Bookies aren’t taking any chances after Ken Clarke’s snooze during the budget yesterday cost them a four figure sum. The Ladbrokes political team have sent him a case of energy drinks in the hope of avoiding another payout.
He is now even money with to fall asleep at a major political conference or speech in the next year.
Becoming a laughing stock is rarely helpful to one’s career.
Did Ken Clarke’s political career pass away peacefully in his sleep today? The Justice Secretary is already too liberal for many Tory MPs — falling asleep during the budget may cost him his job come the next reshuffle.
Jazz-loving Clarke is unchanged at 12/1 with Ladbrokes to be next Cabinet minister to leave the government.
Sounds like good value to Scrapbook.
“The combination of inexperience, opportunism and stupidity is a lethal cocktail … The time has come, as the crucial hour approaches, to send a man to do a man’s job.” – Simon Heffer
Just how weakened is Boy George – and it is Heffer that invokes this metaphor above – when even the Tory right prefer Ken Clarke?
The Conservatives’ biggest Europhile as (shadow) chancellor would be popcorn-worthy.
UPDATE: 16:27 Nearly three in four (72%) of Tories voting in this House of Twits poll would also prefer Clarke.
In a YouGov poll for Sky News, The Tories lead with 43 points, Labour up slightly on 29 and the Liberal Democrats feel the squeeze on 17. Running this through Electoral Calculus gives David Cameron a majority of 100 if this were replicated on polling day.
But the most interesting results are arguably an even 44/44 split on Tory plans to raise the retirement age to 66 and 28% preferring Ken Clarke in HM Treasury as compared to 21% for the actual shadow chancellor George Osborne.
Better continue with that ‘deep voice’ coaching, George.
The shadow business secretary offered his tip for “a long life” in the Observer interview with Andrew Rawnsley today:
“I only get fat on good quality food and good quality cigars” – Ken Clarke
And now a word from our sponsors, Harvey Nichols, who offer a great range of quality food and tobacco products at low prices at their very own conference stand:
Thanks to an anonymous reader for this.
Sorry, George. You are the weakest link…
