An Odd Decision

So the chat this morning in geekdom has been about the apparently successful campaign by one Ellie Gellard, or

@bevaniteellie

to her friends, to have some socialist porn shown on television.



Miss "Polly Toynbee's columns make me cry" Gellard, a calm and tempered young lady, prone to reasoned and well thought out debate has been campaigning to get the Against The Odds, a video knocked together on Windows Movie Maker to introduce Gordon Brown to his ill-fated last conference speech, shown as a Party Election Broadcast. While it no doubt was rabble rousing in the hall, a video to get the hacks going, the overexcited Bevanite decided, probably because it had the word "Nye" in it, that it needed to be taken further.

In an impressive campaign for someone living in a different country to pull off alone, she enlisted the support of comedians Alastair Campell and Eddie "Gimme a peerage" Izzard to back it. The petition also had some

interesting signatories

on it, they include 13 Richard Cuntlethworpe, 15 Patrick Arsehead, 17 Jim Bollocks, 18 Neville Cockworth, 20 Kevin Stalin, and finally, 127 Daniel Fuck. Interesting too that Kerry McCarthy MP, Gellards one time boss and Labour Twitter Tsar had inside information on the decision hours before it was

leaked

to James Macintyre at the New Statesman.

So about the video. The fact that Victoria St are even considering showing it on television proves a lot of key points. Firstly, things are more desperate than imagined. For the Labour Party who have spent the last twelve years denying their forefathers and refusing to acknowledge, out of pure sense, their socialist routes, to turn round and produce this vomit inducing montage beggars belief. Brown, Blair and Mandy chopped this baggage away with a blunt axe and now have the audacity to attempt to use Old Labour as a lifeline. Oh and did you know President Obama is in the Labour Party? He features up there with Foot and Kinnock and Brown - all the fighters together. Smirk.

Brown a fighter? Yeah ok, because he's never ducked a fight before eh. Why no Callaghan either? Surely he should be included in that loser montage towards the end. And it's good to know what a million pounds can buy you in this devalued age. Yes that's right donate a million quid to Labour and you get a chance to plug your books and snivelling fairytale on television.

Joking apart the JK Rowling section will have to go if this video is ever actually broadcast on TV, such shameless product placement is unacceptable and given the donation could be a potential headache. The historical inaccuracies are appalling too. Since when can the Labour Party claim victory for votes for women given Lloyd George's government passed the Bill after WWI, not anything the Labour Party did? How about defeating fascism when Churchill won the war, or taking credit for freeing Nelson Mandela. As for Nye Bevan, well TB is still hunting down the name, but he certainly wasn't the first working class minister. Oh and TB has said it before and will say it again - Barack Obama is not in the Labour Party. He thinks Gordon is a toxic loser, hence why he won't meet privately with him and such shameless attempts at stealing some stardust look as pathetic and they do desperate.

Amusingly there also seems to be a massive cock up 32 seconds in. While discussing Nye Bevan, the footage is of Ernest Bevin:

What is Ellie's favourite word for describing perceived tory cock ups? Was it fail?

Labour are playing this as a "look at us all down with the techno kids" move. Showing how caring and chummy they are with their still lacklustre online community. Those TB has spoken to privately are anything but enthused and while they liked the little campaign, they are slightly bemused it has been taken seriously. Already some have spoken out publicly, against the video being shown on television. Perhaps most surprisingly, the uber-loyal NUS President Wes Streeting

slammed the idea.

If anything TB is pleased that Labour have had to sink this low. Clearly they are so broke they can't afford a new PEB so will rehash this tripe. It shows desperate times really do call for desperate measures. If Brown wants to invoke a history of socialist extremes, and a string of bonkers losing leaders to try and save his ass then let him.

The sensible voter will reject this cynical nonsense.


UPDATE 13.21: The ever sharp

Working Class Tory

has sorted out the miner innaccuracy:

"But no-one told Nye Bevan

When did they say that? They didn't, because it obviously wasn't true. Miners had been ministers in several Labour governments before Attlee's. The Labour Secretary for Scotland, William Adamson, was an ACTUAL MINER, not just the son of one. So Nye Bevan is completely irrelevant in this."

Cartoon - Battle of the Lefty Blogs

Copenhagen - Fail.

True to form, Gordon Brown announced last week that he would be attending the Copenhagen Climate Change summit. The curse kicked in, and this collective hysterical waste of time has accepted it is

doomed to failure

:

"The UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December has been billed as the world’s last chance to stop global warming.
But negotiations soon broke down because the US refused to sign up to targets on cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The deadlock has forced world leaders at a summit in Singapore to step in and admit that any deal this year will be little more than a “political agreement”."

