closing statement

Backing Blair has, in our view, done all it can do.

We are now moving on to a new project that's designed to address the many problems that Tony Blair will leave behind.

A beta release of the 2005 Labour Party Campaign Return will be published shortly as an introduction to this new project (and a prominent link will appear here when this goes live).

Click here for our closing statement.

Click here for our new project... National Service.

Bush puts his finger on it

A nugget from Bush and Blair's increasingly infamous 'open mic' moment that proves to be delightfully entertaining when used out of context:

Bush: Yo, Blair. What are you doing? Are you leaving?

Blair: No, not yet.

"I think it's called t'internet, or blogs or something..."

Chicken Yoghurt - Dead meat: The big thing for me to come out of Prescott’s interview with John Humphrys on the Today programme this morning is that he could not or would not categorically deny having other affairs other than his one with Tracy Temple. That, I would say, is the green light for journalists to start to dig. If the substance to the rumours (the objects of Prescott’s affections got promotions) are true then there’s a public interest in getting the details out there.

Blair Watch - Prescott: He didn't deny further affairs even after being asked about ten times. He mentioned 'the internet, or blogs, or whatever they're called' in a faux-disparaging way, which suggests he's actually quite worried and doesn't know how to handle it.

Iain Dale - Prescott Fails to Answer 'More Affairs' Question on Today - 8 Times: It was a simple question which required a simple answer. Yes or No. Even John Prescott could not get those two words muddled up. He was asked the question repeatedly but did not answer.

OK, enough of the chipolata... let's move on to a really juicy bit of bratwurst...

Ministry of Truth - Following the money: From a series of posts on his blog, its looks very much as if both myself and Iain Dale have been simultaneously working on the same question - just what was John Prescott actually doing in visiting Colorado-based Billionaire, Phillip Anschutz, at his home, last July...

UPDATE - Tharrr she blows!

Reuters - Parliament launches full inquiry into Prescott row: Parliament launched a full inquiry on Thursday into Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's contacts with an American billionaire who is hoping to open a London casino in the Millennium Dome.

Well, not a *full* inquiry into the *entire* row, but you know what Westminster is like. If Prescott's position looks shaky, many sets of previously-tight lips will start to flap.

UPDATE - John Prescott's Radio 4 interview in full (transcript)

Calling time on Two Shags

The Times - The Dome, the US billionaire and John Prescott's night on the ranch (July 1) : John Prescott was under pressure last night to explain why he accepted hospitality from the American billionaire owner of the Millennium Dome while he had ultimate ministerial responsibility for the regeneration of the site... Last night a spokesman for the department said that the visit happened “on a day off”. He added that the two men did not discuss business, Mr Prescott’s Permanent Secretary was informed in advance and Mr Prescott subsequently made a donation for the value of a hotel room to a July 7 charity.

It's funny the things people will say when they're under pressure...

The Times - Prescott's charity gift came from public purse (July 3) : The charity donation made after John Prescott spent the night at the Rocky Mountain ranch of the tycoon who owns the Millennium Dome was paid by the taxpayer... A spokeswoman for Mr Prescott confirmed that the donation, which was made to a 7/7 charity, came from the public purse because the trip was official business.

Meanwhile, the Independent on Sunday suggests that Prescott may be in for a multiple bonking this week... and not for the first time:

Backing Blair - No special favours.... just a bit slicker (April 29): The woman at the centre of these allegations is Rosie Winterton. She worked for John Prescott as his Constituency Personal Assistant from 1980 until 1986, and again as his Head of Office from 1994 until 1997 (when Prescott was deputy Party Leader). In 1997 Rosie Winterton was elected MP in the safe Labour seat of Doncaster (a position she still holds). She also served as Minister of state for health from 2003 to 2005.

UPDATE - Daily Mail - Prescott facing fresh embarrassment over Net rumours of two more affairs (4 July): John Prescott was under mounting pressure last night as fresh rumours surfaced about his private life. Internet websites named two new alleged mistresses of the Deputy Prime Minister, including a current Labour MP and a diplomat. And Westminster was awash with speculation that one of Mr Prescott's drivers was planning to "tell all" about his activities. Mr Prescott's office firmly denied the allegations... The Labour MP at the centre of the latest allegations has also denied being involved sexually with him.

Fourth. Behind UKIP.

Guardian - Labour suffers double blow in byelections: The government was dealt a double byelection humiliation early today after defectors defeated Labour in its former stronghold of Blaenau Gwent and Ukip pushed it into fourth place in Bromley and Chislehurst. The results will inevitably fuel mounting calls within the party for Tony Blair to step down as prime minister and allow Gordon Brown to take the helm.

Brown's not going to help matters; he's been hopelessly compromised for a long time now. Not that it matters. If Brown does somehow (finally) wangle his way onto No.10, he'll only be keeping the seat warm. Blair, "now the most unpopular Labour Prime Minister of modern times", has pretty much handed the next election to the Tories.

Labour's only shot at redemption? Justice need to be seen to be done.

New Labour astroturfing in the North East

Still entering data like mad, folks... but we've found a little bit of evidence of astroturfing during a routine name/spell-check, and we though we would share it with you...

The Labour Party employed a number of temporary staff for data entry (listed under Voter Research in the return), and a few of them reported to a woman by the name of Licell Mortimer - or, as she is named in some invoices - Leisel Mortimer.

In cases like this we do a quick check online to find what is most likely to be the correct spelling, and when doing so in this particular case, we found a letter from Chris Morgan, Mayor of North Tyneside, which would appear to suggest that he knows (or suspects) a little more than he is letting on....

North Tyneside Today (Letters) 13/02/2003: Leisel Mortimer puts a number of detailed and technical questions to me regarding the council's budget, which are very similar to questions raised by one of our local Labour MPs and some of our Labour councillors. I am sure this is just a coincidence.

The letter he refers to can be read on this page.

Incidentally, the relevant data-entry invoices from the return are all made out to: The Labour Party, Eldon House, Regent Centre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE3 3PW

We are sure this is just a coincidence.

Your chance to call Alastair Campbell

When going through the Labour Party 2004/5 Campaign Return we suddenly found ourselves in possession of Alastair Campbell's professional contact details.

Given recent auction-related developments and our need for further data-entry funding, our course of action seemed obvious:

Click here to buy Alastair Campbell's phone and fax numbers on eBay!

(Or simply click here to make a donation.)

Cheers all.

:o)