Category Archives: Liberal Democrats

Francis “don’t panic” Maude lands government PR recruitment role

4:23pm Tue May 22nd

Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude has landed the role of recruiting PR and advertising consultants for the coalition government – just months after his helpful advice led to a woman suffering 40% burns.

Addressing a PR conference in London yesterday, Maude announced:

‘Suppliers should know that this Government is on the hunt for the best talent and the most innovative ideas, albeit keenly priced. I challenged my civil servants to come up with innovations that will make it easier for industry to do business with us; now we’ll be looking to industry to come forward with innovative ideas for us.’

Let’s hope he starts listening to some of their advice before he goes on air next time…

Queen’s Speech has at least five U-turns to save Cameron and Clegg

12:25pm Wed May 9th

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In one of the shortest Queen’s Speeches in living memory, commitment after commitment has been jettisoned to hold the increasingly fractious Coalition together (see links for details of previous positions).

Lords reform – no mention of elections in the bill
Gay Marriage — dropped/delayed
Internet snooping — downgraded to draft bill
Aid spending raised to 0.7% — dropped
Reform of social care — downgraded to draft bill

This isn’t discounting the conspicuous absence of the legislation required for High Speed 2, which has been delayed again and gives campaigners hope that the whole project will be scrapped.

Come 2013, Scrapbook wonders whether the Coalition will agree on anything — apart from the continuation of the Coalition.

Nick Clegg: Coalition is like blue tractor pulling little yellow trailer

4:20pm Tue May 8th

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Attempting to relaunch the coalition after last Thursday’s election massacre, Nick Clegg just compared blue and yellow livery of tractors at the factory they are visiting as “tailor made for politics of coalition”. Scrapbook couldn’t agree more — as The Times’ Michael Savage observes:

“The tractor factory Cam and Clegg are visiting appears to make Big Blue tractors that pull little yellow trailers.”

A factory worker telling the pair they “have to get their act together” isn’t the only reason this appears to have misfired:

That was dreadful on every conceivable level – PR, political, aesthetic. Govt looks more lethargic & dogmatic than it did before election.
— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) May 8, 2012

Sketch writers and cartoonists: start your engines.

Cameron and Clegg’s relaunch — at company outsourcing to China

2:55pm Tue May 8th

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David Cameron and Nick Clegg are set to botch their coalition relaunch, dubbed “Rose Garden part II” – by conducting it at a firm on the verge of major production outsourcing to China. The prime minister is set to tell press and dignitaries gathered at E2V Technologies in Chelmsford:

“Our job is to build a recovery on real growth and investment”

But while the production of certain sensitive defence technologies will be retained in the UK, Scrapbook understands the lion’s share of new manufacturing is moving to China. The PM and DPM’s visit has even necessitated the return of some senior staff from the far east, where they have been looking at new offices.

Good to see Dave and Nick finally have a jobs plan (for Guangdong province).

Fashion icon: Pakistani fabric stall uses Danny Alexander in hoarding

1:33pm Mon April 30th

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When a “Ladies & Gants [sic]” fabric stall from Pakistan goes in search of a British fashion icon for their hoardings, there can only ever be one winner. Step aside Beckham and Brosnan, Wazir Tailors of Islamabad proudly boast the image of Westminster style guru, errr, Danny Alexander.

This is nearly as good as the “Ken Livingstone Coffe Shop [sic]“ in India.

Photo via: Jonathan Boone

Sarah Teather under investigation over office ‘planning breach’

3:10pm Tue April 24th

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Education minister Sarah Teather is under investigation by her own council after she erected a giant yellow sign outside her new office – without planning permission.

A local resident told the Brent & Kilburn times that Teather that Teather was riding roughshod over planning regulations which the rest of us are obligated to follow, adding: “Just down the road at 5 High Road, Barclays Bank had to apply for permission for its illuminated signs.”

Office is a historic source of trouble for the diminutive MP. Before the last general election, Political Scrapbook exposed Teather for charging her Liberal Democrat campaign office to taxpayers along with £1,700 of furniture, insurance and telephone bills.

No doubt we’re footing the bill for that sign too.

Clegg determined to keep £2.4m donation generated through fraud

1:44pm Mon April 23rd

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The Liberal Democrats’ former treasurer may be called to testify in court after the party refused to hand back a £2.4m donation which is known to be the proceedings of fraud. Party donor Michael Brown (above right) is currently awaiting extradition after going on the run to the Dominican Republic.

Victims of Brown, who posed as a bond dealer, are naturally slightly peeved that Nick Clegg is refusing to hand back their cash. But an Electoral Commission investigation claiming the party received the donation in “good faith” cleared the way for them to trouser the money.

In the meantime, Nick has been busy telling Sunday Politics that it was nothing to do with him:

“I should stress that this is something which happened as far as the Liberal Democrats are concerned before I was even an MP”

But this might not wash with defrauded lawyer Tony Brown (no relation), whose legal team have suggested that they want to call former party treasurer Reg Clark to the stand. With the Electoral Commission’s original investigation under fire, it could all get very messy indeed.

Perhaps understandably, Tony didn’t want his $5m spent on Charles Kennedy election posters.

What Robocop would look like with sandals on – it’s ‘Paddick: The Movie’!

4:58pm Thu April 19th

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Hats off to the Liberal Democrats for this high production values attack ad on Boris Johnson. Having painted a blockbuster-style apocalyptic vision of Tory-run London, the mood lifts and we are treated to schmaltzy shots of Brian Paddick, who concludes the video:

“… with your help, we can achieve that”

“That” being a seat for B. L. Paddick in the House of Lords.

Category Archives: Liberal Democrats

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