Ever a fan of swanning around the world stage rather than trying to sort out the messes he has created at home, in light of the fact Copenhagen has now failed, why does Brown still have to go? The whole thing was a waste of time to begin with, now that has been accepted will the Prime Minister please not piss away taxpayers money on this junket.

And what about his carbon footprint??

TPA Cinema Ad

The Taxpayers' Alliance

, What!? An independent grassroots movement!? EVIL! Burn the witch! It must be a Tory front, LIARS!! ARRRRGHetc.

Ok enough of that. The Taxpayers' Alliance have today released this cinema ad that will be hopefully get some popcorn munchers thinking:



Cinema ads are definitely the way to go to reach new audiences and it is no surprise that a little birdy told the bear the Tories have block booked various slots next spring.

TB loved the name of the boat.

Delusion of the Day

Is Alastair Campbell back on the sauce or has he just lost it finally? His shameless hypocrisy last week when slagging off The Sun and Murdoch despite been on his knees to them for ten years was one thing but check out this gem from

his blog

today:

Context - He is slagging off private schools and defending comps:

"despite the swirls of middle class angst about (vastly improved) State schools that so pollute this debate, so dominated in the media by editors and journalists who have chosen the private sector for their own kids, and distort their coverage to justify their choice."

What a moron, no wonder said editors and journalists still think he is an absolute...

Hannan Smashes the Euro-Extremists

The Taxpayers' Alliance

, What!? An independent grassroots movement!? EVIL! Burn the witch! It must be a Tory front, LIARS!! ARRRRGHetc.

Sorry let's try that again,

The Taxpayers' Alliance

are running a debate on Europe and have this stunning contribution from Hannan. In his articulate and calm manner he destroys all the arguments against an independent Britain put forward by the Euro-extremists:



A must watch.

If you were in a good mood this morning...

...then don't read

Peter Oborne's column

if you are a Tory. Actually do, it makes for some scary reading but the truth hurts:

Indeed, according to John Maloney of Exeter University, the Tories must secure a 10 per cent lead over Labour to win an overall majority of just one seat at the next election. In other words David Cameron faces a very high mountain to climb. The most astute Conservative strategists are keenly aware of this problem, as is Cameron himself.

An internal Tory Party document sets out the scale of the problem, stating baldly: 'The Conservatives have never won a General Election from a starting point as weak as they face now.'

The paper calculates that to win a majority, the Conservatives must hold every seat they won in 2005, plus an additional 117 constituencies. To put that in perspective, Margaret Thatcher notched up an additional 63 seats in 1979 for the Tories, while Edward Heath made 69 gains in 1970.

The Tory briefing note sums up the problem as follows: 'To become Prime Minister, David Cameron must surpass the electoral achievements of both Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill.'

Only once before have Conservatives made gains of the scale that Cameron requires to obtain an overall majority after the election. But that was in the exceptional circumstances of the National Government of 1931, when the Labour Party had split in two.

But most crucially, Cameron is well aware that a simple overall majority would not be enough for him to govern effectively. Instead, he needs a working majority of at least 30 seats (which means a majority of 15 per cent over Labour on election day).

Oh dear.

Tune into Sky News at 7pm

Tory Bear will be discussing the Glasgow by-election on day telly at 7pm. You can watch a live stream of Sky News

here

.

Tweet him

some one liners and you never know...

Wonder who he will be up against.

Why Mandy Won

Mandelson was crowned Politician of the Year by the Spectator yesterday. His return from the wilderness and accumulation of power quicker than anyone could say "mortgage loan" was truly stunning. If you ever doubt Mandelson's snakelike charm and silver tongue, just read his dangerously disarming, self-deprecating, but ultimately hard hitting acceptance speech yesterday via

Left Food Forward

:

“Thank you Fraser.

It is a great honour to be the first winner of this prestigious award to come from outside the ranks of the Bullingdon Club since 2006.

I am not sure what the collective noun for Bullingdon Club members is – I am looking for the word. I know its not chumps.

Anyway, I am sure it will come to me. On which subject, I am pleased to be following in the footsteps of last year’s winner, the Mayor of London.

Winning this award is another thing to add to the list of things I have in common with Boris.

Both of us have spent happy years working in Brussels. Both of us have come back from very public resignations. And, of course, both of us share a driving ambition to do all we can to undermine David Cameron.

And while we are on the Bullingdon Club theme, I must say it does feel odd being up here this year without George. I missed him on holiday this year as well. Was it something I did?

I have reason to be doubly grateful to The Spectator after they so kindly welcomed me back last year with the Newcomer of the Year Award.

And who would have thought a year on – I would still be in the Cabinet?
So it is with as much relief as pride that I receive the Politician of the Year award today.

I haven’t actually accumulated a new title for at least a few weeks so this is particularly welcome.

