Saturday, May 30, 2009

Prescott shoots the messenger

I've just read another piece on the subject of expenses by an MP who is trying to divert blame on the story to the Telegraph and the media in general. The MP in question, who has cross-posted at Comment is Free is none other than John Prescott, and the article contains the typical obsfucation that we have come to expect from politicians.

Prescott attemtps to argue that the media is in dying need of regulation beyond its self-regulation. He goes on to argue that the Press Complaints Commission is weak and essentially puts forward the thesis that it is a Tory front through the classic circumstantial ad hominen we all know and love.

Then we have a shrill complaint that the Telegraph got the expenses information by paying for stolen property, breaching PCC code and also in effect aiding and abetting a crime. However, the most hilarious part of Prescott's argument is that the Telegraph stories were all going to come out soon anyway because of "Labour's Freedom of Information Act".

Mr Prescott, that is, and you know it, a complete load of bollocks. I won't go as far as to say you are lying because you may just be so stupid that you genuinely believe it to the the case. However, the rest of us know that the information that was going to be released would have had redacted addresses in it. The impact of this would have meant such things as "flipping" would not have been known about, nor things like phantom mortgages.

That means, that of the MPs that have currently said they will step down at the next election, none would have likely gone because all we would know was that they claimed X for Y, rather than they claimed X for Y on a property in Southampton whilst being the MP for Luton. I'm sure Prescott must know this, but like I say perhaps he's too stupid to get it.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Then we have a shrill complaint that the Telegraph got the expenses information by paying for stolen property, breaching PCC code and also in effect aiding and abetting a crime"

I'm presuming the prosecution of HMRC for aiding and abetting a similar crime over stolen account information is progressing then.

Not.

Grumpy Old Man said...

......you may just be so stupid that you genuinely believe it to the the case.
The mindset of the Labour high command and a significant numder of MPs across the House is offering an increasing number of parallels with the Aristos of pre-revolutionary France. The public challenge of the unwashed to their sense of entitlement is totally beyond their comprehension.

M said...

Politics is a game of propaganda and psychology. There are people out there who will vote Labour simply because they can identify with the ramblings of this stupid fat bastard.

This is how it is I am affraid. There has been a study that suggests that there are a set number of personality types, so I guess the trick is to find ten MP's who can sell your crap to each of them.

Anonymous said...

There is another example of his stupidity in his latest ramblings. He claims that "I don't think members should have a paid second job. (I've yet to convince Cameron's front bench on that one.)"
He also doesn't yet appear to have convinced either himself or his labour frontbench colleagues of this, given that all of them have had paid second jobs as ministers etc. since 1997.

Rocksteady Eddie said...

All the more reason to start with a clean sheet, a totally new party not involved in any scandal.
In the European Elections there is one such party the only pan-European party.
There you are dizzy I haven,t mentioned their name, is that ok

Oldrightie said...

Has Bulimic Buffoon become so irrelevant to Snotty that he's not been told it was Gordo that sold the info?

Houdini said...

Be careful, that is Mrs Dales new bestest mate in the blogosphere.

Prescot is damaged goods anyway and even if nothing comes out about him, and it will, he is seen as the original trougher and without any credibility. The only people who take anything he says seriously is dyed in the wool Labour cretins and people like Dale who want to cuddle up to him as the new and wonderful face of Labour on the net.

Demetrius said...

Perhaps Dear John is trying to head off enquiries into some of the very peculiar arrangements in urban property developments during his watch as Deputy PM?

Chris Cox said...

At this stage theres a genuine charge to be made that some politicos are becoming so detatched from reality they couldnt find it with both hands.

Case in point... Elliot Morley. The man literally committed fraud and yet he thinks he deserves to continue claiming a wage and expenses until a future general election? The fact Brown hasnt fired him, and he hasnt had the decency to quit just shows the sense of entitlement some of these guys have.

Lexander said...

Bloody hypocritical Prescott. This useless bag of wind and shite obviously carries a hate against the media. It was the media that helped exposed this prat for what he is. I certainly did my best. I just wish we could avoid ever mentioning this monstrous mongrel again.

Lexander said...

Prescott has never forgiven Sir Christopher Meyer's description of him in his book. Sir Christopher is, in fact, one of the best Chairman we have had. The damage and cost of Prescott's time in Parliament has never been totalled. It will run into billions for failed ideas and plans.

First Time Caller said...

Virtually every time that man opens his mouth I nearly swallow my tongue with rage! He is a wonderful example of just how stuck in the past these Labour politicians are. The main rule is, as long as you behave in a self-rightous Leftist manner, you must be right, regardless of actual outcomes.

I have to laugh just to counter the sobbing that I would otherwise be doing.

Anonymous said...

I like Prescott. He may be an illiterate oaf but reading his latest quotes is always good for a laugh. And he is an excellent recruiter for the conservatives. Have to say though that it does make you wonder about the IQ of people who voted for him. Hull is it?

Rocksteady Eddie said...

It's time we let the police deal with MP's and move on to local authorities who are run by these same corrupt parties and are just as corrupt if not more so than the current Government and incumbrents in waiting.

Dick the Prick said...

Anon 16.24 - Alan Johnson's the other Hull MP. Hmm.. it's a really nice town too - shame really.

davidc said...

'---the Telegraph stories were all going to come out soon anyway because of "Labour's Freedom of Information Act".'

is this is the same foi act that ALL parties fought tooth and nail both in the h of c and the courts, using taxpayers money, to exempt
themselves from its provisions ?