Of course, you know me. I am happy to serve in whatever capacity I can be of most use – as I was saying when I just happened to be in Brussels last Friday.
A long planned engagement.

Before I go I want to pay tribute to Matthew D’Ancona for his transformation of The Spectator. And he has a ferociously intelligent – not to say increasingly ubiquitous – successor in Fraser Nelson who I have no doubt will keep all of us on our reforming toes.

Boris and I are testament to the fact that political comebacks are possible.
Which is why I look forward to handing this award over to Gordon Brown next year rather than handing it over to yet another member of the Bullingdon Club.

Once again, many thanks. It is always good to be recognised by my friends on the centre right.”

TB hates him, but damn it, you got to respect him.

SpAd Watch

Given the revelations that surfaced yesterday, TB was interested to see Chris Grayling was having a very quiet drink in the Slug and Lettuce on Victoria Street with Liam Fox's former Chief of Staff last night. Seems competition to get on "The List" is hotting up. Ben Brogan is

chasing

this one too, but get in touch with the bear with what you know.

Who has made it so far?

Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet Not Recognised

The Liberal Democrats like to pretend that the eclectic mix of fruitcakes they have speaking on certain policy areas are a "Shadow Cabinet". They like to pretend that they are an actual opposition when in reality the whole thing smacks of "go back to your constituencies and prepare for government."

As much as they ham this shad cab thing up, it's good to see that at least the Lib Dem IT department have a dose of reality. For a laugh google "

Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet

":Click on the

top result

:

Oh dear, there it is from the horses mouth. The Liberal Democrats do not have a shadow cabinet. They have spokesmen on policy areas.

May that be the end of it.

+++Labour Hold Extremely Safe Seat+++

Labour - 12,231 votes (59.39%)

SNP - 4,120 votes (20%)
Tory - 1,075 votes (5.22%)
BNP - 1,013 (4.92%)
Total votes cast - 20,595 Voter turnout - 33.2%

The people of Glasgow sent a clear message to Westminster last night. They didn't want to vote Labour, their natural providers, so they didn't bother voting. Labour are spinning that they got sixty percent of the vote. Don't fall for it, they got sixty percent of the turnout which was a shocking 33.2%. So in reality only just under 20% of one of Labour's safest seats in the country could be bothered to come out for them. Not looking good for the general.

The Tories were never going to win this one, but an interesting set of results. The BNP do well in places where Labour have abandoned their working class core. (see 2009 European Elections, The.) Glasgow is another prime example of this. Both the BNP and SNP were standing noticeably to the left of Labour. Disenfranchised and angry voters had two clear left-wing nationalist choices in this by-election, but it seems an alarming number of those who bothered to protest vote were less willing to vote SNP over their more extremist cousins. This is not good.

The BBC are being blamed, slightly unfairly, for all this BNP on the rise hoohaa. Apparently it's all on the back of their legally binding decision to have the BNP on Question Time. The only people to blame, however, are the ones that gave that decision such ridiculous levels of coverage. He should have been on, and the hysterical reaction to it was the real outrage. The result of that oxygen of publicity given to the lunatic Griffin was seen last night. A lesson to be learnt there.

The smug reaction of Labour last night was pathetic. The disgustingly on message drone candidate couldn't hide his lying eyes as he spouted the "people have put their faith in Gordon Brown" mumbo jumbo. If they couldn't even hold this seat then they wouldn't have a single seat left in the country. This is Labour heartland - trade unionists and unemployed teeters. These people don't want change, they get cash handed to them on a plate with Labour. Willie Bain, probably the only MP to still live with his mum and dad age 36, said it was a ringing endorsement for Gordon Brown. What absolute twaddle. Why then was his face not put on a single leaflet?

This is no comeback for Brown or Labour, if they can't keep the voters they bribe with benefits and handouts then they are in even more trouble than anyone thought. Beyond the spin this should have been a walk in the park for them, but instead they had to throw the negative kitchen sink at their nationalist rival to defend one of their safest seats in the UK. Also errh... what happened to the Lib Dems? They were briefing that they had beaten the Tories all evening... sixth. Nice! Seriously, what is the point lads?

So Labour live to fight another day, poor night for the SNP, scarily good result for the BNP, shocking night for the Lib Dems. Pretty much what was expected for the Tories, up slightly which was nice but hey, tough crowd.

P.S. This cock up from the BBC did make TB chuckle:

Never Mind the Bullocks - QT & by-election Live Chat

redacted.

Quote of the Day

"Whilst watching Spooks yesterday I reconsidered if I should keep on blogging or give it up, it seems that the Journalist Blogger on the Spooks programme got killed for blogging. I actually thought to myself, is blogging worth it? I am someone who has made friends via the blog but a lot of enemies, my message to those enemies is, don't try anything without considering your chances of getting away with it!"

-Top Lib Dem blogger

Irfan Ahmed

Don't go Irfan, or is that

Liberal Monkey

these days?

If your name is not on the list...

..then you're not coming in.

Nice scoop by PR Week

who are reporting that Francis Maude has spoken to each of the Shadow Ministers asking them to name just one person they would like to take into government as their special advisor. Good to see the cost cutting already starting in halving the number of Spads, but TB imagines there are some worried faces in Millbank.

The list has only been circulated among a handful of senior Tories. According to one insider with knowledge of the plans: 'If you're not on Maude's list, then perhaps it's time to start thinking about your exit strategy.'

Traditionally, cabinet ministers have had two special advisers each, but the Conservatives are planning just one special adviser per cabinet minister, with a separate pool of special advisers based in Downing Street.

Ministerial special advisers would focus on policy, while only those based in Downing Street would be authorised to deal with the media. The Tory plan would reduce the overall number of special advisers in government.

So come on then who has made it onto the list?

Verdict on the Speccie Awards

TB's invite must have got lost on the way, damn postal strike eh? Anyway a word or two on the results of the

Spectator Parliamentarian Awards:

Politician of the Year: Peter Mandelson - fair. He's good. Too good.

Parliamentarian of the Year: Harriet Harman MP - Very very debatable, Fraser has a crack

here

.

Newcomer of the Year: Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP - Newcomer? But a good choice, he has managed to toe the line re Europe and has seriously beefed up the Tory economic team.

Inquisitor of the Year: Paul Farrelly MP - Something to with a certain Carter-Ruckas perhaps?

Peer of the Year: Baroness Warsi - Good shout.

Speech of the Year: Daniel Hannan MEP - Goes without saying.

Resignation of the Year: Rt Hon James Purnell MP - shame it lead back to square one and that the DWP lost a much needed right-winger. Should be offered to role in an incoming Tory gov.

Minister to Watch: Lord Adonis - Shame he can't be held to account by MPs. TB will enjoy watching him though, in opposition.

Campaigner of the Year: Joanna Lumley and the Gurkhas - Heather Brooke surely?

Readers’ Representative: Douglas Carswell MP - Sound. Michael Martin invited?

Survivor of the Year: Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP - Smirk. It was a true fight that kept him in the Treasury. Eh Balls?

Backbencher of the Year: Andrew Tyrie MP - Would Carswell have got this if the readers hadn't crowned him their king?

Labour Isn't Working

Labour candidate Julie Hilling is obviously working very very hard for the people of Bolton West. She has an entire section of the website

devoted to her hard work

:

Oh dear at this rate she would be as useless as the current incumbent Ruth Kelly.

It's Official - BNP Have Grouping in EP

As far as he can see, TB seems to be the first reporting this, but he can't quite bring himself to drop the E word for this filth:

PRESS CONFERENCE INVITATION

MEP Bruno Gollnisch, vice-President of the Front National (FN) for International affairs
MEP Nick Griffin, Chairman of the British National Party (BNP)
MEP Balczó Zoltán, vice president of JOBBIK Movement for a Better Hungary

invite you to a press conference presenting the Alliance of the European National Movements (AENM) :

Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 9:30 am
European Parliament in Brussels
Room PHS P0A050

Great, a wedge of taxpayers money coming their way. Thanks Labour.

An Idea For #PMQs

Could be an intersting one today. Especially if Dave goes on Afghanistan again.

To keep you entertained while you wait TB would like to flag up an interesting idea that

Jess the Dog

raises:

Here's an idea for 'Dave' Cameron:

In effect he has six questions to ask at PMQs, a main question and supplementary questions, usually in two sets of three or in a single volley of six.

So, why doesn't Dave run a "Suggest a Question" page or blog online?

The public could suggest questions to ask the Prime Minister, which would be voted on by others. The most popular questions could get asked by Cameron at PMQs. It might not be desirable or practical to devote one set of questions to a suggested topic, but Cameron's questions will normally reflect some matter of public policy concern.

An easy way to connect with the public, an easy way to increase interest in PMQs.

Not a bad plan. As ever TB will be tweeting his way through events.

You can follow him

here

.

UPDATE: Could it be?

There is rumour about, whispers in the air, that

Recess Monkey

is set to return. The website that Tory Bear most certainly did not rip off from a right wing perspective disappeared when its author Alex Hilton went away to be all serious and set up

Game Changer PR

. Alex, the next Labour MP for Kensington and Chelsea, told the TB the site could make a return once this little problem had been sorted out:

It's not the computers TB is worried about. Anyway this a little bear on monkey action could be highly amusing.

Just don't tell the candidate for Tooting that his nemesis is back...

UPDATE post lunch: Yep The Monkey is back in business. Let the games begin...